Top 10 Self Care Strategies for Overall Stress Reduction

Sleep is very important for your emotional and physical wellbeing. Lack of sleep can negatively impact your ability to handle stress, be productive, and function properly. Unfortunately, busy schedules and stress can make sleep more elusive. Here are some important ways you can make sleep come more easily. And if you really aren’t able to get enough sleep at night, don’t underestimate the value of a power nap!

Many people aren’t aware of this, but a poor diet can actually make you more vulnerable to stress! While hectic schedules can make it harder to get proper nutrition, a poor diet is not inevitable! Here are some important tips for maintaining a healthy diet when stressed. Follow them, and you may be surprised by how much stress you can handle!

Exercise can be great for you physically and mentally. It provides a stress release and keeps your body healthy. It also helps your body release endorphins, which increase your feelings of overall wellbeing. Read more on the positive effects of exercise, and find resources for getting started with an activity that suits you. (Hint: Pets make great workout buddies!)

Social support can keep you healthier and happier, creating a buffer against stress. Friends can pick you up when you’re sad, provide insights when you’re confused, and help you have fun when you need to blow off steam. Learn how to cultivate supportive friendships and expand your social circle so you’ll have someone to lean on when stressed. (Don’t forget, it’s important to provide a supportive ear when your friends need it, too! Find out how to develop effective listening skills.)

Having some “down time” is important, and hobbies can provide a nice distraction from stress and help you stay ‘in the moment’, which is also a great way to relieve tension. I recommend drawing and gardening as great stress relievers, but just about anything you enjoy can work. Here are some other unconventional stress relievers that can provide some fun and distraction from stress.

Taking care of your body on the outside—with a spa treatment, for example, can work wonders for your internal state. Don’t overlook the importance of pampering yourself on a regular basis, to feel great about yourself and feel ready to take on the world.

If you maintain the attitude that stress is a challenge—rather than a threat, you are better able to handle it. And by keeping your mind sharp, you are more equipped to solve the problems and take on the “challenges” that life presents. Fortunately, games like The Stress Relief Memory Game, Affirmations Hangman and The Inspirational Quote Daily Cryptogram can be fun to play, and also provide you the tools to manage stress in your life!

Much of what you experience in life can feel more stressful or less so depending of your point of view. Looking at things from an optimistic frame of mind can not only decrease your stress level, but bring you more success in life and more. You can become more of an optimist by following these tips. You can even change ingrained negative thought patterns to more positive ones by using positive affirmations. (Not sure if you’re an optimist or pessimist? Take this quiz.)

Keeping your emotions bottled up usually leads to an emotional explosion later on. It’s generally healthier to listen to your feelings, process them and try to understand them. Consider them ‘messengers’ that tell you when something is not right with your world. A great way to process emotions is the act of journaling. When you write about your feelings, and potential solutions to your problems, you can reduce stress in your life and even see some health benefits!

Research shows that a lifestyle including religion or spirituality is generally a healthier lifestyle. Many people, especially seniors, use prayer as a major stress reliever and strategy for emotional health. You can use prayer to enhance your spiritual side, or use meditation of you don’t feel comfortable with prayer. Spiritual practice is deeply personal, and whatever your practice, it should nurture your soul.