45 Simple Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Daily Life
What causes stress can be different for everyone. But one thing's for certain, no one enjoys being stressed. Too much stress can cause serious health problems such as high blood pressure or heart disease. Improve your overall health by keeping your stress in check.
Here's a list of 45 things you can do to reduce stress:
1- Shut off electronics for a portion of your day! Even if it’s just 30 minutes.
2- Learn to say “no” to things that aren’t important to you. This will give you more time for yourself.
3- Drink a cup of tea. One study found that drinking black tea leads to lower post-stress cortisol levels and greater feelings of relaxation.
4- Walk or sit in nature. A 2015 Stanford University study found that people taking a walk in a natural setting had decreased activity in the brain region associated with repetitive, negative thoughts.
5- Listen to calming sounds like ocean waves, rain, or whatever you like! Listening to soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety.
6- Eat a banana. Bananas regulate blood sugar and produce stress-relieving relaxation.
7- Color. Buy a coloring book or download free coloring pages, especially mandala designs!
8- Focus on ONE task a time. This is where making a list of things to do helps a lot. You tackle one thing at a time instead of trying to multitask.
9- Talk about what’s stressing you to someone else. You’ll feel better by talking about it and by the support you get.
10- Hug someone for 20 seconds. “A 20-second hug, along with 10 minutes of hand-holding, also reduces the harmful physical effects of stress”
11- Exercise. Here are 11 reasons WHY exercise is recommended for reducing stress.
12- Get enough sleep.
13- LAUGH! Laughing has shown to reduce stress! It lowers the stress a hormone called, cortisol.
14- Breathe deeply. And make sure you’re breathing the correct way. So many of us do it all wrong.
15- Give thanks. Write down or say out loud 5 things you’re thankful for each day.
16- Write someone a note/card and mail it to their job or home. Believe it or not it makes YOU happy.
17- Listen to a guided meditation. Here's one!
18- Let out a sigh.
19- Light a candle.
20- Take a bath and try out one of those bath bombs everyones been talking about.
21- Pet a furry create or a furry headless cat pillow. Yeah, it exists!
22- Reminisce about good times! This has shown to put you in a better mood.
23- Smile. A new study suggests that smiling for a few seconds during periods of stress may help the heart and reduce stress.
24- Be MINDFUL! Stay present. Don’t worry about your past or your future. Focus on what’s going on right now and right here.
25- Try some light yoga.
26- Join a religious community. A study showed that religious students were less stressed than ones not practicing any religion.
27- Do a simple art project.
28- Chew gum. Studies suggest the act of chewing gum can reduce cortisol levels, helping to alleviate stress
29- Smell something good like lavender oils or candles.
30- Do some baking.
31- Use a face mask.
32- Give your spouse a kiss. Kissing increases levels of the love hormone, oxytocin, which relaxes us while also decreasing the stress hormone, cortisol.
33- Eat a spoonful of honey. It’s shown to reduce inflammation in the brain which can help improve your mood.
34- Get a massage.
35- Get your hands on a stress ball. It helps alleviate tension by promoting muscle relaxation and providing a general sense of release.
36- Go for a swim. Swimming allows oxygen to flow to your muscles which consequently regulates your breathing and reduces stress.
37- Avoid negative people.
38- Relax you jaw. Open it wiiiiiiiide and release the tension.
39- Clean your closet. Get rid of the old or unused. It’ll look less crammed.
40- Don’t prorasitnate. This contributes to your stress while you’re trying to do something last minute!
41- Learn to forgive. Holding on to grudges or not forgiving yourself for something you’ve done, lingers and contributes to your daily stress.
42- Stand tall. Good posture makes you more confident in your self and less anxious!
43- Drink MORE water. The slightest bit of dehydration can increase the stress hormone, cortisol.
44- Do some stretching.
45- Take it easy on yourself. Try not to be perfect. No one is, ever.
When you feel like your stress is out of control, reach out and talk to a therapist for more support.
If you are suffering from anxiety-related stress, check out some more information on the blog about dealing with anxiety, or anxiety in someone you love:
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