Stress is one of the constant themes in our society. Relieve stress by being active, doing something enjoyable or distracting your mind. In the past, professionals advised people to de-stress by consuming a medication or anxiety reliever. More and more, people are realizing that medication is just a short-term fix. Instead, professionals are now recommending two key ways to de-stress. The first is to get active and do something physical. The second way is to make long-term lifestyle changes. Below are five effective ways to de-stress.
1. Get Away From The Grind
We come from nature and still experience an instinctive tranquility when we return to it. Getting away from the grind and going to the countryside, mountains or forest can be extremely rejuvenating. Even if you do not have camping experience, going for an hour long hike is very relaxing. For those with more experience, camping is a good alternative that is a two or three-day reprieve from the constant blare of the phone, television and internet. Getting back to nature is one of the top ways to de-stress.
2. Gun Ranges
One of the most popular ways to de-stress is to head to the gun range to spend a day practicing shooting. There are so many different guns and targets to choose from and enjoy. The scope is probably the most important thing to consider and there are many ratings and reviews of different scopes to choose from. Experienced hunters and gunmen prefer top rated scopes such as the Vortex Viper and the Bushnell Elite Tactical. These have crystal clear lenses, a sturdy objective bell and well-designed ocular lens. However, there are more and more choices for scopes from other companies like Nikon and Simmons. These are cheaper options with less quality but still provide good value.
3. Lifestyle Changes And Your Diet
Long term lifestyle changes are another crucial way to improve your mind and relieve anxiety. The most important is changing the way you eat. Most everyone understands that eating less calories is important. However, the mix of calories, proteins and vitamins is also critical. Without the proper amount of fruits and vegetables, you will feel lethargic, lacking energy, tired, moody and irritable. Protein and lean meats are an important part of a diet. Don’t let a vegetarian tell you that eating meat is unnatural. However, eating deep fried meets as your primary source of food is also harmful. In addition,
Carbohydrates such as bread and pasta are another interesting question. Bread has been a stable of our diet for generations. However, it is not natural for our digestive systems to process. People that do the paleo diet completely avoid all bread and pasta. Same goes for the South Beach (Atkins) diet. Cutting out carbs generally helps you lose weight fast and de-stress. However, the risk is that once you start eating bread again, you will gain all of the weight back. That is common for people that try those fad diets. The most reasonable thing to do is consistently eat a low amount of bread, perhaps one or two servings a day. That way you won’t crave it as much and you will still get a low proportion.
Lastly, you should stay away from sugary drinks, candy and other sweets. These give you a short-term sugar rush but are bad over the long-term. Even healthy sounding things like carrot cake are a bad option.
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4. Up Your Activity Levels
Another important lifestyle change is your activity and exercise level. People that exercise regularly are obviously healthier than those that do not. However, those that exercise often also have a healthier mental state and less stress. The type of exercise is not as important as the regularity. No matter if you like running, lifting weights, pilates, yoga or basic calisthenics, regular exercise is a prime way to de-stress.
Playing sports are another good form of exercise that helps to de-stress. Basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, tennis, frisbee, golf, ping pong, hockey or baseball, whatever sports gets you going should do the trick.
5. Pick Up A Hobby
You can also de-stress by just engaging in your favorite hobby. Maybe that is reading, maybe that is playing video games, maybe that is watching a movie, maybe that is knitting or maybe it’s a hobby that inspires healthy eating. Whatever gets you going and completely absorbed can be a good way to de-stress. If you don’t have a hobby, create one. Try out different things, especially ones that you can immediately start practicing. Photography and other art forms are a good example. Anybody can put paint on a canvas. While it may not be good at first, at least you can get the experience. As you practice more and more, you can de-stress and at the same time improve your mental state.
Overall, the ways mentioned above will help most people. If you have serious and ongoing anxiety, a mental health professional may also be a good resources to talk to.
