Letting go of stress
Stress is inevitable and it affects different people in different ways. It is the body’s way of coping with change and threat. Stress hormones are released into our body when we experience stressful situations, and they trigger our fight-or-flight response. Stress can affect our body and mind in negative ways. If left unchecked it could lead to unhelpful thought patterns and health problems. Fortunately, there are ways to manage everyday stress. Here we show you stress relief activities that help to maintain inner peace and well-being.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), there are three main types of stress. Acute stress, Episodic stress, and Chronic stress. Acute stress is the most common form of stress and is highly manageable and treatable.
Here are five stress relief activities that anyone can do in order to release stress. These activities produce endorphins – natural feel-good chemicals, which boost happiness into our lives. Endorphins also lower our stress levels by helping us to sleep well.
Take a deep breath
Breathing deeply, using specific deep breathing exercises, is a fantastic way to lower stress in the body. You can do deep breathing exercises anytime and anywhere. When you breathe deeply you slow down your heart rate and allow more oxygen to enter your bloodstream, and you send a message to your brain to calm down. Your brain, in turn, sends this message to your body.
Stretch
Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.
- Joseph Pilates
We get rid of stress hormones through physical activity. When we don’t exercise, the stress hormones stay in our body and cause hypertension, muscle spasms and pain. Pilates can release this tension through gentle stretching and gradual conditioning. When we stay focused on the exercise, it is likely that we will enjoy the experience more.
Put on your running shoes
Running is a great way to relieve stress and it’s free. It doesn’t have to belong or hard. You could even have a good old chinwag while you run. According to an article on Runner’s World, running is a way to survive high-stress times.
Get a massage
Massage therapy is ideal for stress relief. It relaxes your muscles and increases the production of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. Massage can also lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
Laughter is the best medicine
Laughter lowers stress hormones, boosts immunity, relaxes your muscles and decreases pain. Laughter therapy gets people laughing in both a group and an individual setting. Find something to make you giggle every day or fake it. The body cannot distinguish between real or fake laughter.
