Everyone’s stressed, how we deal with the stress is what will make or break us in the end. Most of us can’t get away every weekend for much needed downtime, many of us can’t even get 30 minutes of ‘me’ time at the end of a hard day, but we can get a few moments here and there throughout the day to help reduce stress and improve overall health. It’s not exercise (which is the best way to reduce stress) but simple things that will reduce stress.
Play an Online Game
One game, five minutes, stress level reduced. Chose an online game that requires your full attention and make it easily accessible so when you feel tension begin to build up you can blow off the steam playing a five minute game. Games which demand your full attention shut down the body’s stress response of fight-or-flight by getting your mind focused on something else. If an online game is not feasible, keep a crossword puzzle or sudoku game handy, they work just as well.
Apply Pressure
The webbing located between your thumb and index finger is a powerful acupressure point, and when pressure is applied the body releases feel-good endorphins. Apply pressure to the webbing with the thumb and index finger of the opposite hand. Hold 30 seconds and repeat with opposite hand. This applied pressure also helps reduce the pain of a tension headache.
Roll Your Eyes
We would get in trouble for rolling our eyes when we were children, but as stressed out adults, rolling our eyes is a good thing. Rolling the eyes short circuit’s the body’s response to stress and stimulates both of the brain’s hemispheres, so this stress buster will leave you feeling relaxed and re-focused. Just close your eyes and roll them clockwise for 30 seconds, then roll eyes counterclockwise for another 30 seconds.
Have a Cup of Hot Tea
This is a double impact stress reducer – it’s both the tea and the heat that do the trick. Black and green tea contain natural anti-anxiety compound called L-theanine which reduces stress and by holding a cup of something hot the body’s stress level reduces.
Take an Imaginary Trip
Find a quiet place and lie down for ten minutes. Close your eyes and imagine yourself someplace calm and peaceful, like watching a sunset on a deserted beach. Inhale deeply and use all of your senses to imagine the smells, sounds and sights of your calm and peaceful imaginary trip. By focusing on your imaginary trip it stops the fight-or-flight stress response of the body.
Epsom Salts Soak
A 10 minute soak in a warm Epsom salts bath will reduce stress. Epsom salts is rich in magnesium, which is a natural sedative and a 10 minute soak releases muscle tension and reduces body stress from head to toe.
Sources:
RPR Alliance
Dummies.com
SaltWorks
