To Your Health Magazine Shares with us 3 Great ways to reduce stress

3 Ways to Decrease Stress

By Editorial Staff

Relax

The average day can seem like one stressful task after the other, which adds up to a state of constant stress and frustration. Make time to get away from the daily grind, whether that's setting aside an hour or so each night before bed to take a walk, read a good book or just put your feet up and unwind. Sometimes all it takes is a little time to yourself to reduce your stress dramatically.

Refresh

Stress can be nothing more than your body and mind getting stuck in a rut of the "same old, same old." Stagnation sets in, which leads to stress over time. To avoid this pattern, think outside your daily box every once in a while: learn a new skill, incorporate new exercises into your workout routine, take a different route to work - anything to mix things up a little.

Rejuvenate

No matter how successful you are at incorporating anti-stress strategies into your daily routine, it isn't always enough. To truly rejuvenate, plan a few vacations every year; you'll be less stressed leading up the time off, just knowing it's around the corner, and getting away from normal responsibilities can do wonders to ease stress and rejuvenate your spirit.

To Your Health Magazine Shares us some very neat ways to start your day right.

Start the Day Right

By Editorial Staff

For most people, mornings are a time to rush around, prepare lunches, inhale a quick breakfast and jet off to work. But the way you start your morning can set the tone for the entire day. Try some of these morning rituals to start the day right.

Eat breakfast. Starting off with a healthy, well-balanced breakfast regulates blood sugar levels and gets your body ready for the physical and mental stress of the day. Choose a combination of protein and fruit rather than the all-too-common caffeine and carbohydrates.

Listen to music. Depending on the type of music you listen to, hearing a few tunes first thing in the morning can energize, refresh, soothe or motivate you. Research suggests music therapy reduces stress and improves overall wellness.

Stretch in the shower. Stretching helps relieve tension and prepares your muscles for another day. The added benefit of stretching in the shower is hot water loosens the muscles for a better stretch and also promotes relaxation.

Write in a journal. Keeping a journal to document your emotions and fears aids in dealing with stress and increases self-awareness. A daily journaling session can help you focus, solve problems and process negative feelings.

Take a walk. Walking in the first light of morning can help you feel good all day. Just a few of the many health benefits of walking include sleeping better at night, controlling blood pressure, managing weight, lowering stress, and reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many other conditions.

Practice yoga. Yoga incorporates a variety of stress management techniques such as diaphragmic breathing, meditation, stretching, and more. A 10-15 minute routine of yoga poses like "sun salutations" can center you for the day ahead.

Prepare Ahead of Time: Particularly if you have kids, it's important not to leave everything until morning. Pack lunches (including your own) and coordinate showers/baths at night. You'll have more time to relax, eat breakfast and do one or more of the above activities if you're not frantically trying to get those things done right when you wake up.

I've had several patients comment on this picture and it's so true. We forget that the muscles, bones, and most importantly our nerves need even more attention than something on our face.