Stress is supposed to be positive and temporary for most of us. But chronic stress, which is constant and persists over an extended period of time, can be overwhelming. With research showing that chronic stress is linked to major illnesses its important for everyone to practice self-care and learn how to manage stress.
Whenever you notice that your chest is tight and you’re breathing fast and furiously, take a minute to pause, and practice one of these to get rid of your anxiety and chronic stress.
Smiling
It’s no secret that smiling has so many benefits for us, just google it and you will be mind-blown. I know that when times are tough and chronic stress is gnawing at you it can be difficult to put a smile, but I want you to try. To help I thought of a little hack that might help.
Ready for the hack?! Take a Selfie. No, Seriously they will not only make you smile more but also create new memories. The perfect combination for creating a happier chronic stress-free life.
Visualize Chronic Stress Away
Visualization plays a key role in the successes of many great people and for good reason. When you visualize something you allow yourself to plan out your own course, lets you see where you went wrong and fix it. So it’s no surprise why this hack can help you relieve chronic stress and anxiety.
Visualize how you want to feel, where you are when you are happy. Let yourself come up with a strategy to get you there, plan it out and then execute it. I recommend checking out this study on how athletes used visualization to increase their performance, it might give you I clue to relieving your own stress.
Puppy Love
Sometimes all we need to do is share some love and likewise receive some. Dogs are known as man’s best friend, they are very lovable and cute. They can be bundles of love and joy, so I urge you to definitely spend time with a family pet or get one yourself.
Stretch It Out
As a massage therapist, I can’t say how important it’s stretch those muscles and joints. Stretching gets the blood flowing in our bodies, moves around junk in our system, and it can feel great. I personally love that good old morning stretch as soon as I wake up, the best feeling to wake up to. Try making it one of your habits, dedicate time as I do in the morning to stretch. Here are some habits you need to stop that can be contributing to your stress!
If you need help with making any morning habits I recommend checking out Morning Ritual Mastery. Stefan Pylarinos does an amazing job of guiding you through the whole experience.
Say a Prayer or Mantra
Now mantras and prayers are very different but can both be just beneficial for relieving chronic stress and anxiety. Mantras were created by creating vibrations to promote a certain goal, prayer is about creating communication. Both can be equally powerful and can have a great benefit to your chronic stress.
Try this Mantra out, you can say it out loud or in your mind: “I have control over how I feel, and I choose to feel at peace“
Get Some Beauty Sleep
Sleep is so important when trying to manage stress. Lack of sleep has been known to increase stress and anxiety levels and can even increase your blood pressure!
So it’s safe to say that sleep is one of the important things you want to keep in check when managing stress and anxiety. It’s so important that I’ve written a list of 10 different hacks you can add to your routine for a longer and better night of sleep. Check it Out!