Spend time with friends
Spending time with friends is always fun, but it’s actually more important than you probably realize. Being active in social groups have been shown to release a chemical in the brain called oxytocin, which counteracts the stress hormone cortisol by lowering blood pressure and helping you feel happy and at ease. This doesn’t just go for friends, but anyone you have a personal connection with like family or romantic partners. Positive physical contact such as hugging, has also been shown to boost positive emotions and relieve stress. So the next time you have a rough day at work, spend some time with your friends to detox.
Exercise
Its no secret that exercise is good for you, and most of us could probably exercise more. If you needed another reason to get started on your fitness journey, here’s a few: engaging in physical activity has been shown to reduce stress hormones in your body, improve sleep quality, and boost confidence. While repetitive exercises like running or walking are most effective at relieving stress, other less-impactful exercises like yoga are also useful. Its important to also note that most of the benefits that exercise provides come into play in the long run; so if you really want to reap the rewards that exercise can have on reducing stress you need to stick with a regular routine.
Reduce your caffeine intake
If you find yourself feeling stressed or anxious, you should consider cutting caffeine out of your diet. While everyone has different tolerances for it, caffeine has been shown to increase feelings of stress and anxiety who go above their limit. It can also intensify symptoms like headache and heart palpitations in people who are already experiencing stress. If you’re looking to reduce stress, try switching to decaf coffee or choosing low or no caffeine alternatives like tea or water.
Laugh
Be honest: when was the last time you felt upset or stressed when you were laughing? Exactly, you didn’t. That’s because laughter relieves the bodies stress response and releases tension in your body by relaxing your muscles. It also has amazing long term effects by improving your overall mood and boosting your immune system. It has long been said that laughter is the best medicine; and in truth, if you are feeling stressed, it really can be.
Spend time with pets
Animals are some of the best stress relievers we have at our disposal. Interacting with pets releases oxytocin, similarly to the way spending time with friends and family does. Pets also help by giving you a sense of responsibility and purpose, keeping you active, and providing you with companionship. All of these have been shown to help counteract the effects of stress and improve overall mood. You also don’t need to have a pet in order to get these benefits. Spending time around animals in general can boost your mood and provide you with rewarding experiences. Just another example as to how we don’t deserve dogs.
Chew gum
Bet you didn’t know this: chewing gum has been shown in recent studies to offer a quick and easy way to reduce stress. There are a few different schools of thought as to how and why this happens. The first being that chewing gum causes brain waves that mimic those of a person at ease. The other being that it increases blood flow to the brain which can improve mood and mental clarity. Whichever it may be, it seems that popping a stick of gum in your mouth when you’re feeling stressed can help you reduce the symptoms and improve your mood.
-Tyler Geeve, Staff Source Marketing Assistant