Top 10 stress relievers to try during this busy season

Take a look at these proven Top 10 stress relievers.

•        Avoid drinking, smoking:
  • People think one of the easiest stress relievers is alcohol.
  • However excessive consumption, can lead to health and in many cases domestic problems.
  • Similarly, to many people regardless of age or income, legal and illegal drugs as well as cigarettes are an all too prevalent and dangerous way of dealing with stress in the short term.
  • Drinking and smoking to excess is not the only potentially harmful way of coping with stress.
  • Many people also find relief in over-eating, trying to numb their anxiety with too much ice cream or smother it in cheese sauce.
  • It’s very important to stay healthy in times of stress and make good choices when it comes to eating and drinking.
  • If this is a part of life is not in control, managing stress will be almost impossible.
•      Keep a Journal:
  • Journaling is a term coined for the practice of keeping a diary or journal that explores thoughts and feelings about all aspects of life.
  • Journaling, as a stress management and self-exploration tool, is not the same as simply recording events, such as keeping a log.
  • To be most helpful, feelings related to stressful events should be written in detail, as if in therapy.
  • Journaling allows people to clarify their thoughts and feelings, thereby gaining valuable self-knowledge.
  • It’s also a good problem-solving tool and can be used to hash out a problem and come up with solutions, which can happen more easily when on paper.
•         Breathing Exercises:
  • Deep breathing is an easy stress reliever that has many benefits for the body, including oxygenating the blood, which ‘wakes up’ the brain, relaxing muscles and quieting the mind.
  • Breathing exercises are especially helpful because can be done anywhere, and they work quickly so can de-stress in a flash.
  • Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body.
  • This is because when breathing deeply sends a message to the brain to calm down and relax.
  • The brain then sends this message to the body.
  • Those things that happen when we are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing and high blood pressure, all decrease on deep breathe.
•          Exercise:
  • Many people exercise to control weight and get in better physical condition to become more healthy or physically attractive, but exercise and stress management are also closely linked, of course.
  • Exercise provides a distraction from stressful situations, as well as an outlet for frustrations, and gives a lift with a surge of endorphins as well.
•        Meditation:
  • Meditation builds on deep breathing, and takes it a step further.
  • When one meditates, brain enters an area of functioning that’s similar to sleep, but carries some added benefits you can’t achieve as well in any other state, including the release of certain hormones that promote health.
  • Also, the mental focus on nothingness keeps mind from working overtime and increasing stress level.
  • Give yourself 10 minutes, either in the morning or at night before bed, to sit and calmly let your thoughts fade and mind relax.
  • Some people prefer to sit cross-legged or sitting back on their calves, while others like to lie on their back with arms to their sides.
  • Find a position that is comfortable for you and reap the benefits of an amazing stress reliever.
•        Yoga:
  • Yoga is one of the oldest self-improvement practices around, dating back over five thousand years.
  • It combines the practices of several other stress management techniques such as breathing, meditation, imagery and movement, giving you a lot of benefit for the amount of time and energy required.
  • Yoga helps strengthen, elongate and tone every muscle group in your body.
  • Laughter yoga is also offered in some places, helping you lighten up your mood but also get some get movement going.
•     Self-hypnosis:
  • Self-hypnosis helps enable you to communicate directly to subconscious mind to enhance abilities, more easily give up bad habits, feel less pain, more effectively develop healthier habits, and even find answers to questions that may not be clear to your waking mind. It takes some practice and training, but is well worth it.
•      Sex:
  • The physical benefits of sex are numerous, and most of them work very well toward relieving stress.
  • Sadly, many people have less sex when their stress levels are high.
•        Progressive Muscle Relaxation:
  • By tensing and relaxing all the muscle groups in your body, you can relieve tension and feel much more chill in minutes.
  • Start by tensing all the muscles in your face, holding a tight grimace ten seconds, then completely relaxing for ten seconds.
  • Repeat this with your neck, followed by your shoulders, etc.
  • You can do this anywhere, and as you practice, you will find you can relax more quickly and easily, reducing tension as quickly as it starts.
  • Tense then release your muscle groups traveling down the body, ending with your feet and toe muscles.
•       Music:
  • Music therapy has shown numerous health benefits for people with conditions ranging from mild issues, such as stress, to severe ones, such as cancer.
  • When dealing with stress, the right music can actually lower your blood pressure, relax your body and calm your mind, especially slow, quiet classical music.

Reference: http://madamenoire.com/115365/top-10-stress-relievers-to-try-during-this-busy-season