8 Ways to Reduce and Prevent Stress
The beginning of the new school year is just around the corner, and with it comes growing responsibilities. Sometimes, even the activities we love begin to feel more like chores due to the stress we feel building this time of year. Staying calm is the best way to get through busy times and it allows us to make rational decisions. Below are 8 ways to calm your mind and reduce your stress.
Breathe
Breathing through times that cause us stress is so important. It keeps our mind calm, radiating through the whole body. Yoga uses this as the key element to the practice. Breathing is so good for our mindset and reducing stress levels.
2. Listen to music
Music is very therapeutic. Play your favorite songs, close your eyes, and let the music take you to relaxation.
2. Call a loved one or talk yourself through it
Calling a loved one and hearing a reassuring voice can help to calm you down to get through a stressful situation. Sometimes there may not be someone to call and that is totally okay. Talking yourself through stressful situations is reassuring yourself that you got this and can handle and get through it.
4. Be mindful
Rather than immediate solutions, being mindful can help prevent stress in your life. The practice of yoga, or meditation teach mindfulness as one of the most important elements to its practice. Joining a yoga or meditation class can help prevent and reduce daily stress.
5. Choose healthier food choices
Believe it or not, diet and stress are related. When most are stressed, they resort to fatty, sugary foods. This does nothing for our brain. Instead, snacking on fruits, vegetables, and foods with healthy fats can help reduce stress.
6. Sleep
Sleeping is so good for our bodies, and give our brain and body a rest and a reset. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep at night and go to bed at decent hours.
7. Exercise
Whether you exercise for one hour or one minute, it helps clear your mind. Taking a walk around the block and getting your body moving can change your mood in a positive way.
8. Drink a cup of herbal or green tea
Tea is so good for our minds and has many health effects for our physical bodies as well. A cup of green tea is filled with so many antioxidants which help relax our bodies and calm down.
