Five Ways to declutter your mind for a healthy life

When you’re stressed out, every aspect of your life can suffer. You can’t sleep well, you may be irritable and you probably won’t have the energy to do what you need to do and want to do if you’re constantly feeling frazzled and harried. The good news is that there are small, simple steps you can take that will help reduce stress levels significantly without putting too much strain on your mind and body. Follow these five ways to declutter your mind for a healthy life.

Start with little things

It’s hard to break old habits, but setting aside time each day for healthy habits can help you de-stress and start fresh. If you want to be stress-free, it all starts with little things. It might not seem like it, but even just taking a walk every day can help you see things differently and manage stress better. On top of that, exercise actually changes your brain chemistry so that you’re more at ease when things get hectic—which is nice. It doesn’t have to be much; just set aside time each day where you do something healthy and work up from there if you’d like.

Eat right

Stress wreaks havoc on our bodies, so it’s no surprise that eating right is important. Stress hormones like cortisol can actually change how we digest food and what kinds of nutrients our bodies absorb. Make sure you’re eating properly by making healthy food choices that are in line with a balanced diet (not just what tastes good). When possible, choose organic produce, since pesticides have been linked to an increase in anxiety and depression. And finally, get moving—exercise helps to relieve stress by triggering those feel-good endorphins. Plus, physical activity helps you sleep better at night, which means you won’t be stressing over anything from morning until nightfall! The rest will take care of itself.

Listen to music

Listening to music is an excellent way to clear stress. Music has many health benefits, including lower levels of stress, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, lowered blood pressure and fewer headaches. Even if you don’t have time for a workout or yoga session, sitting down and listening to classical music will help calm you down and reduce your stress levels. Try switching off all other devices while you listen to music – no TV, no computer, no smartphone – so that you can fully immerse yourself in your favorite tunes. If that isn’t possible, try playing some instrumental music in another room while you do something else; research shows that multi-tasking makes us more stressed out than doing one thing at a time. And make sure to pick songs that really relax you; studies show that certain types of music are better at reducing stress than others. For example, classical works best (check out our recommendations), but pop songs can actually increase anxiety!

Exercise

It's commonly known that exercise is one of those necessary-but-often-put-off things that many people don't do. Once you take care of exercise, it'll be much easier to declutter your mind. Plus, a busy body makes for a happy brain and clear thinking—and that's what helps you decide what habits are worth keeping around and which ones aren't helping you any more. To start stress free and reap mental health benefits from physical activity, break out some running shoes (or just lace up your walking shoes) and go for a brisk walk or run outside. Then, take five minutes before bedtime to stretch (perhaps while watching TV) so you wake up feeling refreshed—and stress free!

Join the community

Connecting with others is an important step in cultivating a stress-free mindset. Stress can be a lonely and isolating condition, but that doesn’t mean you have to go through it alone. Try joining online communities focused on wellness. They can give you some much-needed guidance and support as well as hold you accountable when needed—especially in those moments where self-doubt is trying its hardest to creep back in.

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