Stress awareness month

Stress awareness month

May 18, 2017

Stress awareness week – how to reduce stress

Did you know that it’s stress awareness month?

Stress effects everyone – we all feel it from time to time. If unchecked, it can lead to serious health problems, ranging from acne and anxiety, to heart attacks. Therefore, it is vital that we all appreciate the dangers of stress.

To celebrate Stress Awareness Month, we have put together a few – completely free – ideas to take control of stress.

    1. 1. Morning Jog – listen to motivational music
      Getting up at 5am may seem like the last thing you’d want to do to combat stress, but it will pay off in the end. Set your alarm clock to music that inspires you. We recommend setting your alarm to a motivational speech that fires you up. Sit up, listen to it, and make your move. If you consider yourself unfit, start with a small jog or a fast-paced walk. Focusing your energy towards something that isn’t related to work and family can help to reduce stress.
    1. 2. Do something you enjoy in your spare time
      What do you find therapeutic? Do you enjoy cooking? If so, join a cooking class and find fresh, healthy recipes. Enjoy design and art? Join a local art class and learn new skills. Maybe you had a boat trip on a recent hobby and enjoyed being out on the sea – well, we live on an island and there are many sailing clubs up and down the country. Although, this would surely cost some money, but nothing to dent your finances significantly.

Similar to jogging, we recommend you find a hobby and use your mind in a completely different way. And hey, you may find some new friends along the way who share your interests and passions.

  • 3. Combat loneliness
    Taking on the world alone can take its toll on the most stubborn individual. From time to time, we all need someone to talk with, and relieve ourselves from situations playing on our minds. When you’re lonely, brain hormones associated with stress such as cortisol become active and can lead to further health problems. If you have been single for some time now, it may be a good idea to get back out there! Online dating doesn’t have to mean you need to look for love. There are many members of Flirtio and Tinder for example, that use these services to find new friends and people they can confide in.
  • 4. Grab your finances by the b***s
    Do you have debt problems that seem to be knocking you down when you begin to feel good again? Well, it’s time to take control of your debt. There are many debt consolidation options in the market today, that can allow you to pay an affordable amount each money. Taking control of your finances can be liberating. We do not recommend taking a payday loan. However, visit our sister site, Loan Factory. Loan Factory is a comparison site and can find you the most suitable consolidation loan on the market.
  • 5. Change your diet – don’t throw away your chocolate
    Probably the most obvious of choices – your diet. Changing your diet can change your mind set. Eat healthy, think healthy, live healthy. When we say, change your diet, we do not mean, “throw away all your chocolate immediately” – you deserve to treat yourself from time to time! We recommend planning and preparing your weekly food shop. Reduce your calories, increase your vitamins and nutrients, and give yourself a sweet treat (in proportion) at the end of each day. You will be surprised how much this can not only change your life, but save you money in the process!
  • 6. Chug more water
    It is well documented that drinking more water will lead to stress reduction. Our organs, including our heart and our brain, require water to function properly. Drinking 1.5 litres of water a day can reduce acne, baggy eyes, bloating and water retention. Drinking more water can also help you get out of bed in the morning, which helps with our first tip!
  • 7. Decompress your body
    Place a warm flannel around your neck and shoulders for around 10 to 15 minutes and relax your muscles. Get a tennis ball and hold it against your back and a wall – apply pressure and reposition it against areas which feel tight.
  • 8. Have a giggle
    It has been scientifically proven that laughter reduces stress levels. However, things do become less funny when stress levels are rising fast. We recommend you talk with a close friend – they are normally the people you can laugh out loud with, as they know you so well and vice versa! If they’re unavailable, then look for comedy gigs in your area and take someone!
  • 9. Turn up the music
    Research shows that soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety. We aren’t suggesting you crank up the volume to “move b****, get out the way”. Try something soothing. A good start would be Ludovico Einaudi – the legendary, and hugely talented, Italian pianist. You may even recognise some of his music on motivational videos and commercial adverts.