We all know that stress does no one any good. The short term effect on the body and mind like headache, fatigue, difficulty in sleeping and long term effects like depression, anxiety high blood pressure etc. aren't what one should experience.
I hate being stressed and I'm sure you do, too but can we really help it? Can stress be eliminated from our lives? I doubt because stress arises as a result of the things we do on a daily - like work, business or school pressures, problems in relationship, financial worries, health concerns, or not being certain of what the future holds etc.
When it comes to handling or reducing stress, one really needs to know the particular things that make them stressed and then find a perfect way to manage it
My own stress comes with a banging headache, fatigue and muscle tension so whenever I feel these I just employ these simple but effective ways to de-stress.
If I'm at work and the stress feelings come I'll just take a break and stop whatever I was doing at that moment and then reach for my water to have a drink.
If I'm out of the office and at a convenient place I can splash it on my face or just use my handkerchief to dab it. But if it's at the office, I'll go to the restroom, splash some water on my face.
Upon returning to my seat, I will put my head on the desk to rest it for a while or just sit still with eyes closed for some minutes.
This water therapy is helps refresh and rejuvenate my skin giving it this soothing and relaxing feeling and equally stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which helps to reduce stress.
I can also leave my desk and go stand by the window just looking into the street - at the cars driving pass, people moving up and going about their duties, the beautiful sky and everything in it, etc .
Doing this I might end up seeing something that will bring smile to my face or even laughter and you know the magic laughter does to the body, hehehe.
Once I get home after a stressful day I go straight to have a cold shower or a warm bath depending on the one that my tired body yearns the more.
Like yesterday what I had was a cold shower. I just stood under the shower, put my hands on the wall and allowed the water to trickle way down from my head to feet. While listening as the water splashing down to the tiled floor and that gushing out from the shower made a rhythmic sound, I began to hum a tune that aligned with the rhythm. This exercise really brought calmness and relief to my tired body making me feel real good, and famished too, lol. So I immediately prepped some nice meal and ate.
Meditation is also a good de-stressing tip. It helps in calming the mind and body. It can equally add some positivity to the brain making it sharp and active.
Just like yesterday, I did a 15 minutes mindfulness meditation which I learnt from the creative work hour session and I drifted into dreamland - a beautiful garden with flowers, trees and ripe fruits, birds flying around while singing so beautifully. It was the alarm that brought me back and I wished I hadn't set it. But I felt happier, livelier and calmer and stronger after doing it
Another thing I do is to retire early to bed and before that, I love to take a glass of warm milk or cocoa beverage. Oh how relaxing it makes me feel and you know, milk contains calcium while cocoa contains antioxidants called flavanols. These properties help reduce level of cortisol which is a stress causing hormone in the body.
Here's another one, although once in a while, and that is to have some drops of lavender essential oil on my pillow. The scent of this oil is so cool, relaxing and helps me sleep soundly.
Apart from using essential oils for perfume, soaps and cream formulations, you can equally use them for this purpose because of the soothing and calming properties they contain.
Being with my phone is the last thing I would want to do whenever I'm stressed because using it does have a hand in the stress, lol. I can only have it around me only if my mood decides to listen to some cool music, other than that, no phone. I need that break. And that was what happened yesterday, I just put it on silence and kept it at a corner till early in the morning when I was able to pick it up.
If you know whatever tip that can help you reduce stress, please by all means do it because stress has the tendency to cause one his life if not checked.
Many thanks for reading and I hope you will find these tips helpful.
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Still the #threadsaddict 😂
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