Have you been checking in on your stress levels lately? Even though the year just started, you shouldn’t neglect your mental health. It’ll be too late once you realize how stressed you might be.
With the new year just getting started, you can take this opportunity to build up a habit of enjoying these stress relief activities regularly. Over time, this habit can benefit you as your mental health will be kept in top condition.
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Here are 6 promising stress relief activities for all to enjoy this afternoon:
1. Sip on hot herbal tea
One of my favorite stress-relieving pastimes is to sip on a cup of hot tea while enjoying the sunset. The aroma fills the evening air as the warmth of the tea soothes my body. Enjoying a hot beverage with beautiful scenery not only calms your mind but also brings various benefits to your health.
Let’s take Chamomile Tea as an example.
This beverage can help improve sleep quality, lower blood sugar, and treat cold symptoms. If Chamomile Tea isn’t your type, you can also consider other herbal teas like Peppermint, Ginger, or Lemon Balm. Each of them have their benefits and most importantly, can help you relieve stress after a long day’s work.
2. Read a good book
Now is always the best time to pick up a book and start reading! Having the company of a beautiful book and a hot beverage is a great way to relax and unwind. If you’re out of ideas, here are some beautiful self-help books you can start with!
So many books, so little time.
— Frank Zappa
3. Practice deep breathing
Through the practice of deep breathing, you are allowing more air to flow into your body. This is a great calming technique as it can reduce stress and anxiety. Here is a step-by-step guide on deep breathing and various kinds of breathing techniques to help relieve stress. With regular practice, you can easily calm your mind through stressful times and even condition your mind to relax under certain circumstances.
For interested readers, you can search for Classical Conditioning, Pavlov’s dog experiment
4. Take a warm bath
You can easily find countless reasons why you should take a hot bath and how they’re good for your health. Some of these benefits include falling asleep faster, improving blood circulation, and most importantly relieves stress and tension. But that’s not very environmentally friendly. That’s where the Japanese bathing method comes in. This way, you can enjoy a relaxing bath without wasting a lot of water.
5. Listen to calm music
You don’t have to be doing Yoga to listen to calm music! If you search online, there are all sorts of calm music for different occasions. From study music to rain sounds and peaceful piano, you can choose any music that calms you and play it in the background.
From personal experience, slow instrumental music works best for me as the gentle pace helps me slow down and unwind. Don’t hesitate to search on YouTube or Spotify for relaxing and calm music as stress relief.
6. Mindful coloring
If you’re not a fan of mindful breathing, maybe mindful coloring can do the trick! By filling the pages with different colors, you are directing your focus to the present moment. You can enjoy the process while unleashing your creativity to form art.
Or as some people might prefer, guided coloring apps are also available. Both can be considered a stress relief activity to enjoy.
To Conclude
Spend some time to enjoy these stress relief activities and refuel yourself on motivation and productivity. By keeping yourself in top condition, you can achieve more and reach your goals easier. It all starts with you and your health. Everything else is secondary.
