Ways to Relieve Stress

Stress relief is often recommended for health improvement. It's supposed to lessen chances of having a heart attack or stroke, and be good for mental health as well. It's easier said than done though, and worrying about it can increase stress even more. There are ways to count or measure things like calories eaten and time spent exercising, but how do you measure stress reduction? Where do you start?

Start with something simple. There are many small ways to reduce stress, and some of them can become second nature after awhile.

Talk about it. Have someone you can meet or call and vent. Sometimes having a group of people meet and exchange notes on the things that are getting on your nerves can help. You might find out that you share some beefs, and you might even be able to come up with solutions to some of the shared problems. At least you can take comfort in the knowledge that you aren't the only one going through them.

Take your time to finish meals. Busy schedules don't always permit this, but whenever you've got time to eat a meal without hurrying to make an appointment, take advantage of it. It will be good for your digestive system, your weight, and your nerves. We learn in school how to rush through meals, and it is not a valuable lesson. Work schedules that only allow half hours for lunch reinforce these bad habits, which we don't have to continue in our free time. Remind yourself that you don't have to hurry.

Bore yourself to sleep. When the stresses of the day are keeping you from falling asleep when you know you should, bore yourself to sleep. This doesn't mean count sheep. Sheep jumping over a fence make a boring image, yes, but it's too easy to get distracted and start thinking about all the things you have to do and are sure you won't have time to finish the next day. Think of something that will bore you and not allow those worries to creep into your thoughts. Make a mental list of cities or foods that have names starting with each letter. Think of words that have plural forms that are not the singular ones with extra letters on the end, like "goose".

Get a pedometer. Set a target of 10,000 steps a day or one and a half miles a day or whatever works best for you. If you don't reach that target one day, you can carry over the rest until the next day or forget about it and try again the next day. You won't be answering to anyone but yourself. You will, however, be walking off some of that stress and getting more fit as you do it.

Skip the drive-up window at the fast food place. The line is probably shorter if you walk inside, you'll get a wee bit of exercise, and the chances of getting what you order are greater if you order at the counter. They're 50% instead of 25%.

Delegate responsibility. Even if you think you do everything better than anyone else, which may not be true, assign some of the work to others. This doesn't mean mooch off of everyone. If you're doing something that will benefit others, they ought to be doing some of it too. Accept offers of help and request others. When it would take longer to show someone else how to do something than to do it yourself, it still might pay off in the long run.

Get some fresh air. Even if you live in a city with air that is extremely polluted, you have allergies to something in the air, or the weather is nasty, you can get some fresh air by just walking around inside. It encourages deeper breathing than you were doing when you were sitting still. It can be refreshing and can make the things that seemed so annoying seem a little bit more in focus.

Think positive. Without turning into Pollyanna, look at challenges as opportunities. And remember to congratulate yourself and others on jobs well done. While it is true that if you always expect the worst, you won't often be disappointed, it helps if you notice all those pleasant surprises. It also helps if you forget about the negatives. Meditation is a good method of positive thinking.

Practice yoga or t'ai chi. They both help you relax and increase your flexibility. They can be helpful in increasing strength and they can help you sleep. Relaxation and sleep are important in stress reduction. You can go to a community center, a church or a school and practice them with others, or you can use books, CDs and DVDs and do it on your own.

Do whatever helps you unwind. It can be something that has already been mentioned, or it can be taking a bubble bath or listening to soft music or breathing the aroma of lavender. Doing all three of those things at the same time would be nice. Find something that works for you and enjoy relieving your stress.