Daily life is full of stress these days. Between work, world events, caring for an aging parent, and trying to get the kids to school or sports activities, people are more stressed than ever before. Many people believe that daily stress is normal and assume that this kind of stress is just a part of their everyday routine.
In a recent national survey, 21% of adults reported that they were experiencing instances where they got angry very quickly and a further 20% said that they had recently screamed at a loved one. These kinds of statistics clearly show how much stress affects our overall behavior and how it can influence our ability to cope with normal daily challenges.
If you are ready to make stress a smaller part of your daily life, read on to learn some ways to mentally refresh after a stressful day. And remember, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. If self-care doesn’t help manage your stress, it’s essential to get a therapist for further help.
- Meditate
Meditation is a powerful way to deal with stress in your daily life. Meditation reprograms the brain to let go of the fight or flight mentality that often accompanies stress. Allowing your brain to rest can make it possible to process experiences and feelings in a much more effective way and let them go at the end of your day.
Meditation can be done for as little as five minutes or as long as an hour. Even taking a break to meditate a few times throughout your day can make it possible for your brain to get the space that it needs to release tension and get back to healthy thinking patterns. Being able to relax, sleep, and find emotional regulation can make a big difference in your ability to face new challenges when they show up.
- Write it down
Journaling can be a very healthy practice for many people who are struggling with stress in their daily lives. Sometimes writing things down can help you to process them and seeing your thoughts on paper can help you to get some more perspective about tough situations that you might find yourself in.
Imagine how much talking to a friend can help you when you are feeling like you don’t know what to do. Journaling offers the same powerful means of self-assessment without judgment that can come from talking to a trusted companion. Your journal can also become a tool to release negative experiences and some people will actually burn their stress journals when they are completed as a symbolic means of letting those bad thoughts and feelings go.
- Go for a walk
While this is a tried-and-true means to calm down that many of us were told about by our parents or other adults growing up, there is real science that backs this solution for stress. Movement and working out release endorphins that help your brain to reset to positive thinking processes instead of being locked into fearful, anxious, or angry thought patterns.
We did not evolve to sit at a desk all day, and being able to move can help your body to regulate hormones while you get some fresh air and calm down. Vitamin D is also a mood booster, so walking when it is nice out can be an extra beneficial experience when you are stressed.