Ah, stress – we can’t escape it! We’re all human, and it happens to the best of us. It can be caused by school, work, or even in your personal life, and stress can take a massive toll on our bodies and minds. It can get so excessive to the point where we feel like we can’t control it and it starts controlling us.
Since we can’t escape stress, we need to accept it’s happening when it is, and to be kind to ourselves. We also need to recognize the signs that tell us when stress is upon us, and then, more importantly, we need to work through it as best as we can.
It’s ok to take a mental break so that you can walk away from stressful situations and find peace and strength of mind again. Below are 5 tips to help you relax when you’re stressed and for before you get stressed.
Disconnecting
It’s easy to fall into the trap of needing to keep up with everything social in our lives, including social media platforms, emails, text messages, and more. It’s such a benefit to us when we disconnect from all of it for a while. Consider it an online social cleanse!
Instead of reading through news feeds and catching up on emails, turn your internet off and do something different like finding a quiet place to read a book, spend time on your hobby or even go outside!
You can choose to do this once a month or once a week or more, but what would be the most beneficial to relaxing your mind would be to do this for an hour or two every day. Disconnecting from our screens can relieve so much stress! Once you get into this healthy routine, you’ll be so happy to be able to spend this time by yourself, relaxing.
Have a Hot Cup of Tea
There’s something about a hot cup of tea that soothes the soul and in turn, the mind! There are so many delicious flavors you can choose from, but the herbal ones are the most relaxing! Examples can be lavender, chamomile, blueberry, and more.
Make sure you inhale the tea when you’re drinking it because scents like lavender and chamomile are very calming to the brain, allowing you to feel peace. Some people love doing devotions, meditations, affirmations, and keeping up with a gratitude journal while sipping a comforting cup of tea.
Meditate
A lot of people find that practicing daily meditation helps lower their stress levels a lot! If you don’t have a lot of time to yourself, try to take 5-10 minutes to yourself and meditate. There are various kinds of meditation, so find something that can work for you. There are some handy apps out there that can teach you how to meditate, and the narrator’s calming voice definitely adds to the whole effect!
Meditation takes practice and time, but once you get comfortable with it, you will learn what a gift it can be to de-clutter your mind and ground yourself! It will make you feel like a new you, ready to take on the day!
Spend Time Outside
There is a connection between spending time outside and how it helps depression and stress; therefore, going out is something that I recommend to help you relax! What’s so incredible about spending time outside is that you are in a different place, outside of your home and away from the everyday things you’re surrounded by. You can feel more free and carefree when you spend time around nature and creation. Make sure to go outside when the sun is out because the sun naturally provides Vitamin D, which significantly helps depression and stress!
Go for a Car or Bike Ride
Driving or biking can be very impactful to how you manage your stress levels! There’s something so peaceful and exciting about just getting away, having a private place to think and listen to some music!
There’s some freedom to driving a bike fast down a trail and soaking in the breeze, and there’s a real temporary escape from your troubles when you’re driving down the road with the windows done and music blaring. Time alone from everybody is very therapeutic!
Managing and working through stress is a lifesaver!
While stress will always be in our lives and some we can’t get rid of, it’s possible to manage and work through it! Some people can handle it better than others, but with the help of counselors or accountability, it’s not impossible, and for others, extra support isn’t needed.
Just make sure that you know what your needs and limits are and work within them wisely and carefully. These 5 tips are sure to help!
Getting away from stress for a while is so very necessary and incredibly impactful in our lives; therefore, give yourself the freedom to release your tension a little!
Share in the comments below: What is ONE thing that you can do today to help you relax and lower your stress using these 5 tips?