Take Back Your Life With These 3 Stress Relief Tips

When was the last time you experienced stress? Short term, stress can benefit the body and mind by helping get more oxygen to the brain, increasing the heart rate, and providing an edge to problem solving. Too much stress, on the other hand, can lead to serious health issues. Because stress is a part of life, the key is to learn how to manage stress.

To help you manage your stress, here are 3 strategies to try:

Hydrotherapy. Since ancient times, hydrotherapy has been used to help people find stress relief and soothe the body. Hydrotherapy can also be an effective treatment for various ailments, helping those who suffer from arthritis, joint or muscle pain, along with other aches and pains.

Aromatherapy (essential oils) are an excellent addition to incorporate with the hydrotherapy experience. Include lavender, orange, lemon, sandalwood or another essential oil you like into warm water to relieve stress and anxiety.

With modern advances in hydrotherapy, venturing to communal baths or treatment centers is no longer required to enjoy those health benefits. Today, hot tubs and spas provide a more personalized experience with customized hydromassage to best meet your therapeutic needs.

Meditation. The practice of quieting the mind has been around for thousands of years and is used to help you reconnect, benefiting your mental, emotional, and physical health. For many, sitting in stillness and focusing on their breath can help them relieve stress. However, if you have a hard time quieting your mind, there are other meditation practicesworth exploring. Some to explore are:

• Guided meditation. This type of meditation can be an excellent way to help you mentally focus on places and situations that are relaxing to you. Guided meditations use visualization to help you use all your senses to assist with the meditation experience and pull you further in.

• Yoga. Tune into your body through a series of movements and breathing exercises, which can help you focus less on the stressful situation and “be in the moment” instead. As you become more intune with your body and breathe, the better able you will be to quiet your mind and discover solutions to your problems.

• Mantra meditation. Another form of mediation, this is where you choose a word or phrase to repeat when dealing with a stressful situation. There are a lot of great mantras to try including: “Om,” “So Ham” (soo-hum), or “Sat, Chit, Ananda.” The key when picking your word or phrase is to pick something that resonates with you and helps you release the tension you are feeling.

Reconnect

Life can get chaotic from time to time. If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, take some time to unplug and reconnect with your family and friends. Your relationships—those close friendships—are important not only for your mental health, but for your overall well-being.

If you haven’t connected with the people who mean the most to you in a while, now is the time to give them a call and schedule a coffee or lunch date. If friendships have gone by wayside (some friendships come and go), make new friends through volunteering at a local charity, library, or community center.

Remember when dealing with stress, it is important to know yourself and your triggers. The more you understand what sets you off, the better you are at reacting and finding ways to relieve the stress. Whether you find relief in hydrotherapy, meditation, reconnecting with others, or maybe something else works better for you, the important thing is to find ways to manage stress and live your best (and healthiest) life.

About the Author: Danielle Adams is a freelance writer who works with Bullfrog Spas. When she’s not writing, Danielle enjoys practicing yoga, meditation for stress relief, and learning more about hydrotherapy.