What's Your Favorite Way to Relax?
Soaking in the bathtub with lavendar essential oil, drinking frozen margaritas with e-Dad, looking at home design magazines, or reading the Psalms. These are a few of my favorite ways to de-stress at the end of a long day.
Protect Your Health
The experts tell us that if there's one thing that gets in the way of optimal health, it's stress. Research shows that anxiety can make us sleep fewer hours, get sick more often, remember less, and eat more. We've all heard the statistics: the majority of doctor visits are for stress-related complaints like indigestion, headaches, and back pain.
Given the current state of our economy, it's not surprising that 52 percent of women in a Self.com survey said they are under considerably more stress than they were six months ago.
13 Easy Ways to Chill Out
So what can we do to block the stress hormone cortisol and rev up the production of happiness-inducing brain chemicals like seratonin? Try these . . .
1. Watch a comedy DVD and laugh it up
2. Sip chamomile tea
3. Go for an easy run
4. Walk the dog
5. Listen to your favorite tunes
6. Have a java with a girlfriend and take turns "venting"
7. Use full-spectrum light bulbs
8. Treat yourself to a massage, manicure, or a pedicure
9. Light some candles
10. Cuddle with your spouse (or make love)
11. Write in your journal
12. Recall the details of your last vacation
13. Make new friends with the Thursday Thirteen bloggers!
How do you switch on your brain's pleasure centers? (Do I hear chocolate?)
Photo: Ian Rory & Jennifer Yeung (Flickr)
Soaking in the bathtub with lavendar essential oil, drinking frozen margaritas with e-Dad, looking at home design magazines, or reading the Psalms. These are a few of my favorite ways to de-stress at the end of a long day.
Protect Your Health
The experts tell us that if there's one thing that gets in the way of optimal health, it's stress. Research shows that anxiety can make us sleep fewer hours, get sick more often, remember less, and eat more. We've all heard the statistics: the majority of doctor visits are for stress-related complaints like indigestion, headaches, and back pain.
Given the current state of our economy, it's not surprising that 52 percent of women in a Self.com survey said they are under considerably more stress than they were six months ago.
13 Easy Ways to Chill Out
So what can we do to block the stress hormone cortisol and rev up the production of happiness-inducing brain chemicals like seratonin? Try these . . .
1. Watch a comedy DVD and laugh it up2. Sip chamomile tea
3. Go for an easy run
4. Walk the dog
5. Listen to your favorite tunes
6. Have a java with a girlfriend and take turns "venting"
7. Use full-spectrum light bulbs
8. Treat yourself to a massage, manicure, or a pedicure
9. Light some candles
10. Cuddle with your spouse (or make love)
11. Write in your journal
12. Recall the details of your last vacation
13. Make new friends with the Thursday Thirteen bloggers!
How do you switch on your brain's pleasure centers? (Do I hear chocolate?)Photo: Ian Rory & Jennifer Yeung (Flickr)
9 Comments:
I like to sit in the quiet and breathe deeply.
Great list of things to de-stress and reflect. Some of my faves are: reading the Bible or a good book/novel; power walking; biking; kayaking; hiking (especially with just one friend or my hubby..not so stress-free with the girls! :) ) and I also like to just sip a good cup of coffee and sit on my sun-filled deck and let the Lord "quiet" me. In the winter months, I use the Wii Fit to de stress.
A great reminder to de-stress. My favorite way is to read a book. Happy TT.
I've been venting via email to my sisters. Sharing and getting feed back helps me a lot.
I have both positive and negative things I do to release stress. The positive are read, walk with my hubby, just be by myself for a while, the negative, EAT, EAT, EAT, or veg out in front of the TV. Occasionally I will have a glass of red wine.
Sitting down with a good book is always a winner for me! That or just "hanging" with the family.
I've really been working over the last year or so to let go of alot of the stress in my life... Wow.. what a difference it does make!
For me it is taking pictures. When I don't get out once a week and shoot, I get cranky. So it is also preventive medicine. :)
Chocolate is a great way to relax for me, too.
Great post!
Great ideas for de-stressing! It helps me to spend extra time with the Lord and as I do, He assures me that HE is in control! It also helps to talk to others who are going through similar situations and realize that you are not alone.
Tami: Breathe, Tami, breathe. :~D
Faith: Wii Fit... great idea!
Storm: Reading, yes!
Connie Marie: Email venting... I like that idea. :~D
Kim: Oops. I guess we're all guilty of stress-eating from time to time. :~D
Melanie: I like to "hang with the fam" too. :~D
Tonya: Photography... love it!
Jennifer: Time with the Lord and talking with friends are both excellent de-stressors. :~D
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