We often worry about work, money, health, our relationships, children… the list is endless. And indeed, there are many things that we, whether justified or not, worry about, and things get worse if we keep up with news and daily political developments. This means that our brain, in essence, does not even have a moment of rest, that is, it is constantly laden with worry.
Caring, in fact, can be helpful, since it helps us to solve certain problems, but it also makes us less happy and impedes our daily functioning.
The standard psychological methods for dealing with daily worry, thankfully, are very simple. But being simple and relatively familiar doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be reminded of them from time to time.
Relax. You deserve it, it’s good for you, and it takes a lot less time than you think.
Relaxation does not just mean going to a massage or a visit to the spa. Each of the following tips can improve your mood in less than 15 minutes.
1. Stretching exercises after waking up
One way to reduce stress is to exercise in the morning, it is something that will surely benefit your body. It is very good for your cells and muscles and will not take much of your valuable time.
Two to three minutes of stretching as soon as you get up will cause the blood to rush through the blood vessels and make you feel like you’re about to take off. If you look at animals, they will never get up before stretching their entire body.
People should do the same. Oxygen exchange takes place between the cells and relieves tension in all parts of the body.
However, if you feel tension during the day when you are at your workplace, try to stand up and stretch as often as possible by raising your arms above your head as much as possible, then bend down and reach for your toes. Then lift your toes up and hold, then relax and repeat the exercise several times, preferably until you feel the tension relax.
2. Meditate
A few minutes of solo or guided meditation a day can help you reduce anxiety. In addition, research shows that daily meditation can alter nerve pathways in the brain, making you more resilient to stress.
Meditating is easy. Sit with your back straight so that both feet touch the floor. Close your eyes. Focus your attention on reciting (aloud or in yourself) positive mantras such as: “I feel good” or “I love myself”. Put one hand on your stomach to synchronize the mantra with your breaths. Don’t let any confusing thoughts come to you.
3. Eating the right foods will reduce stress
A balanced diet plays an important role for organism as a whole, and so it also affects the level of stress accumulation in the body.
There are foods that are scientifically proven to affect your mood and are recommended for people who are often stressed.
Leafy green vegetables and legumes are rich in folic acid, which has a positive effect on people’s mood. Therefore, it is recommended to have chard, spinach, lentils, green beans on your plate at least once a week.
In addition, selenium-rich foods raise mood levels and reduce stress, and it is abundantly found in nuts and seafood.
So give yourself a breather and treat yourself to a handful of almonds, cashew nuts, hazelnuts or some good fish specialty to make your mood a lot better.
In addition to these foods, chocolate is also known to cause the production of happiness hormones, so it’s not a bad idea to occasionally take a pieces of some quality dark chocolate.
4. Listen to your favorite music
Music is a cure for the soul.
Good music has a positive effect on the production of happiness hormones, so listening to your favorite song can boost your mood very quickly.
So if you have the ability to play your favorite playlist at least half an hour a day. This will help you enjoy notes that enter your brain cells and send positive vibrations throughout your body. As soon as the tension is reduced and the stress is released from your body.
When you’re at home turn on the loud music, sing, play, relax your muscles, and the pleasure will be extraordinary. Or relax with chillout music like the one you hear on chillout radio.
5. Hang out
Hanging out with friends is one of the best ways to manage stress. Talk to others, primarily face-to-face or at least over the phone. Share with others what is going on in your life. This allows you to refresh your perspective on the world while maintaining relationships with friends. Try to avoid negative conversations.
6. Laugh out loud
A good amount of laughs not only alleviates the mental load, but also lowers the level of cortisol, that is, the stress hormone, and increases the level of a hormone in the brain called endorphins that improves mood. Relax with your favorite series or movie, reading comics or chatting with someone who makes you laugh. Talk jokes or read some joke to cheer yourself up.
7. Rest at home
A great deal of tension is created by the feeling that you have not completed the intended work during working hours. Well, because of the opportunities offered by the internet and computers, we often carry our business home. This disrupts the boundary between the end of work and work and the amount of time you should set aside for yourself.
How to deal with stress by trying to keep your mind off work until tomorrow when work hours are over. And to use your spare time to recharge your batteries. Otherwise, stress will build up in your body and then you have less productivity at work.
In your spare time you go in for sports, go for a run, swim, relax with a good movie, or go out with friends.
8. Exercise
It does not have to involve preparing for a marathon. All forms of exercise, including yoga and walking, can relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition, you can go for a stroll, go up and down a few floors, or do some stretching exercises such as turning your head or shrugging. Working in the garden and working with flowers on the terrace is a kind of exercise.
Conclusion
Of great importance is supporting the family, loving the children, or dealing with some of the things you truly love. So try to always direct your emotions to positive and beautiful things. And leave the dark and heavy ones aside.
By following these tips in the long run, you will establish and maintain a balance. This means that you will find ways to defend yourself as much as possible against the greatest human enemy in the 21st century – stress.
