In today’s digital environment, many of us are constantly distracted. Taking time to unwind and practice self-care is critical to our well being. Let’s take a look at five healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.
1. Exercise
It’s no news that exercise is good. It provides a healthy outlet to blow off some steam because physical activity increases the production of endorphins, which are the neurotransmitters in our brains associated with feel-good emotions. Research has also found that regular exercise can aid in cognitive function and improve concentration and alertness. Exercise helps both your body and mind feel better by stabilizing your mood and releasing tension.
People who aren’t regularly active don’t need to suddenly start running marathons. Even light to moderate walking for 30 minutes per day can help. The important thing is to get the body moving and set goals to gradually progress.
2. Meditate
Meditation and deep breathing exercises have also been shown to help people cope with stress and anxiety. It’s a way to essentially ‘shut off’ our brain, release tension, and reset. Some people get frustrated when they first begin meditation because it’s difficult to stop thoughts from wandering and concentrate only on relaxing. This is normal. There are many apps that can help with a guided meditation. Even five to ten minutes a day can be beneficial.
3. Massage or Warm Bath
When we’re stressed our anxious, it doesn’t just affect our mind, it also affects our body. Prolonged tension can cause stiffness in our neck and back. It can cause headaches too. Therefore, taking time to relax our muscles and body is an effective way to deal with stress and anxiety. When our bodies relax, our minds tend to as well. There are many ways to do this, such as getting a massage or taking a warm bath.
4. Get Outside
If someone is stressed about, let’s say, work, their natural instinct usually isn’t to go take a break or go for a walk. However, doing so can actually help make us more productive in the long run and, in turn, less stressed and anxious about something going on in our lives that we’re having trouble coping with. Getting outside and being around nature can help calm you. In fact, simply looking at pictures or listening to sounds of nature can help.
5. Practice Gratitude
Unfortunately, it can be all too easy to focus on what we don’t have or what isn’t going right in our lives than what is. When we’re constantly seeking something ‘more,’ we’re inviting an endless presence of stress and anxiety to our lives because that feeling of needing more will never entirely be fulfilled. Instead, a healthy mechanism for coping with stress and anxiety is to practice gratitude. This can be as simple as writing down five things you are grateful for each day.