Most of us suffer from stress at some point in our lives. For some, stress is a normal part of daily life, as they juggle work, family life, and other commitments. Most of us have varying degrees of stress, from low-level, which we can cope with by carefully managing our time, and resting when we need to, to full-blown stress, which makes it impossible to enjoy life, sleep, practice hobbies, or relax.
This kind of stress can lead to depression, other mental health issues, and even physical conditions. It can make life much harder than it needs to be. This is why it’s important that we find ways to reduce our stress levels as much as we need to. Some of the ways to reduce stress, like taking a break and chatting to a friend, are well-known. But there are plenty of other, perhaps more unexpected ways to reduce stress that you may not have thought about. Here’s a look at some of them.
Change Your Diet
What you eat and drink can have a massive effect on how you are feeling. Eating less processed foods, meals with lots of saturated fat, and refined sugars can help us to feel more energetic and positive. Drinking more water and drinks with added adaptogens can help to reduce stress and drinking less alcohol and caffeine can lower your blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and help you to sleep. Learn more about RISE Botanicals to see how drinks can help.
Challenge Yourself
Challenging yourself might seem like it would add extra stress to your days. But positive challenges like completing a creative project or hitting fitness targets can boost your mood, give you something nice to focus on, and give you a way to work through any tension and negativity that you are carrying.
Clean
There’s something incredibly cathartic about getting stuck into and completing a big deep clean at home. Give yourself a target, like cleaning or decluttering a specific room, and throw yourself into it. You’ll get to see the progress, and when it’s finished, you’ll feel refreshed.
Get Some Lego
Lego and other building toys aren’t just for kids. Building a Lego set can be very relaxing and a great way to take your mind off your stresses. You’ll also get a great burst of satisfaction when you see your finished work.
Step Away from Your Phone
You might think that your phone brings you pleasure, helps you to stay organized, and passes the time when you are bored. But most of us invest far too much of our time in them. Try to limit usage or have a full digital detox to see how it affects your stress levels.
Give Something
Donating your time, money, or old possessions, or helping someone else in a different, more personal way, can improve your mood and reduce stress. Just don’t give any more than you can afford to, whether it’s time or money.
Sit up Straight
Poor posture can increase stress, and lead to tension building in your shoulders. Sitting, and standing straighter can help to reduce this tension, and mean that you feel more positive.
Stress is very common, but that doesn’t mean that you have to live with it. Try some of these ways to reduce stress, and some healthy lifestyle changes, and your stress levels could reduce massively.
