5 Easy Ways to Ease Stress – Quick Stress Relief

Are you looking for some easy ways to ease stress? Life as a mom can be stressful! Once you’re a momma life gets even busier and there are more tasks to juggle every day. It can be overwhelming! Being a parent welcomes an entirely different type of stress. You worry more about finances, insurance, childcare, safety… the list is endless. A little bit of stress is normal to experience. It’s your body’s way of responding to change or challenge. This response can be caused by both negative and positive situations. It helps you react quickly to the stressor. Stress triggers emotional, mental, and physical responses. However, this is not meant to be long-lasting. So, when we experience constant stress, it can begin to affect our lives in a very negative way. Often times it can lead to anxiety and depression. Stressful things will always be in your life, but we can combat them.

Here are 5 easy ways to ease stress quickly:

1. Laughter 

Believe it or not, laughing has many great health benefits and is a great way to reduce stress. It’s a great way to break away from tense, stressful moments. Laughter stimulates your circulation and helps your muscles to relax. It helps relieve your stress response.  Also, laughter increases your endorphins and lowers cortisol (stress) and epinephrine (adrenaline). 

When you’re feeling down, try an activity you know will make you laugh. Ideas include joke books, funny videos, comedy movies, and stand-up acts.  Also, talk to a friend or family member who you often can share laughs with. You can also play with your baby/child as they are always a great source of fun and laughter.

Try some funny mom quotes. 

2. Hugs 

Usually, when you’re stressed out, hugs don’t come to your mind. In fact, on those really busy days…who has time for a hug? But maybe you should spare the time for a deep hug as it can help to relieve stress quickly. As quick as 10 to 20 seconds. A hug can bring a positive change to your mood by boosting your feel-good hormones. This includes dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. 

A 10 second hug helps your body fight infections. It also decreases tiredness and feelings of depression.

A 20 second hug reduces stress. It also promotes a healthy heart and blood pressure.

3. Exercise 

Working out regularly puts physical stress on your body, which in turn decreases the mental stress on our body. Working out releases endorphins, which enhances your health and helps to put you in a better mood. Exercising daily can help you minimize your stress. 

Over time, exercise reduces your amount of cortisol.

Exercise may also improve your quality of sleep.

4. Set Realistic Expectations 

Part of the reason stress becomes so overwhelming is because you set goals that may be nearly impossible to reach in your set timeframe. Once you don’t accomplish your goal, it’s easy to be upset. Setting goals is important, but making sure they’re realistic goals is just as important. That way you can actually reach them. When you real your goals, it brings a sense of satisfaction and pride.

A good way to do this is make small goals weekly that will help you accomplish a bigger goal. Also, go easy on yourself. If you don’t complete one your goals, forgive yourself. It’s normal. We’re all human. Things come up that may make achieving your goal more difficult. Set a new goal or extend your time frame.

5. Reduce Stress Triggers

Take some time for self reflection to find out what triggers your stress. If someone or something is causing you a lot of stress, a good way to relieve that is by taking a break. It’s okay to say no sometimes. Juggling a million things will only increase your stress level. Try to prioritize and take a break from tasks that can truly wait until later. If you can’t find breaks throughout each day, pick one day to relax or go out with your spouse. Do something that will help you unwind and forget that long list of things you need to do the next day. 

Some other notable ways to reduce stress:

Stop Smoking

Using nicotine and tobacco products create more stress and exertion on your body. Smoking reduces blood flow and breathing. 

Self Care

Self Care is so important. Everyone needs a little time alone to do what they enjoy. That could be watching your favorite movie, doing a face mask, manicure, adult coloring, etc. Take some time to take care of yourself. 

Chew some gum 

It help blood flow to your brain and promotes a calm mood. 

If you know some easy ways to relieve stress, please share in the comments. Thanks!

Sources:

• Healthline
• ClevelandClinic