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With everything that's going on in our world today, it can be easy (and totally normal) to become overwhelmed or stressed. Given this, tuning in to these emotions and finding ways to cope is the best thing you can do for yourself right now. When stress strikes, try one of these 5 ways to de-stress at home.
Constantly hearing about and being reminding of a scary situation is enough to cause anyone stress. Keep your mind at ease and calm your nerves by giving yourself regular breaks from watching, reading, and listening to the news (including social media). Better yet, set a schedule & check the news just once or twice a day. Limiting your media exposure will give you an update and prepare you for the next day while preventing an overflow of unnecessary negative intake.
Calming yourself through breathing can be as simple as taking one minute of your time. The 4-7-8 method is a great one. Longer meditations are also great for de-stressing your mind. During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate any jumbled or anxious thoughts. There are quite a few ways to meditate and each method has its own perks. This article on 6 Simple Meditation Techniques For "Real People" from MBGMindfulness is a great resource for easy daily meditation.
Stress only becomes worse if you aren’t taking proper care of your body. Eating healthy means you’re having well-balanced meals (watch out for candy and processed foods!!) and maintaining a consistent eating schedule. Make sure that you are getting the right amount of nutrients through fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, and high protein foods. You should also be sure to drink a lot of water & avoid excess amounts of alcohol.
Exercise and other physical activity produces endorphins—chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers—which in turn reduces stress and improves your ability to sleep. There are many levels of at-home workout intensities and you should do whatever works for you. As long as you’re getting at least 10 minutes a day, you’re on your way to reducing stress! “Tone at Home With This 10-Minute Workout” is a great source of inspiration for your own 10-minute workout.
Doing something you enjoy (especially if it is creative) like cooking, art, photography, or reading can help take you away from the stress at hand. Activities such as baking a cake or painting a picture require concentration and serve as relief when you are stressed.
