Top Tips on How to De-Stress

Between study, work, family, and the daily chores of life, you might find you’re not taking time for yourself, leaving you exhausted and overwhelmed. Get the top tips for stress relief and managing stress as well as some great relaxation techniques below!

Stress Relief Tip 1: Have A Hobby

Hobbies are proven as one of the best tools for stress management. A hobby should be something you love, are passionate about and enjoy doing. They act as a work-free and responsibility-free activity in your day. Hobbies can be classified as a ‘break with purpose’ and are great for those who don’t want ‘sit around’.

Top Stress Relief Hobbies:

1. Reading is one of the biggest stress management techniques used!
2. Writing down thoughts and feelings is also one of the most common ways for dealing with stress.
3. The physical exercise of swimming is like a stress ball for the body improving its capabilities for coping with stress.
4. Gardening (find out more about gardening for stress relief by reading our section below).
5. Puzzles are another way to help your mind escape and manage stress.
6. Music-making is a great stress management technique (see our relaxation techniques section below!).

Stress Relief Tip 2: Get Some Fresh Air and Get Moving!

Doing moderate physical exercise for around 20 minutes per day has been proven to eliminate the stress chemicals in your body and increase relaxation levels and sleep quality.

TOP TIP: You don’t need to run a marathon to get some stress relief, think walking, swimming, light cycling, yoga or jogging.

Want To Know If You’re Hitting The Right Level? During exercise, you should be able to hold a conversation at the same time. If you are struggling to do this and become breathless, you could be over-exerting yourself. Aim to break a light sweat and you’re on your way to a stress free life!

Stress Relief Tip 3: Grow a Garden

Get your daily dose of vitamin D through gardening! Studies show, exposure to sunlight and fresh air boost mood! Gardening also gives you a sense of distance and separation from the everyday stress of life. This increases optimism and ability to handle a wide variety of situations and circumstances.

Start Your Garden! Gardening doesn’t have to be hard. Start small and plant the things you love like flowers or vegetables. The easiest things to grow (depending on climate) are:

• Herbs (basil, cilantro, chives, parsley)
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Sunflowers

Stress Relief Tip 4: Adopt A Pet

Stress Management 101

Did You Know? People with pets record significantly lower levels of stress and have a better quality life than those without! Studies show that pets can improve your mood, control blood pressure, encourage you to exercise and provide great social support!

They also prove to be beneficial to an individual’s well-being and self-esteem when compared with people who live alone – a great idea for both stress relief and stress management.

Stress Relief Tip 5: Relaxation Techniques

Mastering relaxation techniques is a sure fire way of stress relief! Why not try following ideas:

Relaxation Technique 1 Mediate: try spending just five to ten minutes a day focusing your mind on nothing. When you find yourself day dreaming of your job, relationship, family or to-do list, bring your mind back to a state of blank.

Relaxation Technique 2 Drink Tea: if you love a hot coffee in the morning, why not try the switch to tea? Camomile is best for calming, but green and black teas have also been proven to lower stress levels.

Relaxation Technique 3 Listen To Your Favourite Song: music has long been regarded as a stress relief tool. Not only does it have a soothing effect, but it can reduce chronic pain, mood and stress and is a key tool for managing anxiety.

Stress Relief Tip 6: Fuel Your Body

Proper nutrition will make a world of difference. Make sure you are eating a balanced diet of three meals a day and drinking lots of water (around 2L per day is recommended). You can also relieve stress levels through your diet by including these stress relieving foods:

• Stress Management Food 1: Oranges to boost the immune system
• Stress Management Food 2: Spinach which is high in magnesium and a migraine reliever
• Stress Management Food 3: Avocados to keep blood pressure down (bananas can help too!)
• Stress Management Food 4: Salmon to stop stress hormones from peaking
• Stress Management Food 5: Apricots which are a key source of magnesium to relax muscle tension

Stress Relief Tip 7: Live, Love, Learn!

Is your glass half empty or half full?

Did You Know? Studies by the Mayo Clinic show positive thought, through elimination of negative self-talk is a proven stress relief and stress management technique. Positive thinking is not attributed to what you choose to deal with in life; it is defined by how you choose to deal with certain circumstances and situations.

So what are the benefits of positive thinking?

1. Lower levels of stress (stress relief)
2. Lower likelihood to develop depression (stress management)
3. Increased life span
4. Improved resistance to cold and flu
5. High level of psychological and physical well-being

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