1. Get regular sleep. Being well rested will make it easier for you to think clearly and feel less overwhelmed. If sleep gets disrupted by stress, try a hot bath, relaxing music, calming herbal tea, or warming socks* before bed.
2. Exercise regularly. Exercise comes in many different forms and not all forms are stress-relieving for everyone. You need to use one that works for you, whether it is aerobic, meditative, or a combination.
3. Breathe into your abdomen with your diaphragm. Deep, rhythmic breathing puts your nervous system into a restful state, which will reduce stress, improve immunity, and provide greater mental clarity. This type of breathing is especially effective when combined with meditation.
4. Get massage or acupuncture. Touch is very healing- it creates relaxation, supports immunity, detoxifies, and reconnects us to our bodies. Massage or acupuncture can immediately reduce stress to break the stress-response cycle where feeling stressed out generates more stress. Acupuncture is also very effective for restoring sleep.
5. Limit dairy, junk foods, and sugar. Stress is hard on the body, and these foods don’t provide your body with the nutrition it needs. Sugar may give you an energy burst at first, but causes energy crashes later. A whole foods diet is your best bet, especially with warm, cooked foods as the weather gets colder. Make sure to eat breakfast!
6. Drink enough water. Your body and brain are made up primarily of water and when you are feeling “fried” from stress, there’s a good chance, you’re dehydrated. Dehydration can also cause fatigue, so before you reach for a cup of coffee, have a glass of water, and then see if you still want the coffee.
7. Take extra B vitamins. B vitamins are essential to many enzyme reactions and systems. Stress depletes B vitamins and being deficient in B vitamins will make it even harder for you to handle stress. Food sources of B vitamins include seeds, legumes, meat, eggs, many dark green vegetables, yeast, and many whole grains. A B-complex is the best supplement to ensure the correct balance among all the individual B vitamins.
8. Do daily shower hydrotherapy. End your shower with a cool spray starting with your extremities and ending with your torso. This will invigorate you and boost your circulation.
9. Give yourself creative outlets. This doesn’t have to mean painting the next Mona Lisa- it should be something you enjoy and for however much time you can give. Stress tends to tighten things up, so try more free-form styles (try fingerpaints or crayons on big pieces of paper), and just let yourself express without worrying about the finished product. Also try keeping a journal by your bed and write at the end of the day to let go of thoughts that might keep you awake. Try starting your day with journaling to release fears or concerns you have for the day- you may find yourself coming up with creative solutions through free-writing.
10. Take breaks through the day. It is easy to go for hours without taking a break, but this will only increase the stress of your day. Set timers to remind you to take a break- even if it is only for a few minutes to get up and stretch or walk around. Sometimes we need reminders that the world will not end if we take a 5 minute break. You’ll be able to come back feeling more refreshed, especially if you can get outside.
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