There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them. ~Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
Of the many stressors I am contending with on a daily,
I haven't really thought about stress relief, until now. Any life
altering situations can cause us to stress out. The human body doesn't know the difference between good stress or bad stress.
So to your mind and body, you just got engaged is the same as you're going to jail. It all stress. So rather than simply giving up and succumbing to this stress, find ways to overcome it and enjoy life. This has to be a careful balance, however. Too much leisure can lead to laziness and procrastination, which only adds to the stress later on. Find a night or weekend when there isn't anything you really need to be doing, and relax. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Good stress is call eustress; we need eustress to help us navigate through life fairly unscathed. So think fight of flight. Anyway I really don't want to go into detail, let's talk about my stress reliving techniques.
So to your mind and body, you just got engaged is the same as you're going to jail. It all stress. So rather than simply giving up and succumbing to this stress, find ways to overcome it and enjoy life. This has to be a careful balance, however. Too much leisure can lead to laziness and procrastination, which only adds to the stress later on. Find a night or weekend when there isn't anything you really need to be doing, and relax. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Good stress is call eustress; we need eustress to help us navigate through life fairly unscathed. So think fight of flight. Anyway I really don't want to go into detail, let's talk about my stress reliving techniques.
Everyone has
a different way of unwinding, so here's a few ideas.
1) The Hot
Bath- Some people may find this relaxation technique cliché, but the truth is
it almost always works if done right. First, fill up your tub with nice hot
water, and perhaps a nice smelling additive to calm you even more. If you have
a good book to read, you may want to bring that with you. It can also be good
to just sit alone with your thoughts though. Create a calm atmosphere by adding
candles, and locking the door to ensure you won't be interrupted. Finally,
bring your favorite drink in with you. This can be a glass of wine, beer, hot
chocolate, tea, or just water.
2) The Nice
Drive- Driving to work isn't exactly relaxing, but driving just for the fun of
it can be. Sometime at night, make a CD of all your favorite songs to sing out
loud to. Get in the car, and just drive. This is great, because it can get out
almost any emotion you've been holding inside. You can be angry, sad, happy,
jealous, like I said, almost anything. By the time you get back you'll feel
much better, and the money you spent on gas will be well worth it.
3) The
Comedy Night- Nothing makes you feel better faster than laughter, so have a
little comedy night for yourself. Make yourself a bowl of popcorn and pop in a
DVD of your favorite funny movie or comedian. Laugh with abandon and let the endorphins
get the better of you. It doesn't have to stop with one movie either. Share the
night with a good friend to make it even happier.
Try yoga, it is a proven stress reliever. Many women has benefited from yoga and similar relaxation techniques. Relieving
your stress will have many benefits to your life. You will be healthier in the
long run, sleep easier and more soundly, and be an overall happier person.
