Six Ways to Relieve Stress

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School can be stressful. Yet, as the holidays approach, stress seems to increase. The Stress in America Agency survey found that 30 percent of teens reported feeling sad or depressed because of stress and 31 percent felt overwhelmed. Another 36 percent said that stress makes them tired and 23 percent said they’ve skipped meals because of it.

Here are six stress relievers that I recommend.

1) Take a Nap

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Sometimes you just need to take a 5 or even 25 minute nap to get refocused and calm down your racing thoughts. Medical News Today says, “In a study that had patients take a written test for which they had to exercise their hippocampus (the part of the brain that handles memory management), it was found that subjects who took a 15-20 minute nap in the middle of the day scored 30-40% higher on average than those who took no nap.”

2) Exercise

You don’t need to run a marathon to relieve stress even a light workout can get the job done. Exercise is great at relieving stress and is good for you too. Yoga is a great exercise that is light and won’t make you sweat too much.

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3) Go to the Spa

You don’t actually have to pay a boat load to get the spa experience. Transform your bathroom into a spa. Light some candles get out your bubble bath and bath bombs and unwind. Make a calming music playlist and you are all set.

4) Hydrate

Often times we forget to drink enough water. Slice up some of your favorite fruits and add them to ice water to spice it up. My personal recommendation is thinly sliced cucumbers and lemons with a tall glass of ice water. Or if you prefer tea that works too. Take your favorite tea and add some honey or sugar and sit down and relax.

5) Get a Zen Garden

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They can be relatively inexpensive and extremely fun and relaxing. It is also a decorative addition to any room. You can customize them to your  style as well. If you are a into a more traditional style I would recommend a mini zen garden from Urban Outfitters $12.00 or if you are more non-traditional there is a really cute one at Modcloth for $29.99.

6) Watch a movie

Pick out your favorite movie and grab some snacks. Taking even an hour and a half to yourself is very rewarding. You will get drawn into the movie and forget all your troubles. I would recommend a something like a comedy or rom com to lighten the mood.

Overall just take sometime for yourself and remember that you deserve it.