For starters, if you want to reduce stress and anxiety, do not get married or have your children grow into teens. Haha, I’m just kidding! How about merely avoiding contact with anyone or anything? Well, that doesn’t work either. So, if you want to be a participant in your own life and do not want to be a hermit, we humans really cannot avoid every stress life may throw at us. Instead, there are ways to relieve the stress of everyday life. Below are a few ideas on how to relieve stress and anxiety:
- Exercise
- Supplements
- Candles
- Reduce caffeine intake
- Journal about what’s stressful
- Chew gum
- Spend time with friends and family
- Laugh
- Learn to say no
- Avoid procrastination
- Yoga
- Practice mindfulness and deep breaths
- Cuddle (Positive touch lowers stress as it naturally releases oxytocin and lowers blood pressure)
- Listen to calm music (jazz seems to calm the inner beast in me)
- Spend time with pets or animals
- Massages
Massage therapy increases endorphin levels – conceivably the most valuable aspect of massage. Endorphins are the feel-good chemicals that run through the body, and increasing their levels will produce positive results. Among other benefits, increasing endorphin levels has been associated with swifter recovery, reduced pain, and reduced anxiety.
Of course, not everyone has access to the finances to go to a masseuse on a regular basis. Utilizing massage chairs as an alternative therapy is an option whether one purchases their own or uses one at a gym/fitness place. Most gyms these days have massage chairs, water massage devices, or red light therapy available to their members.
However, there are times too when stress and anxiety can make our lives unmanageable. That’s when certain medications and talking with a therapist will be helpful. For example, while I wait for knee surgery, my pain levels are high. Until I start surgery recovery, I must do my part to eliminate things contributing to stress and anxiety.
*Note: All content within this article is meant for informational purposes only and is in no way a replacement for professional medical or psychological advice or support. Seek immediate and appropriate care from a healthcare professional should you or a trusted loved one deem it necessary.
Stress-relieving foods
Top Foods to Calm Stress
- Dark chocolate
- Avocado
- Granola (or other carbs that will prompt the brain to start producing serotonin)
- Nuts
- Salmon
Sometimes, when I am feeling stressed, comfort food will relieve my tension. When I think of comfort foods and the benefits I receive when eating them, my mind immediately goes to my mother’s meatloaf, my grandmother’s (Nana) chicken rice soup, or my great-grandmother’s (Grammy) carne muddica (a Sicilian family recipe meaning breaded steak).
Typically, foods that are considered comfort foods vary significantly between cultures; however, the term denotes a prepared food that is high in fat and calories but low in nutritional value, which may evoke associations of home, childhood, or happiness – often associated with caloric content; however, the association is not restricted to high-calorie foods.
Comfort foods are eaten when we feel the need for comfort and can find that comfort in the taste, smell, and cooking of the dish. This type of food is generally characterized by nostalgia, cultural identity, and emotional attachment.
Many foods, such as chicken soup, macaroni, and cheese, or ice cream, may have a strong nostalgic connotation for those from specific regions. In some cases, such as times of war or upheaval in one’s home country, comfort foods may be the only remaining local cuisine items. In these instances, even non-native inhabitants will adopt those food traditions and the associated cuisine of their adopted country.
Bringing food to comfort the sick or elderly is a common tradition. For example, I once sent a friend out of state a food package as she was not well and missing some Michigan favorites such as Vernor’s pop, Buddy’s Pizza, and Better Made potato chips.
Bringing food to comfort others is especially common in my family. It is our “love language”. Are you sad? Let me cook you something. Are you under the weather? Let me make you something. Are you visiting after a long absence? Let me make you something. And in my family, there is usually a pot of sauce in the fridge to whip up a good meal really fast. My mom would say, “It only takes a few minutes to make the noodles and heat the sauce, so get comfy and stay awhile!”
Tips to make the home a sanctuary for calmness and relaxation
Recognizing the signs while experiencing stress is the first step toward managing it. Below are some symptoms associated with stress:
Physical signs
Rapid breathing, fast heartbeat, headaches, light-headedness, sweaty palms, dry mouth, trouble sleeping or concentrating, and stomachaches.
Emotional signs
Crying spells or feeling unable to cope, nightmares, anxiety, and depression.
Behavioral signs
Significant increase in alcohol or drug use, lack of energy, social isolation, irritability, loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, aggression, impatience, boredom, anger, changes in appetite, and lowered sex drive.
How to Create a Stress-Free Zone
- Create a space dedicated explicitly to relaxing
- Do simple daily tasks
- Declutter
- Houseplants, flowers, and indoor greenery throughout the home
- Unplug electronics when not in use
- Use calming colors in rooms
- Massage
- Get outdoors
Express yourself
If there is any mistreatment by anyone within the home, one should speak up, set healthy boundaries, and respectfully express precisely what is troubling. This practice strengthens self-esteem while simultaneously lowering stress levels.
Slim down your schedule
Avoid taking on too many projects or commitments at once. Instead, learn how to say “no.”
Action
Financial pressures are a significant source of stress, so creating a budget and sticking to it is definitely beneficial.
Accept what cannot be controlled
Many situations in life are out of our control, and if we fail to recognize these situations, stress will most certainly rise to high levels. Learning which situations these are will help increase productivity and lessen the overwhelming feelings of being out of control.
Be around supportive people
Consider your “inner circle” to be a source of solace, not stress. If this is not the case, it may be time to reconsider who belongs in your circle.
Get organized
An organized home, along with feasible, priority-based home to-do lists, will bring a sense of control, thus reducing stress. Also helpful is to place items love phones, glasses, or keys in the same spot to avoid being distressed before leaving home
Make time for fun
Simple activities can make for a home immersed in joy, not stress. Consider simple but fun activities such as going to the park for a walk or swing, reading to a child or an elderly person, playing with pets, make a meal with family or friends.
How to relieve stress and anxiety
In conclusion, relieving stress and anxiety involves engaging in activities like exercise, massages, and mindful practices. Surround yourself with supportive people, enjoy a balanced diet, and create a relaxing home environment to manage life’s stressors effectively.