Mental Health

How to Relax and Enjoy Life More

It’s not unusual to feel anxious at times, when there’s a legitimate threat to you or a loved one’s safety or welfare. But if anxiety has become a constant presence in your life, it’s a great idea to learn some techniques to learn how to relax and enjoy life more.

How Can I Relax My Mind?

For many people, relaxation means zoning out in front of the TV with a beer at the end of a long day. But this really doesn’t help in the long term to reduce the damaging effects of stress.

Here’s some intentional relaxation tips to help you get started on living a normal life even if you have anxiety issues.

There are many different ways to relax. They typically fit into one of two categories – active or passive relaxation.

Let’s take a closer look at each method, go over some examples and then wrap it up with a simple conclusion about why we all need a good mix of both forms of relaxation.

Active vs. Passive Relaxation

The easiest way to define active vs. passive relaxation is with an simple example. Let’s start with the obvious…sleeping which is a form of passive relaxation. On the other hand, an activity such as going fishing would be a type of active relaxation.

Most types of relaxation techniques. fit somewhere between these two extremes. For instance, meditation is generally passive but the mind is still somewhat active. Reading a book or watching a movie is another good example. These are more passive activities than going for a walk, hike, or run.

Ideas For Active Relaxation

Most forms of exercise fall into the active relaxation category. Go out for a walk or hike and enjoy nature is one great way to actively relax. Taking an exercise class or going for a run is another great option. And these types of activities are often more fun when you do them with others.

You might want to get the whole family involved by going for bike rides together, taking them swimming, or spending a fun day playing and running around in the park or yard.

I’m a big fan of yoga a form of active relaxation. Not only does it tone your body and help to increase flexibility, but it also helps to calm the mind and spirit.

Ideas For Passive Relaxation

Make some time to lay down for a nap in the afternoon to relax and recharge. You can also just sit or lay down for 30 minutes to practice some guided meditation.

Many people love to curl up with a good book at the end of the day to unwind and de-stress.

Meeting a friend for coffee, or just inviting them over is a great way to relax. If that’s not possible, get comfortable and call them for a long, relaxing chat. This is something that tends to get lost in our digital age. There’s nothing like a good old fashioned phone call!

Even something as simple as pouring yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea and enjoying it while you browse through a magazine is a good option.

I think you’ve got the ideas! Brainstorm three to five ways to relax passively that sound like they might work for you. These can be things you’re already doing, or something you’ve always wanted to make time for.

Then come up with some ideas for active relaxation. Keep your list where you can easily refer to it, and then make an intention to do try activities from both lists on a regular basis.

More Ways to Relax Your Mind From Stress

Try to avoid multitasking. While we think we’re being more productive, multitasking can stress us out even more. Try to do one thing at a time and really focus on it.

Note your mood, then choose your activity. If you’ve had an awful day at work, listening to head banging music is probably going to ramp you up even further. And you probably won’t be able to focus on a book. Try going for a slow walk outside to clear your head.

Do what’s relaxing to you. This can mean different things to different people. Many people like to unwind by doing something with their hands. This doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, I love to use stickers in my journals and planners. It’s fun and doesn’t require too much brain activity.

It’s pretty important to keep mixing things up. We need to work in more physical activity and get out there, but also need time to relax our body.

Remember, it’s all about balance. Practicing both active and passive relaxation techniques on a daily basis will help to reduce anxiety and handle stress in a much calmer way.

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Instant Stress Buster: Laughter Is the Best Medicine

Laughter is the best medicine to reduce stress. #mentalhealth #depression #stress #recovery #chronicillness #spoonie

When was the last time you had a good laugh? If it’s been days, weeks, or even months, keep on reading. We’ve all heard the saying that laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is also one of the best ways to quickly reduce stress.

This probably doesn’t come as a big surprise to you. Think back on the last time you laughed with a good friend, your partner, or your child. You probably felt so much better afterwards, especially if you really cracked up. The idea then is to laugh out loud more often, and to do so intentionally whenever you’re feeling under a lot of pressure and stress.

How to Laugh More

Spend some time with a child. Little kids are often hilarious and when you give them free reigns with the conversation they’ll almost come up with something funny. Try asking them to tell you a joke. Their giggles while they try to get it out will make you laugh. Laugh with them and use your secret stress buster as an opportunity to bond and spend quality time together.

Watch some funny TV or read a funny book. After a long and stressful day , there’s nothing better than a movie or book that makes you laugh out loud. While it’s harder with books, it’s fairly easy to find movies that make you laugh. And if you watch with a friend, laughing together is even better than laughing by yourself.

Make a list of books and movies that make you laugh and keep it on hand for stress emergencies. Of course they are also funny, entertaining, and a great way to relax at other times.

Find Some YouTube Comedy Clips. This is my personal go to stress buster since I rarely have the time or attention span for a movie. I have a few personal favorites that I revisit over and over. It’s truly the best therapy for me when life gets a little crazy.

Here’s a few of my current favorites:

Juggling the Jenkins – recovered addict (people like us are typically the best comedians) and totally down to earth.

Vic Dibitetto (Watching him is like going home for me…but this is real NY humor with a lot of language – so pass if that bothers you.)

Boston Country Mom – She’s pretty new, I guess but I totally get the Yankee fish-out-of-water thing. I always get a good laugh!

Listen To The Comedy Channel On Pandora. If you have a long commute home, or a lot of chores to do around the house, try listening to Pandora or one of the other music streaming services and choose a stand-up comedy channel. You’ll be laughing in no time. Of course you could also create a personalized playlist with sets from your favorite comedians.

Get Together With a Friend. Throughout my life, I’ve chosen my friends according to how sarcastic they are. Seriously. There’s nothing like snarky, black humor to get me through rough patches. Even a quick text can work some days.

Read Some Amazon Reviews. Some of these are comedy genius! Here’s a couple of great sites with in-depth reviews.

The Top 10 Funniest Reviews on Amazon

22 Hilarious Reviews of the Most Ridiculous Amazon Products

Health Benefits of Laughter

There’s good reason that laughter is the best medicine. Laughter relaxes your entire body, can help to boost the immune system and will trigger the release of endorphins, your body’s natural feel-good chemical. Not only that, but it can protect your heart, burn calories and could even help you to live longer.

What’s your favorite way to laugh?

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Are you getting enough sleep? f you don't get enough sleep, your body operates under stress. You need your sleep. Getting enough sleep is one of the most important ways to keep your mind and body health. How did you sleep last night? And did you sleep long enough?

Not surprisingly, not getting enough sleep is one of the main reasons that people get stressed out. We all know we need to sleep but when it eludes us, we can start to panic.

The average person needs about 8 hours of quality sleep per night. But of us don’t even come close to that. It’s far too easy to stay up late watching Netflix, surfing Facebook or Instagram, or catching up on emails. And then we get up early, try to fuel ourselves with caffeine to make up for feeling tired and try to tackle our to-do lists.

At the same time we’re trying to find the time to work out and spend quality time with our families. Something’s got to give that kind of schedule and all too often it’s getting enough sleep.

When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies don’t get the chance to unwind and process everything that’s happened during the previous day. Sure, there’s going to be seasons in life where we just have to do the best we can with little sleep, like after just having a baby. But if it begins to stretch out for weeks and months, your health is going to suffer.

Lack of sleep won’t kill you, but long term stress does kill and lack of sleep contributes. Don’t be embarrassed to make sleep a priority. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how much more you’ll get done during your waking hours and how unstressed you’ll feel as a result.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Aim to get a good eight hours of sleep per night. The best way to do this is to determine when you need to get up and work backwards from there. If you need to be up at six, then it’s a good idea to start unwinding by around eight so that you’ll fall asleep by ten.

If morning exercise is important to you, and something you benefit from, schedule time for that as well. Also allow time for spiritual and meditation practices. Once you see how much you benefit from a full-night’s sleep, you’ll feel a lot better to handle your day and both your body and mind will thank you for it.

How to Cope With Insomnia

Despite our good intentions, sometimes the sleep just doesn’t come. The reasons could be as simple as being too wired to go to sleep, too much coffee during the day, chronic pain that keeps you up or medications that you might be taking during the day. Or it could simply be that you’re getting older.

Here’s a few natural ways to treat insomnia:

Increase your activity. Just add more movement to your daily schedule. This might include housework, walking, or whatever helps you feel tired by evening so that you’re ready for a good night of rest.

Get natural sunlight. A good way to kill two birds with one stone (get exercise and increase sunlight exposure) is to go out every day for a 30-minute walk over the noon hour. The blue light, emitted by the sun’s rays, helps to regulate your body’s biological clock. If you’re unable to get outside occasionally, use a bright lightbox first thing in the morning.

Be social. Be sure that you are interacting and socializing with others, as this will decrease your risk of isolation and depression, which can impact your sleep quality.

Practice good sleep hygiene. These include sticking to a regular wake up/bedtime routine, not drinking caffeine later than 1 p.m. in the afternoon (or 6 hours before bedtime), and not using blue light emitting devices such as television, smartphones, computers, tablets too close to bedtime.

Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra or body scans are a great way to relax your body when the sleep doesn’t come. You’ll get your mind off your insomnia and put your body into a state of deep relaxation, whether the sleep actually comes or not. I use and love the Calm app for body scans and progressive muscle relaxation. And if I’m still not sleeping, then I listen to a sleep story and most of the time I’m asleep by the end of the story.

How To Recover From a Bad Night’s Sleep

There’s nothing worse than having to face a full day when you’ve had only a few hours of broken up sleep. Here’s some some simple tips to get through the day after a rough night.

Start off your day right by staying hydrated. Dehydration can make your fatigue even worse. When you first wake up in the morning, it’s helpful to drink a glass of water. If you don’t love plain water, add a wedge of lemon to it. The idea behind this is that in the morning, you need to replenish fluids in your body, as you’ve probably not had anything to drink for many hours.

If you enjoy coffee, the caffeine will certainly give you a much needed boost. The effects of caffeine can last up to six hours, so if you choose to grab a cup for a mid afternoon boost, keep your bedtime in mind or you will end up with another night of insomnia.

Get moving. Taking five or ten minute movement breaks throughout the day is a wonderful way to improve your energy levels, especially if your walk is accompanied by bright sunshine. The blue rays emitted by the sun increase your alertness and overall sense of well-being.

Whatever you decide to do, just be sure that it is something that you enjoy. This will increase your motivation to do it, even when you feel sleepy.

Eat energizing foods. For mealtimes, focus on whole foods. Many people report improved sleep when following low carb or keto diets. The snacks that you choose are also very important. The worst thing you can do is head to the vending machine and grabbing junk food. Keep some high protein snacks around, such as hard boiled eggs or Greek yogurt. Have some fruit on the side.

Other healthy options include nuts, vegetables and hummus. If you’re craving something salty, low-fat popcorn can satisfy your craving, plus it fills you up with fiber. You can also find lots of recipes online for no-bake energy balls, typically made from a combination of nut butter and dates. Just be sure that you use natural peanut butter, as it does not contain sugar.

Take short rest breaks. When you’re tired, it is sometimes tempting not to want to stop for a break, because you might think that you’ll feel even more tired when you get back to work. However, it is very important to take rest breaks, which allows you to pace yourself.

For example, if you work at a desk, taking a short 2-minute break where you get up to walk around your office, can be helpful before you get back to work. You’ll also want to take a 15-minute coffee break when you can. This is the perfect time to eat a nutritious snack (such as those mentioned above), which will help maintain healthy blood sugars and give you the energy you need to keep going.

Take a short nap. If you are having a difficult time concentrating, a cat nap that is no more than 20 minutes can improve your alertness.

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Natural Remedies for Anxiety Relief

Helpful and natural remedies for anxiety relief. #anxiety #selfcare #depression

If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks but are leery of pharmaceuticals, you might want to consider natural remedies for anxiety relief. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking medication if you feel that’s your best option, but natural remedies and lifestyle changes can also be a big help in managing anxiety symptoms.

Essential Oils for Anxiety

One very popular way to treat anxiety naturally is with essential oils. Essential oils are extracted from flowers, herbs, and plants, and then you can use them to help calm you down and reduce your panic and anxiety symptoms. Certain essential oils are better for anxiety, creating a calm environment and reducing the amount of panic attacks you experience. Here are some essential iols to consider using for stress:

*Cedarwood
*Wild Orange
*Lavender
*Chamomile
*Frankincense
*Bergamot
*Vetiver

Create a calming atmosphere in your home by diffusing some essential oil, adding some drops to your bath or applying them to the bottoms of your feet.

Omega 3 Relieves Stress

You probably already know that proper nutrition is an essential part of treating your anxiety naturally. One of the more important supplements you’ll want to take are omega-3 fatty acids. Try to aim for 2-3 grams of omega-3s every day, as they will help you to lower stress chemicals, which help to decrease anxiety and panic symptoms. While you can take a supplement, it’s better to get nutrients from natural food sources. For omega-3 fatty acids, this means fish like salmon and tuna, as well as whole grains, flax seeds, and walnuts.

Get More Vitamin D

Another nutrient you need to treat your anxiety naturally is vitamin D, but you don’t have to take a supplement or even eat a lot of foods with this vitamin. The best way to get more vitamin D is actually through sunlight. Try heading outside for 15-20 minutes a day to soak up some vitamin D, and you’ll soon start feeling much better. Vitamin D will not only help with your anxiety, but will also improve your mood and energy. Try going outside for quick walks or taking your lunch break outdoors when you can.

Lemon Balm Tea

Like many herbal teas, lemon balm tea can be really helpful if you’re struggling with anxiety. It’s a great remedy to calm your mind and body. Perhaps you have a lot of work or financial stress, are overwhelmed by all your responsibilities at home, or are dealing with the stress of making major decisions. You can drink some lemon balm tea and feel more at peace, which helps you to de-stress and sleep a little better.

Not only does lemon balm tea help with insomnia, but it can also help to make you more alert. When you drink it in the morning, it can boost your energy and make it easier to concentrate.

Besides the mental health benefits, lemon balm tea is also great for your skin! It’s often been used for skin purposes, from anti aging, to having youthful and glowing looking skin. If you’re struggling with early signs of aging, try drinking more lemon balm tea to smooth out those wrinkles and prevent more from forming prematurely. The lemon balm can also help to soften yours skin and work to reduce blemishes.

Some other herbal teas to try for calming purposes include peppermint, chamomile and passion flower.

Exercise Can Calm Anxiety

A great way to combine sunlight and exercising is to go for a walk outside, go hiking, or find another outdoor activity. Even if you’re not able to get outside, getting more physical activity is great for anxiety. You get your blood pumping, distract your mind, and can de-stress as well.

How to Stop Panic Attacks

What you should know about putting a stop to a panic attack is you have to find the right method for you, and that might take a bit of trial and error. The following include some different things you can try to stop panic attacks in their tracks:

*Pray
*Listen to a guided meditation
*Find an object to focus on
*Use a body scan or muscle relaxation technique
*Visualize your happy place
* Count backwards from 100
* Say No! out loud as many times as needed
* Listen to music
* Watch a movie or television show
* Call someone on the phone who can calm you down

Use Serenity Lotion

I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers Network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.

I’ve tried so many different lotions at this point I’ve lost track. But I was happy to give Fay Farm’s Serenity Lotion a try after reading so many positive reviews about it. Fay Farms developed Serenity Lotion to provide those living with anxiety and stress a natural alternative. It’s made with organic ingredients including essential oils, organ oil, 50 mg hemp oil extract, chamomile, passionflower and skullcap. It also includes magnesium oil for relief of inflammation and nerve pain.

Fay Farms has a wonderful line of popular CBD topicals (hemp oil derived and legal in all 50 states) including a muscle rub and healing hemp lotion.

About Fay Farm

The Fay Farm is a family run farm on Whidbey Island, outside of Seattle, Washington. On the farm the family raises Nubian Goats and use the milk from the goats along with the herbs they grow from their greenhouse to infuse into their natural body care products. None of their products contain parabens, alcohol, mineral oil, or phthalates. Many of their high quality ingredients come right from their farm. The Fay Farm is dedicated to creating quality natural body care products.

Sound yummy? Let me tell you it works. One of my favorite quick stress busters now is to put some Serenity lotion on the bottom of my feet and then spend 10 minutes listening to a guided meditation. Instant relief!

Know When to Seek Help for Anxiety

Anxiety is not a normal way of life and not something you should just suffer with. If it has you avoiding social situations, affecting you at work or school, or impacting your personal relationships, then it’s time to get professional help.

There’s no shame or stigma in this. Talk to your family doctor, a therapist, counselor, or anyone else that has experience with anxiety and panic attacks to find the best treatment options for you.

Natural remedies for anxiety relief #anxiety #mentalhealth #depression

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Books and Movies to Distract Yourself from Stress

Getting lost in a movie or a good book is a great way to distract yourself from stress, whether it’s everyday stress, stress from caregiving or stress from chronic illness. Sometimes when we find ourselves in a particularly stressful life situation, we need a little time-out.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a break to spend a few hours forgetting about your troubles and problems. You’ll come back out of your break refreshed and ready to tackle whatever life might throw at you. You’ll quickly make up the time you spent on this stress buster with improved focus and productivity.

And even when it doesn’t work out that way, it will still have been worth it to get some peace for a little while and reduce stress.

Disclaimer: I’m a Boomer…I grew up in the 70’s and my taste in books and movies certainly reflects that!

10 Movies to Watch When You’re Feeling Depressed

Inside Out
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Good Will Hunting
Forrest Gump
The Blind Side
Up
Life of Pi
It’s a Wonderful Life
Grease
Cool Runnings

10 Feel Good TV Shows

60s Classic TV Shows

The Adams Family
Andy Griffith
The Avengers
Batman
Dick Van Dyke
Father Knows Best
Gilligan’s Island
The Honeymooners
I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
Mister Ed
The Munsters
My Three Sons
Star Trek
The Twilight Zone

70s Classic TV Shows

Welcome Back Kotter
The Odd Couple
Good Times
The Brady Bunch
Diff’rent Strokes
Get Smart
Green Acres
Happy Days
I Dream of Jeannie
All in the Family
The Jeffersons

80s Classic TV Shows

21 Jump Street
Bosom Buddies
Cheers
The Facts of Life
Family Ties
The Golden Girls
Growing Pains
Mork & Mindy
The Muppet Show
Night Court
Seinfeld
Taxi
Who’s The Boss
WKRP in Cincinnati
The Wonder Years

Books to Distract You From the World

Now let’s talk about books. Start by growing your bookshelf…maybe you have some unread forgotten books just waiting for you!

Or you can head on over to library or bookstore or Amazon Prime and find something good to read, or listen to. For audiobooks, Audible.com is very popular.You can also find and download all sorts of great books to your Kindle or smartphone from Amazon and even your local library.

You have tons of options. Your hardest job right now will be to just pick something!

10 Books to Get Lost In

The Magician’s Nephew
The Wind in the Willows
The Hobbit
The Color Purple
Lake Wobegon Days
The Stand
The Help
Pride and Prejudice
Anything Harry Potter
The Hunger Games

10 Books for Depression

Now, sometimes the best therapy for stress or depression is simply to face it and read a good about it. It’s your call! Sometimes understanding the mental processes that you’re going through are the best way to cope with depression.

Here’s a few good titles that I found:

When Darkness Will Not Lift
When Someone You Love Suffers from Depression or Mental Illness
Rewire Your Anxious Brain
Reasons to Stay Alive
A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled
Running for My Life: How I Built a Better Me One Step at a Time
The Anxiety Solution: A Quieter Mind, a Calmer You
Broken: Finding Joy in Every Day and Letting Go of Perfect
Depression & Other Magic Tricks
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Distract Yourself From Chronic Pain

There are have been many times that I’ve been homebound since my first chronic illness diagnosis in 2010. Sometimes all you can really do is just sit in bed.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you just need to be still so that your body can focus on healing. Books, TV Shows and movies are a great distraction during times like these.

And remember, don’t complicate it. When you find something you think you’ll like, just go for it. If it’s light and fluffy, that’s perfectly fine. Don’t judge yourself. If reading the occasional junk novel or a watching a zombie movie is is your thing, go for it.

This downtime is for you and for you alone. It’s supposed to be a mental health break. Please don’t use it try to educate yourself or make it a cultural experience.

Remember, you want something you can completely lose yourself in for a little while and not worry about anything else.

So find what works for you.

This list is just a jumping off point..what are some of your favorite books, TV shows and movies that help to distract yourself from stress?

Living with Depression in Recovery

Living with depression in recovery isn’t easy. And as a person who has struggled with addictions and depression throughout my life, I took the news of Robin Williams’ passing in 2014 hard. Like the passing of Philip Seymour Hoffman earlier that year, it hit very close to home. It reminded me that long term sobriety is no guarantee of freedom of relapse.

I staggered into my first twelve step meeting in 1985 with depression and constant suicidal thoughts running through my mind. The cumulative effects of a dysfunctional childhood, years of binge drinking and PTSD were proving too much for me carry by myself anymore.

I wanted out. Twelve Step meetings were my last ditch attempt to help myself.

At first I wasn’t so sure I even wanted to stop drinking. But I wanted the pain to go away so I listened to what was being said. I put down the drink and went to meetings. At some point during that first year I understood that I had been given a gift and from then on I pursued recovery as hard as I had pursued the high.

It took something like a year to learn to feel comfortable in my skin. I will always remember with gratitude the unconditional love and support I received from the motley crew at the Brooklyn meetings I got sober in.

Because of the rooms of recovery, I started to learn to believe in a Power that was greater than myself. For a while GOD = Group Of Drunks worked for me and a couple of years later I became a Christian. In the rooms I learned “first we came, then we came to, and then we came to believe.”

I’ve been blessed with four children in recovery. We decided to start homeschooling in 1996. With no healthy frame of reference to draw from, I bought many of the recommended parenting books at homeschooling conventions and tried to follow it all.

It all seemed good.

There was only one problem with this…I was slowly trading the unconditional love and grace I got sober with for a lot of rules and “shoulds.” Amidst the constant drone of biblical womanhood, godly families and purity talks, I stopped talking about my past and present struggles. I just pushed it to the background.

No one needed to know. Like the frog slowly simmering in the pot, I didn’t see the danger I was putting myself in. I never felt like I really fit in.

I secretly felt like damaged goods.

You see, “in the rooms” they told me that I could only keep what I had by giving it away. But I had hidden it all away for fear of gossip and judgment. I didn’t talk about the bad memories that I was struggling with or the depression that was engulfing me at times. Three of my four children have special needs of some kind.

Without any supportive extended family, I was completely overwhelmed.

In 2010 I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder similar to Parkinson’s called dystonia. The symptoms came on fast and furious. I was crippled and unable to do much of anything for myself.

Searching online for answers, I found a few stories about people who started drinking upon their diagnosis as well as lots of talk about oral medication. With my past history, I really afraid of risking another dependency.

I also became aware of the suicides in the disability community.

I was in terrible pain and the depression and anxiety went through the roof. I was horrified and wondered where God was in all this. But I set my face to the path ahead of me and was determined to push through this thing.

Living With Depression in Recovery

Since my diagnosis my spiritual journey shifted. I wanted to find the authenticity and grace I knew before. I felt God speaking to my heart that it was okay to be just myself; that I wasn’t going to be able to help anyone else if I was not going to be transparent and real.

Inside I still struggle with bad attitudes, depression, anxiety and fear. But I’m slowly learning that it’s okay to talk about it. I’m not a failure as a Christian, a wife or a mom.

I know that the grace of God is magnified in my struggles and weakness.

Robin Williams’ death has hit me especially hard because he has always been a part of my life and because I understand some of what he was struggling with. I’m also thinking about friends from long ago who were also unable to escape their turmoil. Many of us tried hard to reach out to them but we could see them just slipping away.

Thanks to years of holistic self care, I’m doing physically better now and lead somewhat more of a normal life. I’m always mindful that there is no cure for depression. It’s the monkey on my back now and it’s managed one day at a time.

I still struggle with negative thought patterns, but over time I’ve learned to forge my own path on this journey in a way that works for me. For me that means daily prayer and meditation, living a healthy lifestyle, journaling and resting when I can.

While we can’t always control the depression, we can learn to manage it one day at a time.

My Other Posts about Living With Depression

5 Natural Ways to Overcome Depression

A Mom’s Guide to Coping With Depression

(this post was originally posted in 2014)

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Instant Stress Buster: Take a Walk

Instant Stres Buster take a walk

Ready for an instant stress buster that you can do anytime or anywhere? Go outside and take a walk. Did you know that you can walk yourself out of a bad mood? Studies have shown that just a 10 minute walk immediately boosts your brain chemistry that increases happiness.

Think about it..how often do you actually go out for a walk when you’re feeling stressed or need to recharge? If you’re anything like me, it isn’t your go-to when you’re feeling stressed out.

There’s lots of health benefits to taking a walk. For one thing, it’s easy to do. Just head outside with some sneakers on and you can get in a quick ten minute walk no matter where you are.

Best of all, you don’t need any special equipment!

You can certainly walk inside, but there’s nothing like walking outside in nature when you can. The fresh air and sunlight will increase the benefits you’re getting from your walk.

Take a walk and your health will benefit in so many different ways!

stress buster take a walk

Walking Clears the Mind

It gives you a chance to get away from whatever it is you are doing for a few minutes. You’re walking away from everything for just a bit. Doing this allows you to come back to your task with a fresh outlook when you get back. This can work miracles when you’re feeling stuck, are working on a tough problem, or need to proofread something.

It also gives your mind a break from whatever it is you were working on. You get to focus on simply moving your body and admiring your surroundings outside for a little while. Often when we take a break from thinking consciously about what we’re working on, our unconscious mind takes over and comes up with ideas and solutions our conscious mind couldn’t find.

Stopping work for a bit and allowing the subconscious to take over is often what brings that big breakthrough you’ve been hoping for. The rhythmic act of walking helps this process along.

Walking for Anxiety and Depression

When anxiety and depression get overwhelming, moving your body is a great way to get your mind off your thoughts. For one thing, unused energy in the body can help to create anxiety in your mind. The mind-body-spirit connection is very real.

Anxiety tends to feed off itself. When you’re worrying about how anxious you are, it creates even more anxiety.

Moving around is one of the best ways to alleviate anxiety. By doing this, you’re not thinking about your symptoms because you’re focusing on walking. This in turn reduces the amount of energy you’re giving to your anxiety and as a result, you’ll feel a lot better.

Walking Benefits Your Body

Walking is a great form of low impact exercise you can do anytime, anywhere. It gets you moving, helps to relax your body, pump more blood throughout your system, and thus more oxygen into your cells.

When you walk outside in the fresh air, this rejuvenating effect even more beneficial. A quick walk will help to reenergize you and makes you feel better.

Not only that, but walking can be an effective part of your weight loss program.

Take Your Dog on a Walk

Walking is great exercise for both of you and just being outdoors with your dog is a great way to have fun and reduce stress. Not only that, but it’s a great way to bond with your dog.

Have I convinced you? Give walking a try the next time you need to clear your head.

stress reduction for busy moms

How to Relax More and Boost Productivity

Are you as crazy busy as I am? With all the things on our plate, there’s just never enough time to get everything on my to do list done. Last year’s beach vacation is a distant memory.

It’s hard to make the time to relax and take it easy during the school year with the endless demands of taking care of our families and running a household.

Even during vacations, many of us cram non-stop activity into what’s supposed to be some well deserved time off. Most of us are overworked to some degree and we don’t take enough time out to just relax. We say to ourselves that there isn’t really enough time and we’ll get to it some day.

Many of us work long hours each day. And not only that, but we’re expected to focus more, multitask and get more done in those hours than ever before.

We’re continually expected to learn new technology and are bombarded with even more new information on an almost daily basis. Thanks to our mobile phones and tablets, we’re always reachable…always connected.

Our minds are engaged and going on full blast from the moment we wake up to the moment our head finally hits the pillow.

What most of us don’t get is much rest and relaxation.

This lack of rest and relaxation can quickly become a problem. We’re simply not made to go non stop for 18 hours a day or more. We might be able to do it for a short amount of time when necessary, but it’s not a sustainable, long-term strategy for anyone and will lead to health consequences.

Without having enough rest and taking the time to relax, we become less productive and less creative.

Making the time to relax will help you get more done AND boost productivity in the long run.

Here’s a quick example. If you’ve ever been parent of young children, you know that you’re not at your best if you’ve been up with a sick child for a few days. Without having enough time to relax and recharge, you get anxious and short tempered with everyone.

It’s hard to be the same patient and loving parent that you generally try to be. This is also true in every area of your life. You need time to recharge to continue to do your best.

When was the last time you took a few hours just to relax? Make the time for it, especially when you’re extra busy and have a lot to get done.

Even a short break to go for a walk, take a quick nap, or lose yourself in a good book or movie for a bit will do wonders for both your frame of mind and your overall productivity. You’ll come back refreshed with a clear mind and renewed sense of purpose.

Your productivity increases greatly after a break and some rest, particularly if you’ve been working too hard. Make rest and relaxation a priority in your life. You deserve it!

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5 Easy Breathing Techniques to Reduce Anxiety

5 easy breathing techniques to reduce anxiety

In the Nasty Health Dangers of Chronic Stress I talked about the effects of stress and knowing the warning signs that you’re on stress overload. As you learn to recognize the signs that you’re feeling stressed out, one great tool to have in your arsenal are easy breathing techniques to reduce anxiety.

This doesn’t have to be complicated, and it can be as simple as taking a deep breath.

Hold on to this thought…the simple act of taking a few deliberate and slow breaths can help to reduce your stress levels dramatically. Easy breathing techniques are relaxing, supply the body with plenty of fresh oxygen, and relieve any tension you may have built up.

There’s lots of different ways to practice easy breathing techniques to reduce anxiety, relax and release that awful feeling of stress.

One of my favorite things to do when I’m feeling stressed out and life feels like it’s just too much is to go outside for a quick walk. For me, this usually looks like walking around my big yard with my dogs a few times. It doesn’t even have to be long, 10 minutes at a time a few times a day is so beneficial. It releases tension, and is relaxation and rejuvenating.

You might think if it’s dragging you away from your desk that it’s a waste of time, but give it a try. Being inside or sitting at a computer for hours is incredibly draining. You’ll come back inside with more energy and a much clearer mind. You’ll get that time back and then some!

4-7-8 Breathing Technique

One of the many problems with stress is that it gives us a really short fuse. And that makes it harder to be kind and patient with those closes to us! Letting that anger out is rarely helpful. Instead, walk away and practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique. It’s really pretty simple!

Breathe in for 4 seconds.
Hold your breathe for 7 seconds.
Exhale for 8 seconds.
Repeat once or twice.

It may not seem like much, but you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel! While it may not do much to treat chronic stress in the long run, it is a quick distraction for your mind and an effective strategy to calm down quickly.

Try a Breathing Meditation

Breathing meditation techniques are very beneficial to know. They’re a very effective treatment to reduce anxiety and stress. Not only that, but they’re easy to do and you can do them anywhere…while waiting in your car, at the office, or standing in line anywhere. The basic idea is to take a few minutes to sit (or stand) quietly, with your eyes closed (if practical) focusing your mind only on your breath. Feel the air flowing in and out of your nose and try not to think of about anything else.

It’s very effective breathing technique once you get the hang of it. It does take practice, but do give it a try.

Deep Abdominal Breathing

Get in a quiet place, place your hands on your abdomen. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Try to completely expel the air.

Alternate nostril breathing

While sitting on the floor is optimal, you can also do this in the car.

Place the thumb of your right hand on your right nostril and press firmly. Take in a breathe through your left nostril.
Place the ring finger of your right hand on your left nostril and press firmly. Remove your right thumb from your right nostril and slowly breathe out.

Equal breathing

Sit in a comfortable position, either at your desk or on the floor with your spine straight. Breathe in and out for equal counts, ranging from 1-4. Once you’re comfortable, you might try it for a bit longer.

Daily Breath Awareness

Schedule a 5 minute breath awareness during a quiet time of the day. Turn everything off, tune out and just focus on your natural breathing pattern. You can even do this in 1 minute breaks if that’s all you’ve got. Being conscious of your breathing will reduce anxiety, soothe emotions and even boost your energy.

Breathing exercises of any time will help to sooth frazzled nervous symptoms. I hope you’ll give these techniques a try!

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The Ultimate Guide to Power Naps

Throughout our 30 Day Stress Reduction Challenge, I’m going to be sharing some of my essential stress busters with my readers. These are quick and easy stress reducing tips that you can put to work right immediately to relax more and stress less.

You might not love all of them, but I’d like to encourage you to give each of them a try. Keep the ones that work well for you and put them to work whenever you’re feeling especially stressed out. You’ll feel better and more capable almost immediately and you’ll feel encouraged to have some coping mechanisms in place when life gets crazy.

In yesterday’s post I talked a little bit about the importance of adequate rest and sleep in particular. Everyone needs sleep to recover from busy and chaotic days. During times when you don’t get enough rest, and are sick or just plain feel worn down, one of the best things you can do to stay healthy and productive is to take a nap.

Naps aren’t just for babies. They’re just as important for frazzled, stressed out moms. You might tell yourself that you’re too old for naps, don’t need them, or can’t sleep during the day.

Totally false.

Believe it or not, there are many cultures around the world where it’s totally acceptable and even common to nap during the day. Research shows that napping is incredibly beneficial and will actually help you get more done. It’s been shown to be so powerful that some companies now encourage employees to take power naps work.

You don’t even have to actually get to sleep to benefit from napping. Just lay down, get comfortable, close your eyes and chill out for a bit. This rest instead of actual sleep will still be helpful. And if you do go to sleep, you don’t have to stay asleep for very long to benefit from a nap. Sleeping as little as two to five minutes is enough to refresh your brain.

If you’re worried about waking up groggy, try a coffee nap. You heard me right. The idea of a coffee nap is to drink a cup of coffee right before you lay down for a short nap. Because it takes your body a while to process the caffeine, you’ll be able to take a short nap and wake up alert and ready to tackle the rest of your busy day. Bulletproof coffee naps are a great way to fuel your afternoon.

My Tips for the Best Afternoon Power Naps Ever

Know your body’s rhythms. For many people around 1:00 – 3:00 is the best time for a power nap. A typical power nap can be from 10-20 minutes. Some people might need 30-60 minutes. These might leave you groggy, however you might want to have some coffee ready when you get up. (If you live with chronic illness, you’ll probably need longer naps. Sometimes I need 90 minutes to 2 or more hours. There’s nothing wrong with this. People with chronic illness fatigue faster and need more restorative time than the general population.)
If you can, dim the room and lower the air temperature to under 70 degrees.
Keep a pen and pad of paper close by in order to jot down anything that runs across your mind that might keep you from fully resting. You’ll know where that thought is and be able to follow up with it later.
Turn your cell phone ringer and notifications off. If you have to be up at a certain time, set an alarm.
Use a sleep mask will help to create a dark environment to fall asleep faster.

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