When you are busy, it’s easy to become stressed, and everyone occasionally needs to take a step back and relax. Need some help? Here are some ways and ideas that can help you reduce that stress and strive for a healthier lifestyle.
1. Make Art
According to the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, a study found that art and movement combined can positively affect your mood. Having a positive attitude is a fundamental step when you want to reduce stress. Take out some colored pencils and paper and get creative! You don’t have to be five years old to enjoy coloring. Art therapy is actually very effective in terms of reducing stress. You don’t need anything fancy, either. Just set aside 15-30 minutes and use whatever you have lying around the house to draw, paint, or craft.
2. Volunteer
The Corporation for National & Community Service reports that, “A second study found that, in general, volunteers report greater life satisfaction and better physical health than do non-volunteers, and their life satisfaction and physical health improves at a greater rate as a result of volunteering.” If you don’t already volunteer, find local organizations such as soup kitchens, hospitals, and libraries, and give community service a try.
Helping others and bringing the focus off of ourselves is just what you may need. Giving back to the community is a win-win situation.:You will naturally feel better about yourself and also make contributions to society and the world as a whole.
3. Go Outside
According to CalmClinic, repetitive stress and anxiety could potentially be symptoms for low levels of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that your brain uses. Another article in the Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience says that one simple way to naturally increase the levels of serotonin is exposing yourself to increased amounts of bright lights such as sunlight. Go outside during the day for a quick walk or keep the windows open in your house. Expose yourself to natural light.
4. Listen to (Classical) Music
Almost everyone likes music; it’s a universal language. One genre you should try out when you’re extra tense? Classical. The University of San Diego conducted an experiment and found that listening to classical music can cause the level of your blood pressure to decrease. This will eventually lead to lower levels of stress.
What else do you do to feel less stressed? Let us know in the comments!
Cover image courtesy of Shutterstock.
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