Stress is prevalent in our society, both “good stress” and “bad stress” can make an impact on our health and wellness. Here are top five tips to reduce stress.
How Can I Reduce Stress?
Get quality sleep and enough of it.
Sleep is so important to our overall well-being and for reducing stress. Quality sleep is very important and it is good to practice proper “sleep hygiene” to get a good night’s sleep. The goal is seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and some people need even more per night.
Mindfulness and meditation daily practice.
More and more studies are showing the importance of a daily and consistent meditation or mindfulness practice. This can be listening to a meditation audio or some deep breathing while clearing the mind.
Aerobic exercise.
Performing some type of aerobic exercise daily can be helpful for reducing stress. This means increasing our heart rate by 20 beats per minute for about 20-30 minutes, with any type of exercise you choose. This can also increase endorphins – our “feel-good” hormones!
Massage Therapy.
Massage is a wonderful technique for reducing stress. This gets us relaxed and into the “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system. This decreases the stress hormone cortisol and allows our mind and body to calm.
Seek Guidance.
Oftentimes, seeking guidance from a professional during stressful times is very helpful. This can be a counselor, Psychologist or other mental health professional who can guide you in the right direction and employ skills for decreasing stress in our lives.
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