5 Strategies to De-Stress Every Day
- Try to get 8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is critical for restoring your mind and body when you are dealing with a lot of stress. Anything less than 6 hours of sleep increases stress hormones in your body.
- Try this conscious breathing exercise to help you feel calmer right now. Breathe in deeply, expanding your abdomen, on the count of 2. Exhale fully, deflating your abdomen, on the count of 2. Repeat, but this time use a count of 4....then 6...then 8...then 10. Do it first thing in the morning, before you go to sleep, while driving, or anytime you need a little calm in your life.
- Take 2 minutes twice a day to meditate (or even one minute for once a day). Just inhale deeply, and then exhale while focusing on your breath.
- Massage your temples and then your earlobes - two times a day, one minute each. This can be done anytime and anywhere, and provides quick stress relief. Try rubbing the outer edges of the ear, gently pulling on the ear lobe, or even circular motions. Detailed instructions can be found at www.sensemassage.co.uk
- Try to make time for a walk - even for 5-10 minutes. Try to breathe deeply and let go of work and responsibility. Enjoy this special time and just let your body move.