This post is presented to you by UnitedHealthcare.
If I had a nickel for every time one of my girlfriends talked about how stressed out they were I’d be a billionaire. The fact of the matter is–we all have some form of stress in our lives–whether it’s our kids, living situation, spouse, school, job, parents—whatever it is we all have stress. It all comes down to how we manage it.
Stress is completely unhealthy for you. It can mess with your sleep, your mood and even your body chemistry. It certainly has a negative effect on weight loss. Here are 5 ways to reduce stress because we all need to relax a little bit!
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Massage: Take the time out to get a professional massage. I personally am a fan of massages because it forces you to lie still and allow your muscles to relax completely. I would opt for a 60 minute massage but even a 10-30 minute massage can do wonders for your stress levels!
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Call a friend: We all have that friend or family member that gives us advice and helps us see things more clearly. Sometimes all you need is a listening ear from someone with an objective view.
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Bond with Nature: Have you ever noticed that taking a walk in the park is incredibly soothing? Something about the fresh air and the sun can be very restorative.
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Explore your city: Go to the city nearest you and explore! Do the tourist experience and see your city from a different point of view. Bonus points if you do this by yourself!
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Dance like no one is watching: Put on your favorite song and just move. Throw your hands up–drop it all the way low–whatever you need to do to express yourself and how you feel when you hear that favorite song. Bonus points if you sing out loud too. There is magic healing power in music, don’t be afraid to use it!
UnitedHealthcare is currently running a great contest while advocating a stress free life. Check out the deets below!
The We Dare You to Share website features three dares each month. For April they are all stress-related; sharing a photo their website site of someone laughing, watch a video on ways to reduce stress, and take a stress management quiz. The goal is to get people to take small steps to live a little bit healthier every day, whether encouraging people to laugh more, or to increase the awareness of the effects of stress. By completing these dares you will be entered to win $25 Visa gift cards weekly and the chance to win a grand prize worth $400!
http://www.wedareyoutoshare.com
How do you reduce stress? Anything missing from the list?
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Nellie
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13 Comments
Great suggestions and have done all of these, especially the massage to reduce stress! 😉
I ROCK (pun intended) number five.
The rest? I NEED TO WORK ON.
I love your list! The way I am getting through my divorce is running! Exercise is my way of reducing the stress that I have been going through.
Go for a run!!! 🙂 My favorite form of stress release is definitely exercise but I also love to relax with a nice glass of wine…and my husband…or if he’s causing the stress, then a good friend – hahaha!!
I so agree with the massage!!! I need one right now!
Dancing is a huge one for me. It’s hard to feel stressed when you are doing Zumba. The moves are sometimes a little silly and they make me laugh. Plus, good music puts me in a good mood.
I usually go for a walk or listen to music both help me reduce stress. I also will read a book that helps me a lot.
It has been way too long since I had a massage!!
I don’t always dance but I crank music and sing loudly – and I’m not a singer at all!
Dancing and nature are great ways I like to help reduce stress. I’ve made it a habit to dance with the kids at last once a day. We throw on some Radio Disney and go crazy. We even started a balcony garden and can’t wait until we harvest our first veggie!
Great post, Nellie! Stress is really terrible for your body. In the last few weeks, I’ve spent a LOT of time outside (preparing our yard for summer…yay!). It’s been absolutely wonderful and healing. Though I’ve been known to blast some pretty heavy-hitting rock & roll in the car after a stressful day of work. You’re spot on when you say that music is healing.
I like these because they’re unique. I often gloss over stress-relieving tips because they’re so.. dull. And they don’t work for me.
True I’ve never had a massage, but I can dance with my hands in the air! And calling a loved one is key.
taking a walk is a big one for me. sometimes I just need to step away from the insanity of life. a massage and mani/pedi is also a great one and dinner with close friends/family.
Lastly,i would add “ALCOHOL”.. a glass of wine, melts the stress away LOL
Exploring is great advice! I find when I’m stressed, getting out and wandering around or going for a jog is so helpful. I feel more focused and able to take on my daily tasks and expectations rather than worry about finishing up tasks.