When it comes to keeping a healthy lifestyle, we have to keep in mind that it not only consists of healthy food and regular exercise; it also includes maintaining a healthy mind. With that, it’s always a good idea to keep stress levels low or better, eliminate stress.
Laughter is the best medicine
According to studies, laughter is the best way to relieve stress. Laughter lowers blood pressure and increases oxygen levels. It also releases endorphins, and decreases stress-giving hormones called cortisol. Sharing a laugh or two with colleagues or friends is a surefire way to relieve stress once in a while.
Sleep is a necessity
Different age groups require different amounts of sleep but for the average person, it is recommended that a full 8 hours of sleep is required. Sleep deprivation can actually cause you to be more tired and stress and less focused on the things you’re currently working on. Try getting enough sleep each night to reduce stress.
Pour your heart out by writing
Writing is really therapeutic. Writing on your journal, or diary about the stressful things that happened to you daily can help you express your feelings without anyone judging you. It is very helpful in releasing emotions and helps you clear your mind off of negative things. You can also keep a journal where you write down about things you are most grateful for so that when you feel stressed out about something you have your journal to make you feel better.
Do something you love
Playing with your dog, reading a book, jogging, and just basically doing something you love aids us in de-stressing. Doing something you love every once in a while gives you a positive vibe and acts as a mental breather to make us feel good. These things gives us something to be happy about which is really great in relaxing our minds.
Friends
Your friends are great stress-relievers. Talking to your friends about something that’s been bugging you is one of the things you must do when you’re stressed out about something. They are great outlets and will give you great advice and insight about something.
Avoid unhealthy eating habits
Eating healthy food helps in relieving stress. Normally, people would eat junk food, pizza, burger, and other unhealthy food when we feel stressed. However, research says that these foods actually help in increasing our anxiety level. Instead of eating these unhealthy foods, it is so much better eating healthy foods instead. Tea, dark chocolates, fruits, and many more, can reduce cortisol, which are stress hormones. At first these may seem reduce your stress since they are “comfort food” but they actually end up increasing stress in the long term.
Meditate once in a while
A good way to reduce stress is to meditate. Think about all the things that have happened to you today or the past few days and just reflect on it. Quiet down for a few moments and learn to let go of all the negative thoughts you have. These few moments will be the perfect time for you to forget about the problems for a while and just relax. But don’t overdo it.
