Stress Relief - What's Yours?

Stress. It happens to all of us. Some people get stressed out because the mail is late. Some people let things roll off of them and rarely feel stress. Some people thrive on it.

Of course, there are healthy levels of stress. The bursts of energy that get us through tough situations, help us react quickly, or keep us focused are all healthy reactions. But what about the kind of stress that has a constant, monotonous presence in our lives; the kind of stress that makes us wake up with clenched teeth and a headache, makes us irritable, and results in chronic hypertension? This kind of stress is bound to plague us at some point in our lives, probably more than we would like.

Financial problems, death in the family or difficult situations at work can lead to prolonged stress. Many times these stressful situations are unavoidable, and instead of trying to prevent them we are better off learning how to cope with them. Here is a list of our favorite ways to relieve stress (note how much better they are than suffering from a heart attack!):

• Indulge. Go for the good stuff! That expensive, drool-worthy, tea-infused chocolate? Try it! Don’t try a pound of it, no need for excessive indulgence, just enough to bask in its excellence and treat yourself to something special.

• Exercise. It might not sound fun, but it always helps to work out tension with a little physical exertion, and it can be fun if you make an effort. Take a walk with a friend, soothe yourself with some yoga, or get in some good meditation time while you swim laps.

• Bond with an animal. Studies show that people with pets have lower levels of stress and recover more quickly from stressful events. Spend some time with your favorite companion animal or go to a shelter and give the animals there some much needed attention. As an added bonus, you will likely end up with a friend for life.

• Spend time with your favorite people. What better place to be than with the people you love? They listen to you and make you laugh. We especially enjoy kicking back in our comfy scrubs at home on lazy weekend mornings and eating brunch with our favorite people.

Tell us your favorite ways to relieve stress. Sassy Scrubs is always happy to learn about more de-stressing options, especially when it includes things like massages…