Top 3 Ways to De-Stress: Physically & Mentally

Following up from a previous post, Less is more part 2, we wanted to share with you our top 3 ways to help de-stress, relax, and refocus during hectic times in your world.

Let’s get straight into it.  I can get very overwhelmed, anxious, irritable, and emotional when I feel like I have too much to do and not enough time.   We all deal with stress differently, so by sharing what works for me, perhaps you can learn a new trick that can help you.

Here it goes, my top 3 ways to de-stress:

1. Make a list. 

I love writing lists to organize my day, my week, and/or my month.  Being able to see what tasks I have to complete and allocating a timeline helps me relax and get it done.

2. Self-Myofascial release. 

Self-myofascial release has been a part of my routine for nearly 12 months now.  I set aside 2-3 nights per week to spend 15-20 minutes rolling and releasing various areas.  While this is a physical release, I always sleep like a baby afterwards and wake up feeling amazing.  It is easier and cheaper than booking a massage and helps keep me in check with my body and stress levels.  I also do some release work prior to each workout for 5-10minutes and not only does it help my body prepare for a workout, it also helps me clear my head and focus solely on myself.  (I love it so much, I’ve created an e-Book to help others!)

3. Remove stressors.

How simple is this?! If you are able to identify and remove things that cause stress, then do so!  For example, my partner and I recently moved house so I could be closer to work.  Being a single car home, we are now so much happier.  No more sharing the car, organizing who is going to drop the other one off, etc.  I work at 5:30am most days and go back for some afternoon sessions, so the convenience and ease of my new 5-minute walking commute has taken loads of stress off.

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I realise that what works for me might not work for you… Therefore I’ve reached out to a few other health and wellness bloggers to find out what their top tips for de-stressing are. 

Here’s what they had to say:

 Trifina Sofian – Young & Cancer Free

1. Lots of people forget to breathe when they are stressed so I try to do anything that makes me focus on my breath. It only takes a couple of minutes of breathing deeply to effectively calm the body & mind.
2. I tend to get lots of knots and tension on my shoulder when I get stressed so I do a lot of self-massage either using a tennis ball or the foam roller.
3. Exercise is a lso a great stress reliever. Focusing on the way your body moves is a great distraction from the stresses of life.

 

Cassie Spanner – Be Forever Healthier

1. Exercise – Name that movie – “Exercise gives you endorphines, endorphines make you happy!”. It’s so true though! Exercising gives me an opportunity to let out any stress and tension.
2. Talk it out – I really have to talk out my problems. If I’ve been bottling up stress, the minute I talk about it, it all just becomes a so much more manageable. A problem shared is a problem halved.
3. Write a list – Most of my stress comes from when I feel like I have a never-ending to-do list in my head. To combat this, I write down every single thing I need to do, even the really tiny stuff, and just start ticking it off. Seeing it visually is a huge help.

 

Ciara Doran – Cool Things I Love

1. Meditation.

2. Drinking tea.

3. Walking.  I use an app called Headspace for the guided meditation and walking somewhere peaceful is always great for clearing the mind.

 

 

Wendy Hodge – Wendy’s Way to Health

1. Exercise is my top go-to for stress relief.  I usually decide what type of exercise based on how I feel – sometimes a run, sometimes lifting weights and sometimes a leisurely walk.  For me, they all have the ability to take away that weighed-down feeling.
2.  Watching TV is my favourite way to end the day because it relaxes me and lets me unwind and escape reality for a couple of hours.
3. Daily Meditation has helped me de-stress as I’m a natural worrier and I find that even just a short 5 minute meditation has a calming and positive effect.

 

Amanda Barnes – Amanda Barnes Nutrition

My top method is to use the  4-7-8 breathing technique, as described by Dr. Weil:  inhale 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8.  Repeat 3 times.  It is proven to relax you, decrease cravings, and help with sleep.  Best of all, you can do it anywhere: if you’re stuck in traffic, in an argument, or at work!

 

 

 

Olivia Crawford – Olivia Crawford

1. Breathing. Slow deep breaths into my belly.
   2. Soaking in a bath with magnesium chloride flakes.
   3. Doing something fun or enjoyable, whether it’s watching a funny movie, spending time with friends, cooking, or gardening in the sunshine.

 

 

 Amy Miller – I ♥ the New Me 

1.Taking a shower/bath.

2. Listening to music.

3. Cooking (while listening to music) lets me clear my head and plan out my day.

 

 

  Chantal Drouin-Charters – Mindful Munching

I crave alone time, and with 5 people in a small house, it’s hard to come by! My top 3 ways to de-stress are:

1. Taking a bath and reading a book.
2.  Going shopping.
3. Watching tv.

 

Susan Minich  – My Real Dish 

1. Essential Oils – in a diffuser, applied, or in a bath with espom salts and baking soda.
2. Exercise (preferably outside in the fresh air).
3. Couch time with my husband watching TV or a movie

 

 

 

Dr MJ –  The Babywearing Health Coach

1. Breathe.
   2. Get out into nature
   3. Enjoying a nice cup of coffee does the trick as well (your beverage in hand could be anything 🙂

 

Better Posture. better Life.

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Have you ordered your E-Book ? An important part of recovery is self-myofascial release using a foam roller and therapy ball.  Learn how with my E-Book “Foam Rolling for Posture and Performance” and get started today.