Stress Reducing Activities

Some of the Stress Reducing Activities/Stress busters:

• Create a relaxation room at your place: Many spas have relaxation rooms to sit in before and after treatments. It’s great to create it at your place too. The key is having an area at home that is devoted solely to relaxing. You may want to add a really comfortable chair or daybed, put a dimmer on the lights, or have candles on hand—whatever it is that you enjoy and find relaxing. This will give you an opportunity to decompress. Forget the BlackBerry, cell phone, and laptop; this is a time to unwind and clear your mind of distractions and stressors.

• Meditate: Meditation is a great way to relax, especially if you are under a lot of stress. Many Researches have shown that meditation can lower heart rate and blood pressure and even improve cognitive performance. Important factors to consider when meditating include finding a comfortable place, relaxing your muscles, and focusing on one thing, whether it’s your breathing, an object (a flower or a painting), or even a picture in your mind. You might visualize a peaceful place, like a secret garden. Meditating for as little as 10 minutes is enough to have a beneficial effect on your stress level. The key is staying focused and not lettingany distractions or thoughts enter your mind. This may be difficult at first and may take a lot of time and practice. Being mindful is key.

• Get a Massage: Having a massage is a great way to free yourself of tension, and adding aromatherapy oils such as chamomile or lavender can be particularly beneficial. One recent study found that emergency-room nurses experienced reduced stress levels with aromatherapy massage. While it may be preferable, you don’t necessarily need a full hour to experience benefits, only 15 minutes can work!