Stress and Anxiety

February 21, 2021

Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

By: Ashley and Cilicia

Stressors are a part of our everyday lives, but learning how to handle them and not let them get to you is important. Here are some ways to relieve stress and anxiety:

Spending Time with Friends and Family

Many studies show that being around a friend decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol
You can confide in your friends/family and count on them to provide support when you need it
Boost your happiness

Set More Realistic Goals

Goal setting can lessen stress by creating structure and allowing you to visualize success. However, goals can also be a cause of stress if they create excessive pressure or make you feel bad if you can’t reach them. Therefore it is important to set realistic and attainable goals and make sure they have manageable plans that can help you reach them.
The best goals are set to follow the “S.M.A.R.T.” guidelines, meaning they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Goals with more realistic expectations will lower stress levels, increase your chances of achieving them, and in turn, will help boost self-confidence levels to achieve more goals.

Learn to Say No

Learning to say “no” helps you establish healthy boundaries with others. It ensures others to have clarity on what they should expect from you.
If you keep saying “yes” to the things you don’t want to do, it could push you to far and make you feel all bottled up.
It allows you to have a clearer vision on what you actually want
It’s better to be honest about something rather than lying to yourself and others

Write in a Journal

Recognizing your emotions and/or expressing them in a journal is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety; you can get things off your chest without worrying about other people’s opinions.
It can also relieve your stress and anxiety by pinpointing the specific thing that is causing you to feel.
Use this helpful link to help identify your mood and/or recognize the emotion you’re feeling: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ETpy0ZjWkAA3N_c.jpg

Get Moving

Getting moving is a great way to reduce your anxiety and stress because it can allow your brain to release chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy, capable, confident, and relaxed. Whether it’s getting into a full workout, going for a walk, following a yoga video on YouTube, or even taking a two-minute break to walk around after sitting at a desk for an hour, you will feel much better.

Get Outside

Surrounding yourself with nature is a great way to feel calmer.
Try to focus on your surroundings and distance yourself from any stressors for a few minutes to recollect yourself from any anxious feelings.
Sometimes fresh air can help you feel more centred and less like you have a web of tasks to do. Or it can just be a quick distraction to take your mind off things.

Try some of the stress and anxiety relief tips mentioned above to improve your overall wellness! In March we will talk about living a healthier lifestyle. Keep up with our monthly articles to learn tips about how to improve your wellness and quality of life.