Stress is a universal thing; everyone experiences the feeling in one way or another. The cause may arise in your personal life, work life or it may even be caused by an experience in your past. It can be hard to completely rid yourself of stress. Nevertheless, there are simple things you can do every day to reduce your stress levels. Start your day on a positive note and follow our simple morning routine for a stress-free start to your day.

Get light

Most of us would love to live under the light of the sun rather than under artificial light. So as soon as you wake up, open your blinds, curtains or drapes and let light into your room. Increasing your natural light intake is very important no matter whether you get in indoors or outdoors. The light will boost vitamin D and help produce serotonin, the ‘happy hormone’.

Breathe

Mental stress automictically puts your body into ‘fight or flight mode’, due to this reaction you begin to go through physical changes alongside the mental ones. An increased heart rate and faster breathing are the most common symptoms. You can shift the focus away from your thoughts and relieve the physical symptoms by practising deep breathing. There are serval different techniques, however, our favourite is square breathing, otherwise known as box breathing.

Journal

One of the best ways to quickly relieve stress is to write things down. You could write a to-do list for the day or note down your thoughts. When you see your ideas visually, they often seem less daunting. Look at it as a personal counselling session. Writing down what is on your mind can help to release any built-up internalised tension.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to combat stress. It may seem strange but putting ‘physical stress’ on your body actually helps to relieve mental stress. For the benefits to truly be evident, regular exercise is key. Find an exercise routine that works for you. This could be an intense HIIT workout or even just a long walk; the options are endless. Hormones such as endorphins are released when you exercise. Endorphins are the body’s ‘natural pain killers’ which enhance your mood and subsequently relieve stress.

Though these suggestions may not completely combat the stress you are dealing with, they will help to reduce the hold it takes on your day-to-day life. By realigning your focus and distracting yourself from your thoughts, you will feel a sense of relief even if it is just for a short period of time.

Reducing Stress - A Stress Reducing Morning Routine