YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO REDUCING STRESS
Stress is undoubtedly a part of every single one of our lives, completely inevitable and out of our control. However, what we can control is how much stress we undertake and how often. We’ve compiled a list of some of our best tips to make sure that you minimize those (surprisingly frequent) 2 am freak-outs when you suddenly come to the realization (again) that your life is not going according to plan.
Eat your problems away (healthily!)
We get that when we mention “comfort food”, your mind instantly pictures mac and cheese, pizza, and a cup of hot cocoa. Unfortunately, though, these foods don’t really help with your stressful situation. By eating well-balanced, healthy meals, you can considerably reduce your stress levels. We’d rather you actually sit down and take the time out to enjoy your food. You can even munch on some pistachios or sunflower seeds as a quick snack at work to keep yourself relatively full and energized enough to take on the day ahead.
Get your butt to the gym
Going for a run or doing 20 crunches might seem far less appealing than curling yourself into a ball and crying your heart out, but trust us, you’ll feel better once you’ve actually gotten rid of all that pent-up emotion inside of you by working out. Exercising also causes your body to release endorphins that can help turn even the worst of frowns upside down.
Talk it out
If you’ve already tried all the classic methods of reducing stress (eating insane amounts of junk food, watching trashy movies and chugging down a bottle of wine) but to no avail and are looking for an effective way to calm yourself down, give your best friend a call. Your best friend could perhaps provide a fresh perspective to your problems and make you realize that you are, in fact, not in as much of soup as you believe yourself to be.
Meditate in the morning
A ten-minute meditation and yoga exercise session can make all the difference to your day. Your mindset is everything when it comes to stress. By taking the time to clear your mind and your thoughts, you’ll find that you have a much more proactive attitude towards the million tasks and challenges that lie ahead of you in the day.
Sleep, sleep, sleep
I think we can all agree that waking up in the morning feeling utterly exhausted is like the worst feeling ever. It certainly does not help with the whole stress situation. Getting into a routine is one of the best ways of dealing with your anxiety as the monotony of a routine life will provide you with a certain sense of comfort and familiarity that you need in your otherwise chaotic life. Try to wake up and go to bed at similar times each day. You’ll soon notice a positive change in your everyday mood and a reduction in your stress levels.
Give yourself some time to chill
This guide would just not be complete if we did not mention the need to TREAT YOURSELF. Whether you choose to keep it rather low-key by having a personal pampering session at home with a bubble bath and scented candles or decide to go all out by hiring a private masseuse and by going on a massive shopping spree, rewarding yourself is essential to the entire stress-reducing process. After all, we all need a bit of me-time!
