10 Stress Busters To Help You Reclaim Your Smile

One of the biggest reasons people are highly stressed is because they don’t look at stress management as an important priority on par with getting enough sleep, eating right, or going to work. In reality, stress management should be among one of the most important things on our list of ‘to do’s because without setting aside time each day to destress, it compounds until you are ready to tear out your hair. Stress also exasperates many health conditions. So here are some activities you should be carving some daily time out for to help bring the cortisol levels down:

1. Walk it off – exercise has proven itself to be an invaluable stress reduction tool. When you exercise, your body releases mood lifting chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins are natural stress-busters. So if you’re feeling particularly stressed, hit the road for a walk or jog.
2. Breathe away the stress of the day – meditation and deep breathing exercises can be extremely beneficial for lowering anxiety and nixing the physiological effects of stress.
3. Color the blues away – Yes, this is a real thing. While some contend the trend, many psychologists countrywide are suggesting coloring to some of their patients as a viable stress management technique.
4. Chat it out – calling up an uplifting buddy for a coffee date when you are feeling the crunch can also help alleviate the stresses of the daily grind. It really does help to get things off your chest. Bottling it all up can lead to your emotions coming out in unwanted ways like flipping at your spouse over something minor just because of your pent up stress.
5. Progressive muscle relaxation – this is a favorite stress management technique of mine because it can also help with chronic pain. It is all about concentrating on the stress in your limbs and progressively letting it go one muscle at a time. Check out the process here.
6. Music or art therapy – Creative therapy has made great strides over the years in stress and anxiety management. Creative activities like painting or listening to or playing music can be calming, soothing, inspiring and invigorating.
7. Giggle up a storm – Similar to positive physical contact and exercise, laughing also triggers the release of happy chemicals in the brain which can boost your mood and help you forget your woes. Getting into a good old fashioned belly laugh may be just what the doc ordered. So turn on your favorite comedy or call your funniest friend and let the chuckles begin.
8. Grab a cuddle buddy – whether it is your pet, your spouse, your friend or your child, take some time to get some hugs or cuddles. That kind of contact releases feel-good chemical oxytocin which can almost obliterate negative feelings and give your mood a complete 180’.

9. Take time for something you love – Do you like leisure drives? Or playing guitar? It is likely you don’t get to partake in enjoyable activities as often as you like – so make the time. Each day, set some time aside to do something that totally destresses you.
10. Therapeutic Writing – Many find journaling or other forms of daily writing to be beneficial for managing stress. This process can help vent your frustrations so you can forget about them and move on with your day. Writing daily positive notes and affirmations can help lift your mood as well.

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