10 Ways To Destress Your Life

destress your life

You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway. ~ Steve Maraboli (Tweet this)

Destress your life when it gets tough. Life can be hard, which is an extreme understatement. Sometimes, it feels like all we do is work to pay bills for a million things that are hard to maintain. Heartbreak is common. Children can be stressful. The sun doesn’t always shine, literally and figuratively.

Surefire ways to destress your life:

But there are so many things you can do for yourself to let go of stress. There are so many very easy, normal things to focus on when you feel the pressure of the world coming down on you. If you are going through a stressful period, follow these steps to destress your life. If you are not currently going through a stressful period, be proactive and nip stress in the bud. These tips are surefire; all humans will relax once they participate.

1. Know your stresses

The best way to deal with your stress is to know what it is. Stress can be caused by anything. Major life events like buying a house or planning a family can be stressful, but little things can be as well. Even falling asleep at night can be a really stressful activity for some people. As long as you are aware of what causes you stress, you will be able to deflect it better.

2. Exercise

We all know that exercise is great for us, but we do not all participate in exercise. Even if you have too busy of a life to work in a quick sprint at the gym, there is always something to do that can help you get your workout on.

  • Hit the gym for twenty minutes – that is exercising!
  • Go for a family walk after dinner – that is exercising!
  • Dance along to your favorite tunes while you clean up – that is exercising!

Exercise comes in many, many forms. Don’t shy away from it because you have not found what works the best for you yet.

3. Do yoga

Now yoga definitely does not seem like an exercise for everyone, but I assure you it is. Yoga is not only good for the body; it is good for the mind. Stretching and breathing and pushing your body to be as flexible as possible is good for everyone. If you have never tried yoga, it is worth the venture.

Your mind will answer most questions, if you learn to relax and wait for the answer. ~ William. S. Burroughs (Tweet this)

4. Take a trip

It does not necessarily need to cost you a lot of money to take a vacation, so don’t let that aspect add to your stress. Even if you road trip to the next biggest city, or to the next smallest city, you will be doing yourself a favor. Getting away from your town is always a great stress reliever. Stay at a friend’s house, or if you can afford it, go to a beach resort! You have always wanted to, so what are you waiting for? Even a brief vacation can be exhilarating. Great for the body and mind.

5.  Serve others

Do good deeds. They say that helping others is one of the best things you can do in your life. Nothing makes someone feel better than helping someone else. If you have the time to volunteer on a regular basis, do it. Volunteering has been proven to help destress your life, boost confidence, and make people happier overall. If you can feel happier about your own life by improving someone else’s, why not do so?

6. Take a day off

Calling in sick is appropriate when you are actually ill, but it can be appropriate for your mental health, as well. Take a sick day if you are so overwhelmed that you cannot focus on your work. Clean your house, read your book, take a walk; do whatever you need to do to feel fully relaxed. A day off of work can be extremely beneficial to your mental health.

7. Change your diet

Studies have shown that salt intake can increase your stress levels. Eating fried food and drinking a lot of soda is also linked to stress. Drinking too much alcohol affects your sleep, which affects your stress levels. If you want to calm down, eat your fruits and vegetables and cut your sugar in half. You will be amazed at how good you feel after a week or two.

8. Sleep

Speaking of sleep, arguably the best way to destress your life, is to sleep. Put your electronics down at least an hour before you go to bed. Don’t drink (anything but water or tea) or eat any food at least two hours before you go to sleep. Read a book (not in bed) or listen to classical music to relax you. Your sleep will thank you later.

9. Go to the doctor

Instead of ignoring persistent headaches or muscle aches, go to the doctor. Self-diagnosing is never a good idea, and ignoring aches and pain is not recommended. Going to a doctor is the best way to make sure your health is on track, not to mention any pain you have is potentially very curable.

10. Read a book

In this day and age, it is hard to carve time out of the day to read a book rather than your Facebook page. Books are the best way to escape from your real life and enter someone else’s. Reading a book is a great way to destress your life and also a great way to expand your mind and challenge your intellect.

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About the Author

Jessica Tholmer has a degree in English Literature. Jessica is a full-time writer for a small company, but she writes for multiple other forums. Jessica writes about love, life, and everything in between for HelloGiggles, though her work has been featured on Nerve, The Gaggle, The Conversation, and The Siren as well.

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