It is so easy to get overwhelmed by stress, especially due to current circumstances affecting the world. Stress can have a negative impact on one’s health. Alleviating stress can help improve sleep, reduce drains on energy, control weight, eliminate muscle tension, increase mental clarity, & help enhance immune function. Here are a few simple & easy things to incorporate into your daily routine to help reduce stress:
- Deep breathing.
- Breathing deeply helps calm the nervous system. Any time you feel stressed, irritated, or anxious just breathe in deeply through the nose & out through the mouth. It is easy to do & has a very calming effect on the entire body. Deep breathing can also help you fall asleep easier, as well. Do something for yourself & practice deep breathing for 5 minutes a day. After some time, it can become a natural reaction to help calm yourself down when you need it the most.
- Light to moderate exercise daily
- Exercise can help not just the body but the mind to feel better as well. It can help with stress & depression. Exercising can reduce the risk for diseases such as heart disease, metabolic syndrome, & certain cancers. Be careful to respect your limits, be mindful of the heat, & stay properly hydrated while exercising.
- Daily gratitude
- Practice daily gratitude for the things in your life for which you are grateful. It can be as simple of writing down or thinking to yourself about three to five things you are grateful for each day. It can be as simple as a roof over your head, your morning coffee, & running water. Making this a daily habit can change your mindset to thinking positive, especially during a time where so much negativity has run rampant.
