Stress-Busting Ideas for Better Daily Health
By Genevieve Cunningham
Do you ever have a day in your life without any stress at all? Unless you're in the middle of a vacation, the answer is probably no. And even if you're relaxing on a beach, it's possible that you still have worries in the back of your mind. Stress is unavoidable. Unfortunately, along with being unavoidable, it's also incredibly unhealthy. So what can we do to protect ourselves from stress? If you're interested in lowering stress and feeling a little better every day, take a look at these stress-busting ideas to try now.
Stretch
When we feel stressed, we hold tension in various places around our bodies. At first, you probably don't even notice. But after awhile, you might notice that your muscles and joints feel especially tight. By engaging in a stretch session every day, you can release that tension, which helps to release a little bit of stress in your mind as well. Try a 10-minute session first thing in the morning and another one just before bed, and you're much more likely to feel less stress throughout your day.
Burn Calories
Think of burning calories as burning stress. Our bodies aren't able to concentrate on two stressors -- mental and physical -- at once. If we force our bodies to do something physically stressful, it gradually lets go of the mental stress. Choose an activity that you enjoy -- perhaps walking or a light jog -- and then make sure that you do it every day. This can help you let go of stress and get your body in better shape as well.
Hot Shower or Sauna
We don't realize how much tension we hold in our bodies until the tension is released. If you're holding tension in your body, step into a hot shower -- or a sauna if possible -- at the day's end. The heat relaxes the muscles, and as a result, we feel less stressed overall. And luckily, a hot shower feels good as well. It's enjoyable. It's relaxing. If you want an easy, affordable, and satisfying way to reduce stress, add a hot shower to your daily routine.
It's true that you can't avoid stress completely. But it's also true that you can do things to manage it. Use these tips to bust the stress in your life, and feel better -- mind, body, and spirit -- moving forward in your life.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Little Rock, Ark.