Take a minute for yourself to relieve stress during the day.
Stress is caused by external influences, such as your job, relationships or physical environment. These external influences cause a stress response within your mind in an attempt to cope with the situation. While many will tell you to eliminate the cause of the stress, this is rarely the easiest solution. According to Allen Elkin, author of "Stress Management for Dummies," the easiest way to deal with stress is to find a stress-relieving activity that you enjoy performing on a regular basis.
Exercise
According to the American Council on Exercise, one of the most effective methods of stress relief is working out. In addition, , author of "Stress Management for Dummies," recommends exercising thrice weekly as a way to reduce stress and strengthen the heart. Exercise allows for a constructive outlet of negative emotions like anger and irritability. It also improves your mood and outlook by reducing the amount of stress hormones in your body and brain. Exercise will cause your body to release endorphins. Endorphins are powerful mood-elevating chemicals in your brain. While each form of exercise has its own benefits, the best stress-relieving exercise is one that you enjoy most. Experiment with different forms of exercise and find one that keeps your interest. Examples to consider include jogging, swimming, weight lifting, dancing, cycling, playing tennis or hiking.
Art
Creating art is an expressive anti-stress activity that can lead to deeper self-understanding. By taking the time to focus and create a work of art, you allow your mind to explore itself and forget about the world around you. No matter the medium of art you choose, creating art can help you find internal problems you might be facing and deal with them in a creative manner. According to Martha Davis, Ph.D., Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman, MSW and Matthew McKay, Ph.D., authors of "The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook," you do not have to be a wonderful artist for it to be therapeutic and help you reduce your levels of stress. It might take time to find the medium that works best for you, so experiment until you find the one that speaks to your inner artist. Forms of art to try include painting, drawing, collage making, woodworking, sculpting, macram and photography.
Meditation
Meditation is an effective stress-relieving activity because it restores the body and mind to a calm state. Meditation is not a difficult process; in fact, it does not take much to meditate at all. Simply find a quiet room, sit in a comfortable position and breathe. As you focus on your breathing, clear your mind of any thoughts and distractions. Continue this process as long as needed to calm your mind. Once meditation comes easier for you, you can focus on a single thought and explore it thoroughly. According to Jack Kornfield, author of "Meditation for Beginners," you can meditate as often as necessary for stress relief. If you have trouble meditating without aid, guided-meditation CDs are available for purchase to aid in stress relief.
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