When life gets in the way we always seem to be stressed out. That seems to ring truer for females. There are many ways to relax and be stress free and they don’t have to cost a fortune. Changing your lifestyle and reducing your stress will prolong your life. Let’s learn how to protect your health when the going gets tough.

• The first thing you do is to try to determine the reason why you are stressed. Go through your day and write down any time you feel stressed and what has caused that emotion. Make a list, as hard as it sounds it will be extremely helpful. You will be able to manage your life when you have a concrete list of what the stressors are in your life.
• Now that you have your list, determine what you can eliminate. Sometimes, the main culprit is overbooked or over scheduling yourself. In turn this will create stress, because you will feel that you cannot accomplish your daily tasks. Learn to delegate household responsibilities. If you are feeling overwhelmed because you have too much to do, pick up take out food or a prepared meal to lessen your stress.
• Prioritize and make a list of what needs to be done in the morning, end of the day and end of the week. Focus on the task at hand and move down your list. As you progress down the list will start to feel less stressed and more able to accomplish your tasks and not feel overwhelmed.
• Regular exercise will reduce your stress. You do not have to join a gym or spa, a simple walk around the neighborhood is great exercise and will not cost a dime.
• Breathe. Abdominal breathing will increase the amount of oxygen in your blood stream. This in turn will trigger the brain to reduce the concentration of stress hormones.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Sleeping 8 to 10 hours will help your body relax and reduce the surge of stress.
• Listen to music. The music does not have to be calming music, it can be any type of music that you enjoy. Listening to your favorite tunes is the best remedy for stress.

And last but not least, stop being so hard on yourself. We tend to be our own worse critics. Instead of beating ourselves up, try writing down your negative thoughts and follow them with a positive thought. Positive thinking is healthy and will relieve a lot of self induced stress.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy