April is stress awareness month

As the world around us starts to open back up, there are lots of stressors that can come to the surface. Between work, school, family life, relationships, and trying to balance a social life, things get stressful. While stress feels like it’s inevitable, it’s important to take a step back sometimes and discover different ways to reduce stress in your life.

Six simple ways to reduce stress in your life

Feeling stress or anxiety? Try some of these simple things you can do every day to make life a little more relaxing.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to reduce stress and anxiety. Moving your body has significant health benefits and not only keeps you active and in shape, but improves your mental health. The more you work out, the more endorphins pump into your body which elevates your mood. Whether it’s following along to a workout video in your living room, going for a stroll around the neighborhood, lifting weights, or anything that gets you up and moving, you’re going to feel so much better afterward.

Write

Writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal can help keep your negative thoughts at bay and make room for positive ones instead. If you are feeling stressed, write down what you are thinking and feeling in that moment – get it all out. You can also create a gratitude journal which might help you focus on the good that you have going on amidst the chaos.

Laugh

Can you feel stress while laughing? Maybe, but it’s very unlikely. Laughing can seriously improve your mood and overall tone for the day ahead of you. It lets you enjoy the moment and relax your muscles a bit. Turn on your favorite sitcom TV show or call up a friend that you know has some funny stories to share. Laugh it out!

Focus (on you)

Self-care might be an overused term at this point but it still remains a great way to alleviate stress. Self-care comes in many different forms and can look very different from person to person. It might be reading a book, taking a nap, enjoying a bath, doing a puzzle, cooking a meal, listening to music, lighting a candle, or watching your favorite movie. It’s really anything that makes you feel calm and relaxed and brings you a little joy.

Clean

Yes, it’s a chore, but it’s also cathartic. When you have a clean home to surround yourself in, you will be more at ease and able to relax after a long day. It also gets you moving around, which is always a good thing! Start with a small task first, like picking up any clothes or wiping down a mirror and see where it takes you.

Say No

Plans and activities always sound great at the time, but what happens when you overload yourself with too many? Always having somewhere to be can in itself become stressful and add you any existing anxiety. You can still say yes to things that bring you joy but don’t feel obligated to just because someone asks. Learn to say no and take some time for yourself every now and then.

De-stress with Harmony Bay Wellness

Are stress and anxiety overrunning your life? Try one or more of the tips above to start relaxing. Need a little more help? No problem. At Harmony Bay Wellness, we offer stress therapy with our professional staff of stress therapists to help you navigate the everyday stressors of life and get you back to living. Contact us today at 855.857.6050.