The overwhelming pressures of our daily lives have us constantly looking for ways to de-stress and create peace of mind. While stress can be useful in certain situations and can even save our lives in critical moments, unnecessary stress can have detrimental effects on our physical and mental health, leading to a number of issues from depression, weight loss/gain and even more serious conditions, like heart disease.
From time to time we may try to reduce our stress by engaging in relaxing activities such as booking ourselves a day full of pampering at the spa. Now don’t get me wrong, spa days are awesome! But, there are a number of ways we can take our mind off of daily stresses and shift our energy towards something positive without having to leave the house or put a big pause on our daily activities. With that in mind, here is a list of five tried-and-true ways to de-stress and get rid of any mental tension, in the comfort of your own home.
1. Silence Your Thoughts
When stress seems to be overtaking every aspect of our life, the one key thing we can use is peace of mind. One of the main ways to de-stress and find peace of mind is by searching for inner peace through meditation. An ancient practice of connecting the mind with the body and soul. Meditation is something that’s rather easy to implement into a daily routine. It doesn’t take too much time as even 10 minutes of meditation are enough to help you feel refreshed and energized. When it comes to the process itself there aren’t any strict rules, which allows you to manage it your own way. Try to start meditating in a quiet space in your house where there are NO distractions. Sit in a comfortable position and concentrate on something positive, for example, your breathing, a picture, or even an object in the room. This teaches us how to live in the moment and be more mindful, while also lowering our blood pressure and improving our cognitive functions. Some people also like to incorporate a mantra into their meditation, so why not try that as well?
2. Get Your Body Moving
It’s a wide known fact that exercising has a healing effect on our bodies. Physical activity is a convenient and surefire way to turn our negative energy into positive energy! If you do a little browsing, you’ll find a wide range of exercises you can do in the comfort of your home. Try to find exercises that you enjoy as it will keep you motivated and enthusiastic about your daily workouts. Aside from helping you to lose weight and get in shape, boosting your fitness level also improves your heart and brain function as well as regulates your blood sugar more efficiently. Putting your body in motion will also boost endorphins and put you in a good mood while reducing stress and improving your overall well-being. Essentially, making it one of the most effective ways to de-stress
3. De-stress Your Home Environment
Our homes are our personal sanctuaries. It’s where we spend the majority of our time when we’re not working. Therefore, it makes sense that we take care of our living environment and make sure our homes are clean and cozy. However, cleaning is the last thing that comes to mind when we’re curling up on the couch after an eight-hour shift or an entire day of taking care of the kids. Fortunately, there are ways to combat clutter. For example, minimalism is the perfect answer to this problem. Many individuals are simplifying their living spaces with the motto “Less is more” in mind. Quality is outweighing quantity, and investing in fewer high-quality pieces seems to be a major trend these days. Rooms decorated with luscious plants, meaningful artwork, cozy textiles, and quality rugs underfoot, are sure to create a relaxing living environment. Similarly, calming hues, scented candles, and an abundance of natural light will make the room feel bright and airy. Overall, this approach will help you design the perfect environment for unwinding after a long and stressful day.
4. Boost Your Mood With Food
When we feel stressed, many of us tend to eat a lot of carbs as a way of soothing ourselves. This doesn’t sound that surprising given how our favourite sugary delights boost our mood and make us feel relaxed. This is because starchy and sugary foods help bring our serotonin levels up. Higher serotonin levels result in our body releasing ‘happy’ chemicals and boosting our mood. Although cookies, ice cream, chocolate, and candy bring instant satisfaction, it’s important not to go overboard. A good way to ensure this would be to pre-pack the treats and stay under 100 calories. As long as our eating choices are made consciously, there’s no reason not to indulge in those small guilty pleasures.
5. Catch Some Zzz’s
The fast pace of our daily lives has many of us sacrificing our sleep in order to get everything done. This can have quite a toll on our mental and physical wellness. Restful sleep is necessary for a number of processes that happen in our bodies throughout the day. That being said, excessive sleeping can also have a detrimental effect on our metabolism. Therefore not oversleeping is as important as undersleeping. According to the Sleep Health Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, the average individual requires seven to nine hours of sleep each night. This research also suggests that teenagers need eight to ten hours of sleep, while older adults require at least seven to eight hours of sleep each day in order to maintain their health and well-being. Aside from meeting the required sleep time duration for your age, you should also ensure high-quality sleep. Eliminating distractions such as noise and lights will ensure that the sleep you get each night is restorative.
Final Words
Stress can sometimes get the best of us. Luckily, it is something we can work on and try to reduce. Learning how to deal with stress effectively is what will help us keep it at bay. Making sure you stick with a couple of health-conscious habits is a great way to improve mental and physical well-being. Therefore, these five ways to de-stress are key to help you bring balance back into your life and ultimately reduce your stress.
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