10 Helpful Ways to Hack Your Stress

January 13, 2016Healthy Living, Stress Relief, WellnessBy Lizzie Fuhr

When stress takes over, it can really throw you for a loop. Stop anxious feelings before they happen with these 10 helpful tips and tricks. They’ll help you feel calm, cool, collected, and happy all day long.

Wake up earlier: Snoozing begins your day on a stressful note. Waking up five to 15 minutes earlier leaves you extra time to welcome the day and relax before heading to the office. Just get up when your alarm goes off.
Get to yoga: Connecting movement with breath has been proven as one of the best all-natural ways to beat (and prevent) stress. Do this short sequence every day to stay balanced.
Listen to music: Turn up some sweet tunes and let it go. Research has shown that lying down and listening to music is as effective as massage – a big win for anyone on a budget who needs a stress-relieving outlet.
Exercise often: Exercise boosts your feel-good endorphins, and new research is showing a link between regular exercise and the less well-known neuromodulator norepinephrine, which may help the brain deal with stress more efficiently.
Keep peppermint close: In a NASA-funded study, researchers found that during their commute, subjects who smelled peppermint decreased their anxiety and fatigue levels by 20 percent and decreased frustration by 25 percent. Sip on peppermint tea or keep peppermint essential oil on hand.
Stop procrastinating: When you put off tasks you’re dreading, it only makes it harder to do later. Don’t let this happen to you. Do your best to get these things out of the way, so you can direct your energy and attention elsewhere.
Start meditating: A short meditation can change your whole day. Breathing deep and sinking into relaxation is more than a hippie practice – it rewires your brain to be more resilient when stressful situations arise.
Write it down: Instead of trying to remember all your tasks, keep writing things, both large and small, down as they come up. This way, you don’t deal with unnecessary stress at the end of the day when you realize you’ve forgotten something.
Keep things clean: Coming home to an apartment that’s in disarray leaves you with chaotic feelings. Make your bed, wipe down surfaces, do your dishes, and follow these other things people with clean homes do every day.
Go to bed: Not getting adequate sleep can lead to major stress the following day. If you constantly find yourself stressed when the lights go off, try this anxiety-relieving trick that will help you fall asleep fast, so you wake up calm and rested.