Morning, Noon, Night: 3 Good Stress Relieving Habits
By Genevieve Cunningham
Stress is an almost constant in many people's lives. No matter where they turn, stress is present. At work, stress comes from the demanding hours, the deadlines, and the chaos with coworkers. At home, it may come from financial burden or family obligations. While it's OK and perfectly normal to feel a little stressed sometimes, it's not OK if this is a constant state in your life. Stress can be damaging to your overall physical and mental well-being. Luckily, there are things we can do to lower stress on a daily basis. To manage your stress and boost your health too, take a look at these morning, noon, and night tips to keep it under control.
In the Morning, Enjoy Quiet Time
A rushed and chaotic morning leads to more stress. Always. And if you start your morning with more stress, you're going to feel the effects all day long. Instead of allowing for a crazy morning, try to wake up just a few minutes earlier and get some quiet time. Take your coffee onto the porch or the balcony. Sit on the couch with a blanket and a book for a few minutes. The calm and quiet can start your morning off better and keep stress under control all day long.
In the Afternoon, Get in the Sunshine
In the afternoon, we've already spent hours and hours at work, which of course brings about a little stress. One of the best ways to lower that stress is to get outdoors. On your lunch hour, walk outside and soak up a little sun. If you have lunch at a restaurant, ask to be seated on the patio. The sun will re-energize you, boost your mood, and help lower a bit of the stress that you feel. This is a really easy way to keep stress at bay right in the middle of the day.
In the Evening, Get a Good Stretch
At night, we've already been dealing with stress all day long. And it often shows up as tension in the body. If you include a good stretch into your nightly routine, you can release the tension -- and the tension will drop along with it. You can make up your own routine, hitting all of your sore spots and listening to your body. Or you can follow along with a gentle yoga routine on the internet. Make it a habit every day, and you can go to bed stress-free every night.
Stress happens, and there's nothing you can do about it. You can't skip it. You can't avoid it. You can't hide from it. But you can control it. Use these tips to keep your stress under control all day long, and you'll boost your health and your mood every single day.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Monterey Park, Calif.