Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Handling stress


Okay, I realize I am probably the last person who should be giving advice on handling stress (seeing as I've been a worry-wart my entire life). But I do have some tips that I think work, and you can take 'em or leave 'em.

-Breathe: I think everyone can agree that taking a moment to close your eyes and take in a few deep breaths can calm you down. It centers you, and since you're focusing on your breath, you're not thinking about whatever has you worried. Just do this for a couple of minutes, and you should feel a little better.

-Eat comfort foods: Now this one you have to be careful with. If you go over-the-top with the ice cream or mac-n-cheese, you're going to have one more stress to deal with (i.e. weight issues). But having a happy snack can calm you down. I usually go for candy (chocolate, jelly beans, doesn't really matter, just something with sugar in it). Of course this is a temporary fix, but it can settle you down at least for a little while.
 

-Exercise: Exercise is a great way to get that stressful energy out of your body. Go for a run, take a kick-boxing class, whatever you like. Exercising can take your mind off of the things that are stressing you out. Plus, the endorphins aren't too bad, either.

-Vent: Sometimes you just need to let it all out! But, again, use caution with this strategy. You don't want to turn into the friend/child/sibling known for whining all the time. But every once in a while, it's okay to go to that person who has the shoulder you can cry on and just talk about why you're stressed. After discussing your feelings, you understand them better, and they don't seem as overwhelming or intimidating.

-Get plenty of sleep: Sometimes your body is feeling out of whack because you're not well-rested! Even just getting an hour or two of extra sleep can instantly make you perk up. If you're sick and not feeling well, you try to rest a lot, right? Well, treat stress like an illness and get some sleep!

What are your tips for de-stressing? I'd love to hear your ideas!

1 comment:

  1. I relieve stress by having a glass of wine, watch a "feel good" movie (that gives your brain 1-2 hours of not thinking), venting to someone also works for me!

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