Stress-Free Activities

Whether you're about to be interviewed for a job or you're feeling  overwhelmed by your child's behavior at the playground, it's important  to have some stress reduction tools that can lower your stress right  now.  The best short-term strategies:

• Can be performed anywhere
• Take very little practice to master
• Are free
• Provide immediate relief

Guided Imagery is like taking a short vacation in your mind.1  It can involve imaging yourself being in your "happy place"—maybe  picturing yourself sitting on a beach, listening to the waves, smelling  the ocean, and feeling the warm sand underneath you.  Guided imagery can be done with a recording where you listen to someone  walk you through a peaceful scene. Or, once you know how to do it  yourself, you can practice guided imagery on your own.   Simply close your eyes for a minute and walk yourself through a peaceful  scene. Think about all the sensory experiences you'd engage in and  allow yourself to feel as though you're really there. After a few  minutes, open your eyes and return to the present moment.   

Meditation brings short-term stress relief as well as lasting stress management  benefits. There are many different forms of meditation to try–each one  is unique and brings its own appeal.2 You might develop a mantra that you repeat in your mind as you take slow  deep breaths. Or, you might take a few minutes to practice mindfulness,  which involves being in the moment. Simply pay attention to what you  see, hear, taste, touch, and smell.  When you're focused on the here-and-now, you won't be able to  ruminate about something that already happened and you can't worry about  something in the future. Meditation and mindfulness take practice, but  it can make a big difference in your overall stress level. 

Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation involves relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group.3 To practice, you can start with a few deep breaths. Then, practice tightening and relaxing each muscle group, starting with your forehead and moving down to your toes.  With practice, you'll learn to recognize tension and tightness in your  muscles and you'll be able to relax more easily. Each time you practice,  however, you should experience a feeling of relaxation sweeping through  your body.   

Just focusing on your breath or changing the way you breathe can make a  big difference to your overall stress level. Breathing techniques can  calm your body and your brain in just a few minutes.4 The best news is, no one around you will even know you're doing them. So  whether you're in a stressful meeting or you're sitting in a crowded  theater, breathing exercises could be key to reducing your stress.5 While there are many different breathing exercises, like karate breathing, a few simple ones include: 

A poor diet can bring greater reactivity toward stress. Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods can provide a temporary sense of relief that adds to your long-term stress. Refined carbs, like cookies and potato chips, can cause a spike in blood  sugar. When your blood sugar crashes, you might experience more stress  and anxiety. Consuming a healthy diet can help you combat stress over the long haul.  Foods like eggs, avocado, and walnuts support mood regulation and energy  balance.  

Leisure activities can be a wonderful way to relieve stress.12 Yet, many people feel as though their lives are too busy for hobbies, games, or extra fun. But building time for leisure into your schedule could be key to helping  you feel your best. And when you feel better, you'll perform better,  which means leisure time may make your work time more efficient. Whether you find joy in caring for a garden or you like making quilts, hobbies and leisure are key to living your best life. 

The way you talk to yourself matters. Harsh self-criticism, self-doubt,  and catastrophic predictions aren't helpful. If you're constantly  thinking things like, "I don't have time for this," and "I can't stand  this," you'll stress yourself out.  It's important to learn to talk to yourself in a more realistic,  compassionate manner. When you call yourself names or doubt your ability  to succeed, reply with a kinder inner dialogue. Positive self-talk can help you develop a healthier outlook. And an optimistic and  compassionate conversation can help you manage your emotions and take-positive action.  

Yoga combines physical movement, meditation, light exercise, and controlled breathing—all of which provide excellent stress relief.13 And while you're likely to reap immediate benefits from a single yoga  session, you're likely to receive long-term benefits if you incorporate  it into your life in a consistent way.  Yoga offers a variety of physical, psychological, and spiritual  benefits. To get started, you might take a class, enroll in an online  program, or use an app to help you begin practicing.   

Gratitude helps you recognize all the things you have to be thankful for. Whether  you're grateful for a sunny day or thankful you arrived at work safely,  think about all the good things you have in life. Gratitude also reminds you of all of the resources you have to cope with stress, which can be quite empowering.  Studies also show grateful people enjoy better mental health, lower stress, and a better quality of life.So whether you decide to make it a habit to identify what you're  grateful for as you sit around the dinner table or you decide to write  down three things you're grateful for in a gratitude journal every day, make gratitude a regular habit.  

Physical activity is key to managing stress and improving mental health.14 And the best news is, there are many different kinds of activities that can reduce your stress. Join a gym, take a class, or exercise outside. Keep in mind that there  are many different ways to get more physical activity in your day too. Walking, strength training, kayaking, hiking, and spin class are just a  few different examples of ways you can get stress relief.