Stress. It seems to have become a normal part of our lives: stress from our jobs; stress of raising children; stress of a medical diagnosis; stress of winter driving; stress that comes with the holidays. Could you add a few (or many) more to this list?
Please don’t despair! You can relieve stress in less than 15 minutes by practicing three R’s: rest, relaxation, and reflection. These can help soothe your stressed-out brain and improve your health. According to the Mayo Clinic, learning to “chill out” can slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, reduce muscle tension, improve concentration, and boost your confidence. Thanks to WebMD, here is a surefire list to help you stay sane this holiday season:
- Meditate: Sit up straight with both feet on the floor. Close your eyes. Focus your attention on reciting—out loud or silently—a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace” or “I love myself.” Place one hand on your belly to sync the mantra with your breaths. Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds.
- Breathe deeply: Take a 5-minute break and focus on your breathing. Sit up straight, eyes closed, with a hand on your belly. Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling the breath start in your abdomen and work its way to the top of your head. Reverse the process as you exhale through your mouth.
- Be present: Slow down. Focus on a single behavior or one of your senses. For example, be aware of how the air feels on your face while you are walking, how your feet feel hitting the ground, or the texture and taste of each bite of food.
- Reach out: Talk to others—preferably face to face, or at least on the phone. Share what’s going on.
- Tune in to your body: Mentally scan your body to get a sense of how stress affects it. Lie on your back, or sit with your feet on the floor. Start at your toes and work your way up to your scalp, noticing how your body feels. For 1 to 2 minutes, imagine each deep breath flowing to that body part. Repeat this process as you move your focus up your body.
- Decompress: Place a warm heat wrap around your neck and shoulders for 10 minutes. Close your eyes and relax your face, neck, upper chest, and back muscles. Remove the wrap, and use a tennis ball or foam roller to massage away tension.
- Laugh out loud: A good belly laugh lowers cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, and boosts brain chemicals called endorphins, which help your mood. Lighten up by tuning in to your favorite sitcom or video, reading the comics, or chatting with someone who makes you smile. Or look up laughter yoga on YouTube!
- Crank up the tunes: Research shows that listening to soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety. You also can blow off steam by rocking out to more upbeat tunes—or singing at the top of your lungs!
- Get moving: All forms of exercise can ease depression and anxiety by helping the brain release feel-good chemicals. Go for a quick walk around the block, take the stairs up and down a few flights, or do some stretching exercises like head rolls and shoulder shrugs.
- Practice gratitude: Keep a gratitude journal to help you remember all the things that are good in your life. When your start feeling stress, use these journals to savor good experiences and remind you of what really matters, such as a child’s smile, a sunshine-filled day, or good health.
For more tips and techniques check out one of the following:
- Jen Reviews article written by Ashley Santangelo: A Blueprint When Feeling Blue: How A Mental Health Diagnosis Can Be Empowering
- Huffington Post article written by Marlo Thomas: 10 Tips For Staying Sane During The Holidays
We hope this season brings you fewer times of stress and many more moments of joy!
References:
Moninger. J. (2015, September 14). 10 Relaxation Techniques That Zap Stress Fast. Retrieved from www.webmd.com.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014, May 8). Relaxation techniques: Try these steps to reduce stress. Retrieved from www.mayoclinic.org.
Written and compiled by Amy Tix, Firefly Staffer and breast cancer survivor.
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