Whether you work in a high-stress, fast-paced environment or are done with adulating, there are plenty of ways to relieve stress. The good news is you don’t need to spend tons to feel relaxed and renewed. Below we round up the quickest no-fuss ways you can reset your mind, body, and soul. Most of them are so easy, and you can do them in the comfort of your own home.
Change Your Environment
Changing your environment does not necessarily mean that you need to move out and live in another city (although that would help in highly toxic situations). Primarily if you work at home, simply rearranging the furniture or letting the sunlight in will do the trick.
You can also try decluttering to free up space. Rummage through your stuff starting in the wardrobe and then leave only the things that spark joy, according to Japanese consultant Marie Kondo. Call your friendly house rubbish service in Mitcham to help you get rid of the clutter. If you follow the KonMari method of tidying up, you will feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted off your chest.
Practise Meditation
Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. You can start by practicing mindful breathing for three minutes whenever you’re stressed out. Once you’re ready to step up your mindfulness game, you can try yoga or tai chi and do it more frequently.
Apart from relieving stress, these practices can help control anxiety, improve emotional health, enhance self-awareness, and lengthen your attention span. According to Healthline, meditation can also reduce age-related memory loss and aid in combatting addictions.
Watch the Food You Eat
When we’re stressed out, we tend to crave sweets, like chocolates, candies, ice cream, and cakes. While these treats can improve our mood by stopping the production of stress hormones, you want to watch your consumption because emotional eating can backfire to your physical health.
As an alternative to these carbohydrate-rich foods, try eating potassium-rich foods, such as potato and banana. These give off the same effect of improving your overall mood and energy and, at the same time, regulates blood pressure, which can rise in stressful situations.
Avoid Caffeinated Drinks
Opening a bottle of alcoholic drink or ordering a caffeinated beverage from a nearby café could be your first line of defense against stress. Unfortunately, these drinks could worsen your stress response.
Instead, you want to drink beverages that can promote relaxation, such as green tea. Green tea has an amino acid called theanine, which adds flavor to the drink and makes it soothing. Make sure to stock up on green tea so you can have one ready when your stress hormones are triggered.
Step Away from the Screen
Several studies have revealed that heavy technology use is linked to stress, fatigue, and depression. Especially if your nine-to-five involves sitting in front of the screen for long hours, you want to take a digital detox at least once a week. You can start by not taking your devices to sleep on the weekends.
Instead of browsing your social media feeds for an hour, try going for a walk outside to breathe fresh air or go to parks to be one with nature again. These activities can help clear your head and boost your endorphins, an agent that reduces stress hormones.
Allotting at least three minutes of your time every day to practice one of these stress-relieving activities can affect how you deal with stress in the long run. Next time you feel the tension rising, try these no-fuss de-stressors and see how they can improve your mood.
