Have you ever felt so overwhelmed and stressed that you don’t know what to do? If you haven’t, well I would love to know how you managed that, but for those of us who have, this article is for you! These top seven things have really helped me learn not to stress out to the point I want to rip out my hair. We all have those days or weeks where we feel that everything becomes too much, and these seven tips have really proven effective for me:
Photo by: Adreana Salazar
1. Nature Walks
Go on a hike and really look at your surroundings and embrace nature. Listen to everything and I promise you will feel great. Sometimes just going for a walk and taking everything in really helps you see that, sometimes, the things you are stressing over are not really worth the extreme stress.
2. Chocolate
Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, really helps because, believe it or not, there are some health benefits to eating it. Some researchers have actually proven that it helps relieve stress. So, don’t feel so bad about having that dark chocolate Hershey’s bar – it’s science!
3. Read a Book
One of my favorite things to is to read, so sometimes when I’m feeling very overwhelmed, I pick up a good book. When you are reading, you are usually using your imagination and leaving reality, allowing you to forget about what’s causing your stress, which is what always helps calm me down significantly.
Photo borrowed from Pinterest
4. Yoga and Meditation
These two things are so important and really helpful when you want to relax. Yoga is benefitting in so many ways, exercising and relaxing both mind and body, which is why tons people do it when they want to relieve stress. Meditating exercises your brain by focusing a lot of your concentration on breathing, and all you need is 10-30 minutes and a comfortable, quiet spot! Afterwards, it really helps you feel refreshed, alleviating your stress.
5. Listening to Calming Music
One thing that used to help me a lot at night when I wanted my mind to turn off was listening to rain or classical music, especially with violins. Listening to calming music, whether it is rain or soft jazz, will help you feel calm and relaxed.
6. Sleep
If sleeping was an Olympic sport, I feel like I could win a gold medal. This one is quite obvious, but sleeping helps melt your stress away and, when you wake up, you will feel like you can conquer the world.
Photograph borrowed from MSN.com
7. Writing
This may seem like it can stress some people out more, but when you write down what you’re feeling, it can seem like you are releasing your emotions on paper. The best part when it comes to writing is that sometimes, when you finish writing it down, you have the power to choose what to do with that piece of paper. You can burn it, rip into a million pieces, throw it away, and so much more, which can help calm you down, too.
These are only a few things that help, but there are so many more ways to relieve stress and feel relaxed. Every person is different, so stress looks and feels different for everyone. The best thing to do is to find what helps you feel at peace and stick with it when you’re having a particularly overwhelming day.