Simple Ways To Beat Stress
Stress is the biggest killer – it’s thought to be the leading cause of heart attacks. Whilst you can’t always remove stress triggers from your life, you can find ways to relieve stress before it turns chronic. I mean, I don’t think we can remove the kids but there’s some other good little ideas!
Exercise
Exercise is a great way of flushing out the stress hormones (aka – cortisol) from our bodies, replacing it with feel good hormones (endorphins). If you’re stressed at work, you may even be able to fit in a five minute workout in your lunch break to release some of that stress – anything that raises your heart rate is likely to get the endorphins flowing. When I was on maternity leave with the kids I joined a Mum & Baby Workout group and I absolutely loved it!
Take a hot bath
A hot bath similarly releases endorphins all around the body as well as lowering blood pressure. Who knew exercising and hot baths could have the same effect!? I know which one I’d pick! A bath is a great way to destress after a long day at work or with the kids, many people claim that Epsom salts can help to make them feel more relaxed too, so a scoop of those may be worth a try.
Meditate
Meditation helps to clear the mind of stressful thoughts. You only need a couple spare minutes to meditate making it another easy thing to do on your lunch break or just before bed, some people find listening to music and meditating works well – when I feel particularly anxious I find a quick Headspace session before bed really works wonders! Other friends of mine, combine meditation with yoga or pilates.
Get more sleep
I know, it’s easier said than done with little ones around but lack of sleep and stress often forms a vicious cycle. When you haven’t had enough sleep, you’re more likely to get stressed – at the same time, stress makes the mind more alert, preventing you from getting to sleep as easily. Make sure that you’re getting at least six hours a night – this helps your body to feel more rested, so you don’t wake up feeling stressed and start the cycle again. Did you know that your hormones can play a big part in your sleep cycle as well? If your hormones are not functioning as well as they should be, you can become groggy, restless, and constantly fatigued. You may benefit from some hormone assistance by going to an ED Clinic South Fort Wayne (or one in your area), if you need that help to get you back on track.
Although it may not necessarily be a regular occurrence, finding a massage spa near me where you can book an evening treatment can be a brilliant idea for sleep, as you’ll return home relaxed, happy, and rested.
Get a helping hand
I am the worst for this – taking on too much responsibility! But asking for help can help to relieve this burden and in turn relieve some stress. This could be anything from delegating work to a colleague to getting a family member to looking after the kids for a couple of hours. Getting married? Hire help in the form of a wedding planner. Moving house? Hire house removals to help. If you can’t find anyone to offer physical help, sharing your problems is just as good – emotional support can be just as valuable.
Take a well-earned break
Too much exposure to one stress trigger can cause chronic stress. You may not be able to remove the trigger from your life, but you can always take a break; take time off work to plan a holiday or simply to have some time to yourself to relax at home. Visit a Hampshire spa, book in and treat yourself! If parenthood is wearing you down, then book a babysitter for a night so that you can enjoy letting your hair down!
*This is a collaborative post.
