With the start of school, you may feel pressure to finish your assignments and write your papers. You may be feeling anxious about your upcoming first test. And trying to balance school work with your social calendar can make you pull your hair out.
You are being pulled in several different directions and the stress can become overwhelming. Here are seven tips for releasing stress.
1. Breath deeply
When you feel stress starting to build, stop what you’re doing and take a break. Sit back and relax with your eyes closed. Breathe in slowly, inhaling and exhaling, for five minutes. Clear your mind and focus on your breathing. When you’re done, open your eyes slowly and give yourself a chance to get back to the moment. You will feel relaxed and ready to go back to work.
two. Eat healthy
Did you know that there are foods that cause stress? Spicy foods, sweets, caffeine, processed foods, French fries, and even chewing gum have additives that only increase stress levels. When you’re feeling stressed, you’d better have a salad, some turkey, a bowl of oatmeal, yogurt, berries, or dark chocolate. These foods have natural elements that reduce stress.
3. Listen to music
Soft music has a calming effect on your brain and body. It lowers blood pressure and reduces cortisol, the stress-related hormone. Although classical music is best for this technique, you can choose whatever soft music you like.
Four. Exercise
A regular exercise routine is one of the most effective pain relievers. Find an activity that you like and do it for thirty minutes a day. You don’t have to join a gym or take a yoga class. You can go for a walk, bike ride, swim … anything you like and that gets you moving.
5. Take a daily withdrawal
Spending a little time alone for 10-15 minutes allows you to revitalize yourself. It gives you a chance to relax, breathe deeply, and release stress. Silence your smartphone during this time. You don’t want distractions. When you’re done, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day.
6. Find something good today
Stress is often caused by various things that go wrong during the day. If you are having a bad day, stop what you are doing. Reflect on what happened that day and think of something good that happened. Focus on that and let the bad things roll off your shoulders.
7. Speak it
Call a friend, your mom, your sister … someone you can easily talk to. Tell them what is stressing you out. Talking about things can help you reflect on what is causing your stress and give you an opportunity to process it, and then both of you can find solutions.
These seven tips should help you relieve your stress. Practice them daily to feel calm and more productive. You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can learn to manage it.