Stress relief comes in many different forms. Not every person will appreciate every method of relaxation. It’s healthy to discover new ways to alleviate stress to help prevent you from turning to unhealthy methods such as smoking, drinking, or lashing out at others who don’t deserve your wrath.

Here are 4 top tips for stress relief that you can remember to apply the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or depressed:

1)   Write it down.  Journaling about your stress triggers helps you see patterns that you may be able to correct.  But don’t just write what’s annoying you.  Jot down how it made you feel – did it gives you knots in your stomach and make you feel nervous?  What response did you have – did you overeat or burst into tears?  How did you finally begin feeling better?

2)   Just say, “No!”  Too often stress is the direct result of taking on too much in too little time.  These days, we’re overscheduled and especially women.  Learn how to turn down tasks others ask of you to give yourself time to unwind from your normal routine.

3)   Create a calming environment.  You can’t always make drastic changes (such as at work), but at home and in your personal workspace, you can implement stress relieving tactics such as aromatherapy and lighting that work to relax you.

4)   Get your daily dose of laughter! Laughter is the best medicine, they say – and whoever “they” are – they’re right!  It’s scientifically proven that laughing helps release feel-good endorphins that chase the blues away.

There are other stress relieving tips you can try throughout your day. You may just need to turn off the TV and tune out of the news if it raises your blood pressure.  Or relax with a good book in a quiet atmosphere if your stress is triggered from a chaotic and noisy day at work and in the home. 

Whatever you do, take stress seriously.  Stress related diseases are killers.  And if you don’t take time to de-stress yourself, who will do it for you?

Related posts

• The Stress “Columbo” Comment (2)
• Stress Relief – You Need To Sleep on it (0)
• Stress Relief – Just Do It (4)
• Pill Popping Stress Relief? (3)
• Is Stress Breaking Your Heart? (3)