Stress. It’s something that we all experience at some point in our lives and something that we can’t always get away from. Sometimes, there is no way around it. It may be a short lived situation, but other times, it may be long-lasting and could become chronic. Chronic stress negatively impacts your physical and mental health in various ways, and to live the healthiest and happiest lives, both are equally important!

Stress can get the better of us especially when we are struggling with time. However, even if you can only carve out five minutes of your day, there are ways you can help reduce stress in your life and its impact on your health. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always have time for a yoga session or a relaxing bath – so here are my favorite ways to reduce stress when you are crunched for time.

Meditate

Meditation and deep breathing are great go-to’s when stressful moments come into play. Apps like Headspace give the you the option of a guided meditation along with tips on dealing with stress, anxiety and depression. Headspace also offers mindfulness exercises, which helps you recognize when stress is building.

Deep breathing is one of the simplest ways to reduce stress in the body. The beautiful thing about it is that you can do it anywhere, at anytime! By doing so, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and to relax. From there, the brain fires off the same instruction to the rest of your body. In with the good, out with the bad…just breathe!

Write it Down

Journaling is another amazing way to reduce stress. One of the main benefits of journaling is that it helps release emotions and negative thoughts. It also helps you to gain perspective on what is happening when you experience stress, and how you react to it.

Journaling your thoughts, feelings and emotions is a great way to fully understand why you are feeling a particular way. It allows you to fully feel without the judgement of someone else listening or interpreting your feelings – you get to be authentically you, and the world always needs a little more of the authentic you.

Be Present!

Similar to journaling, being present, also known as the practice of mindfulness, is a great way to fully appreciate all that is going on around you. Rather than being reactive to situations, being in a state of mindfulness allows you to fully take in the present moment.

Mindfulness often goes hand-in-hand with meditation and journaling, however mindfulness can be practiced anywhere at anytime – all you need to do is enter a state of mind in which you are only focused on the present moment. When you practice mindfulness your goal is to be 100 percent present in the moment and to accept each situation without judgement or frustration.

Laugh it out

As the saying goes: laughter is always the best medicine. Surround yourself with those who you can enjoy a good laugh with…it goes a long way! Laughter has been proven to relax your body, and a good laugh relieves the tension in your body caused by stress. A good laugh can also help boost your immune system1. So if you are not in the mood to meditate, journal or practice mindfulness, use cat videos, memes, or even snapchat video filters to send to your friends.

Find some chill tunes

Listening to some music can really help add more chill to your life. Turning on some positive vibes can also help reduce rates of depression and increase self esteem. Check out my Spotify playlists – specifically the Meditation & Yoga Playlist. It is a perfect playlist to drift off to while you de-stress.

Find Your De-Stress Go-To

Not sure where to start? Try each of the different ways from the tips above. It may take a few times to find the one that works best for you, and it may even be a combination that you find works best. Just like how we all react and handle stress differently, what works to relieve stress is different for everyone, too. What’s most important is finding a healthy way in which to relieve stress and reduce the impact stress has on your health.

In combination with the tips above, exercise helps relieve stress and boost self-esteem. If you are looking for the perfect program to help you in your self love journey, check out my Jessie’s Girls Training Programs. From muscle building to prenatal fitness, I have you covered. In addition to the amazing workouts, when you purchase any one of my Jessie’s Girls Training Programs you get access to my exclusive Facebook group. You will be cheered on by over 7,000 amazing, supportive and strong women who want to see you succeed. So what are you waiting for? Click on the button below and start loving yourself today!

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1 https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm