Our families, our bosses, our friends, our clients and even our schedules… every day we’re deluged from all side by endless demands. One survey found that more than 60% of people at work are essentially “sandwiched” by their own parents and children. If stress could feed people, no one would ever go hungry! But since we can’t eat stress, we need to find ways to handle it and turn it into positive energy. Don’t let stress drag you down – check out these 5 tricks and start de-stressing!
1. Soak in a hot bath
Taking a bath is an excellent way to relax your body and mind. It expands your blood vessels, rids the body of wastes, boosts your circulation, and relieves muscle tightness. You can also add soothing bath salts, such as lavender, which is also perfect for improving your quality of sleep and even losing weight!
2. Listen to music
When you feel like everything is too much to handle, take a 10-to-15-minute break and turn on some music. Surveys show that music has a positive impact on our brain. Music can also help lower our blood pressure and cortisol levels, preventing them from being too high in the long run
3. Choose stress-reducing foods
When the pressure is off the charts, you can be tempted to eat like there’s no tomorrow. But junk food isn’t just bad for your health – it will end up making you more stressed, turning the whole thing into a vicious cycle. Healthy, stress-reducing foods such as strawberries, oranges, nuts and dark chocolate (in the right amounts) can produce endorphins and help you loosen up.
4. Be thankful each day
Take time each day to make a list of the things you are thankful for. This will let you focus on the good people, good events, and good things in your life. When you surround yourself with positive energy, you can live a life of pure joy.
5. Take a deep breath
Why do people always tell you to “calm down and take a deep breath” when you are stressed? There’s actually a scientific reason! Regulating your breathing speed slows down activity in the relevant nerve cells. This can greatly calm your mind, relax your shoulder muscles, and help alleviate anxiety.
Remember, part of looking your best is living a balanced, healthy life. Release your inner beauty with a big smile today!
