Sometimes we get overwhelmed by everything happening in our life and it will affect our body and mind sooner or later. Sometimes we find ourselves feeling tense, especially in the neck and upper back area where we tend to hold a lot of tension when we are stressed or anxious without even realizing it. That is when it is important to just breathe out sometimes. Especially now with finals coming up, it is important to not forget to take time for ourselves.
So, what can help us to feel a bit more relaxed?
Yoga
Yoga is a great way to relax your body and mind. Just a simple stretching with deep breaths will help you feel more calm and relax your tense muscles from the stress. Trust me, you will feel better.
Movie night
And I mean by yourself. It is good to do movie night with your friends, but sometimes it’s good to just have an evening to yourself. Put on your favourite pyjamas and comfortable bathrobe, make some tea (especially chamomile or mint, that is good for your sleep) and put on your favourite movie or show.
Books
Some people prefer to read. Reading a good book will take your thoughts away from things that stress you out and will make you think of the story you are reading.
Exercise or go for a walk
If you prefer something more active than yoga, doing some light exercise will immediately boost your mood.
Journaling
Take some notebook or piece of paper and write your thoughts down. It can be what makes you worried, sad or angry and just let it all down on the paper. Once you write down how you feel, you will feel like some weight was lifted off your shoulders.
You can also try to write things you are grateful for, what you did during the day or what made you happy today. This will help you to see the positive things more often that are happening to you.