Managing Stress

 Stress Relivers

Meditation brings short-term stress relief as well as lasting stress management benefits. There are many different forms of meditation to try–each one is unique and brings its own appeal.

Progressive muscle relaxation involves relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group.  To practice, you can start with a few deep breaths.

Just focusing on your breath or changing the way you breathe can make a big difference to your overall stress level. Breathing techniques can calm your body and your brain in just a few minutes.

Exercise is a fantastic stress reliever that can work in minutes. Taking a walk allows you to enjoy a change of scenery, which can get you into a different frame of mind, and brings the benefits of exercise as well.

Physical touch can do a lot to relieve your stress. Hugging a loved one can be especially beneficial.

Aromatherapy has real benefits for stress relief—it can help you to feel energized, more relaxed, or more present in the moment.

Getting in touch with your creative side may have been easy for you during childhood, but if you’ve lost touch with your penchant for artwork, it’s not too late to pick it up again.

A poor diet can bring greater reactivity toward stress.  Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods can provide a temporary sense of relief that adds to your long-term stress.

Leisure activities can be a wonderful way to relieve stress - many people feel as though their lives are too busy for hobbies, games, or extra fun.

The way you talk to yourself matters. Harsh self-criticism, self-doubt, and catastrophic predictions aren't helpful.

Yoga combines physical movement, meditation, light exercise, and controlled breathing—all of which provide excellent stress relief

Gratitude helps you recognize all the things you have to be thankful for. Whether you're grateful for a sunny day or thankful you arrived at work safely, think about all the good things you have in life.

Physical activity is key to managing stress and improving mental health - there are many different kinds of activities that can reduce your stress.

If you're trying to squeeze 20 hours worth of work into 16 hours, you're going to feel stressed. Reducing your workload could be key to helping you get through the day feeling better.

Having supportive people in your life is the key to stress management. If you lack emotional support and friendship, it's important to get it.

Sometimes, the best way to reduce your stress is to cut something out of your life. Get rid of the things that are adding to your stress so you can experience more peace.