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Easy Stress Relief Tips

Some easy things you can do to relieve stress and pamper yourself.

By Samuel WrightPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Easy Stress Relief Tips
Photo by Max on Unsplash

Stress kills. Every medical condition you have ever had was either caused by stress or made worse by it, and it has been repeatedly shown that longevity is increased when your lifestyle has less stress. Learning to take it easy may not come naturally to you, but relax--- anything you do to reduce tension and anxiety will give you immediate and long-term benefits...

Eat Something--- Hunger causes fatigue that keeps you from dealing properly with stress. Fiber-rich foods and foods rich in tryptophan increase serotonin instead of insulin, making it easier to get a good night's sleep, while b-vitamins increase energy and antioxidants clean up free radicals to help resist the effects of stress. So start your day with fresh fruits and lean proteins and finish up with whole grains and dairy. Stay away from the white powders--- sugar and flour--- they just jack up insulin levels and cause more stress.

Be Thankful--- To stop thinking about what's wrong in your life, start a list of things that are going right. Count your blessings and be grateful for the good things. Thinking about good things will elevate your mood and attract more good things into your life.

Volunteer--- Caring about others and helping people with their problems puts your own difficulties in perspective and simply being active can make you forget your own issues for a while. Also, and this applies to some of the other things on this list, too, just doing something instead of being passive and stewing will make you forget whatever it is making you feel bad.

Laugh--- It may sound like a cliché, but laughter really is good medicine, so whether it is renting a funny movie or just reading the comics in your daily newspaper, make sure you laugh every day. If you can, get a book of jokes and read one any time you are feeling bored or stressed. Laughter increases endorphin production and makes you breathe deeper, raising oxygen levels in your body.

Talk About It--- Grab a friend by the ear and get whatever is bothering you off your chest. Sometimes just saying out loud what the problem is will bring about a solution, and sharing a burden lessens it by half. All by yourself? Pray! God has all the time in the world, you can tell Him anything, He's heard it all before a few billion times...

Take A Class--- Learning new things, really stretching your mind, actually creates new connections in your brain, and completing a challenging course can raise your self-esteem. Keep your mind occupied and you have less time to worry and be sad. Do that and you gain the benefits of whatever you learn enriching your life and opening up new opportunities.

Tune Out--- Television and the media in general inundates us with bad news and gossip. While it is good to be informed, you need to take a break now and then shut off the flood of negativity. If you really care about an issue, do real research about it and take action. Otherwise, tune out the bad news and think about something positive.

Tidy Up--- A messy house is depressing, it can get you down, and having to excavate to find things in your mess is a waste of time. Getting organized prevents this from happening and just doing the work of cleaning the house gets your mind off your problems.

Lighten Up--- People often find they are most happy in daylight, which has been shown to activate the release of brain chemicals that cause relaxation and a feeling of wellness. Normal artificial light is not usually effective, so try using full-spectrum bulbs in your work area or at least sit near a window where you can get some sunlight. Whenever possible, get outside and enjoy the sun, you may find you're solar powered, too.

Work Out--- Exercise releases endorphins, the body's own painkillers, making you feel better, and getting in shape will ensure you have one less reason to feel bad. Anything that makes you breathe heavy oxygenates your blood, which will also reduce stress, and being healthy reduces the toll stress puts on your body.

Get Laid--- Seriously, sex is the best stress reliever there is and being intimate with someone is a great way to stop thinking about your problems. Sex is volunteering, working out, tuning out, and being thankful all rolled up in a fun package that floods your body with happy brain chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphin. Sex burns calories, oxygenates your blood, lowers your blood pressure, and reduces your reaction to stressful situations. So do what comes naturally as often as you can...

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About the Creator

Samuel Wright

I am a writer & tarot reader in Oregon. I'm a TTRPG fan, love all types of sci-fi & fantasy books, movies, & games, & read voraciously. I write a variety of content, mostly RPG blogs. Tell me where you found my page.

Art by Google/Unsplash

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