According to recent statistics, the UK saw a 219% spike in searches for “reduce stress” over the previous month alone, indicating just how eager people are to find solutions for feelings of overwhelming stress.
This is indicative of the extent of public concern around stress levels and how they may affect health.
The lingering stress of the cost-of-living crisis weighs heavily on the shoulders of many, and with temperatures increasing, food prices skyrocketing, and the New Year in full swing, it is bound to have an added impact on the stresses of everyday life. Therefore, people around the country are looking for tips and tricks to ease and eliminate as much stress as possible.
The experts at Simply CBD have shared some advice that you may incorporate into your weekly schedule to help promote stress relaxation and a routine that is free of stress.
Focusing on self-care and being aware of your own needs will go a long way toward lowering stress and anxiety. Maintaining a regular sleep pattern and eating a balanced diet are two examples of self-care, but treating yourself to some pampering is frequently overlooked.
Take a hot bath or shower.
Pop on a face mask and read your favourite book – time away from blue light. Switching off your phone helps relax the mind.
Light some candles and listen to a meditation podcast.
Treat yourself to your favourite home-cooked meal (or take away if you prefer!).
Exercise
Finding the time to fit in a solid workout may often release a lot of pent-up stress, even though the concept of working out can occasionally be exhausting.
Sometimes getting past the mental barrier of doing physical activity is the only thing holding you back from releasing tension and endorphins, aka the body’s natural painkillers.
There are numerous ways to fit in an hour of exercise that raises your heart rate without having to do anything particularly strenuous:
Take a stroll: Getting outside for some fresh air and moving your body, whether with friends, family, or just by yourself, will do wonders.
Join a local exercise class: there are lots of choices, including low-intensity yoga and pilates, which are wonderful if you don’t want to work out hard.
Listen to music
Pick any type of music that lifts your spirits and makes you feel good. Music has the power to not only lower stress but also to enhance moods and open up the channels for emotional expression. By listening to music, you can:
Reduce blood pressure.
Improve memory.
Reduce anxiety.
Improve sleep quality.
Experiment with hobbies
By experimenting with hobbies that you might have put on the back-burner, you are allowing your body to remind itself of something you enjoy and take pride in. Hobbies are a great distraction and can be the perfect way to relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life.
If you’re struggling to think of a hobby, it’s never too late to find one! Making a list of all the hobbies you would love to try, you are already one step closer to expanding your knowledge, widening your range of skills, keeping your brain working and mind off all things stressful.
Turn the phone off and stay off social media
In a world dominated by technology, we have everything at the push of a button, making it hard to imagine life without it, but keeping so up-to-date and caught up on social media can sometimes be exhausting and lead to unhealthy destructive behaviours.
You can stop the frequent updates and be entirely focused on other things that might make you happy by shutting off your phone or setting time limits for using social media.
Read one of your favourite novels, spend time with family and friends, treat yourself to a well-deserved spa day, take a nap, or do anything else that helps you unwind from the day’s stress instead of getting consumed by technology.