5 easy ways to reduce stress Guest Blog by My Deal
5 Easy Ways To Reduce Stress
Guest blog by My Deal
Living in this world is a stressful thing. From work life to the news, it’s hard to keep calm and carry on. However, there a few easy ways you can control your stress levels, and keep them down.
Meditate
Meditation is a great stress buster. Amanda has the perfect way to relieve stress from your busy day, and it can be done anywhere. Take some time out of your day, preferably around twenty minutes, and sit somewhere comfortable. “Breathe in, breathe out, count 1 (in your head). Breathe in, breathe out count 2…. Up until you get to 10. Then go back to 1. When a thought comes in – catch it and label it. Was that thought about fear, anger, resentment, sadness? Or was it about love, hope, joy, peace? Let the thought go and go back to breathing and counting. This practice will allow you to find more quiet in the mind.” This will clear your mind, and reduce agitation in your thoughts.
Cuddle Your Pet
It’s been proven that a pet can reduce your stress levels. If your fur baby is sitting on its bed, give them a cuddle Playing with your pet increases levels of oxytocin (the “love” hormone), which will then reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). Your pet is there for companionship, so don’t make them feel lonely. Giving them a cuddle benefits both of you. With the increase of oxytocin, your stress levels will reduce, making you calm and relaxed.
Gardening
Spending time outdoors is a great way to manage stress levels. Having a hobby that takes place outside will benefit your health in more ways than one. Get your hands dirty by doing some gardening; not only does it calm you down, it also gets your blood moving. Exercise in itself is essential for stress relief. As you dig, stretch and weed, you may not be burning hundreds of calories, but you’ll be working up a sweat, which releases endorphins and triggers happy emotions.
Listen To Music
Although there is no scientific proof, it has been suggested that listening to music can impact your health. Just as classical music can help those who are studying, Music can help reduce your stress levels. Spend some time listening to slow, classic music. It can slow down our pulse and heart rate., which then decreases levels of cortisol.
Surround Yourself With Positivity
Yeah, it’s easier said than done, but surrounding yourself with negative thoughts and company can make you feel stressed. If your friendship circle is constantly spurting negative thoughts, you’re more likely to experience negative thoughts too. Removing toxic people from your life, and introducing positive thinking and people can reduce stress, increase oxytocin levels and keep you focused on the positives.
Stress is a part of everyone’s life; it’s impossible to avoid the curveballs life throws at you, but you can always change the way you react to them, and how you can keep yourself calm. Taking a few minutes out of every day to restore your thoughts may not only help your day, it can help your future.
Ally Feiam is the marketing & content creator for MyDeal, an online marketplace with over 25,000 products.