Stressed Out? Here Are 5 Practical Ways to Relax Your Mind and Body

By Luke Douglas

Guest writer for Wake Up World

Stress permeates the modern way of life. To many, it has become an inextricable part of their very existence, slowly gnawing at the soul, endangering the psyche, and destroying an otherwise healthy body. Stress is the main culprit in many a modern ailment, and many people who are aware that they suffer from it are unable to break free from its constraints.

Learning how to effectively de-stress on a daily basis by creating positive, healthy habits is the fundamental way to establish a healthy lifestyle and reconnect with your inner self in this crazy, messed up world. Let’s help you tune out the daily noise and pave the road to a lifetime of health and happiness by teaching you how to relax your mind.

Empty your mind of worries with meditation

For decades (in modern times, that is), anecdotal testimonies from around the world have been feeding the notion of meditation as one of the most powerful destressing tools, with a growing body of scientific research backing the claims in recent years as well. Meditation truly is one of the most effective ways to banish the troubles of everyday life.

It helps clear mental clutter, empty your mind of worrying thoughts, establish mental clarity and restore total-body energy, and best of all, you don’t have to spend hours sitting with your eyes closed to achieve the well-known effect of pure serenity. Meditation comes in many forms, and just sticking to two daily sessions lasting no more than 10 minutes can help you rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul, and prepare yourself for the challenges ahead.

Take on pending chores and let your mind wander

It might seem all too tempting to simply collapse on the couch and let your mind be filled with meaningless sounds and images on the TV screen, but that is not exactly an effective way to destress. Quite the contrary, in fact. By indulging in popular media, you are further cluttering your mind with the negativity and stress of the outside world.

Instead, you want to turn off all distractions, and get to work. Tending to chores around the house is a great way to keep your body active and shed some stress, while letting our mind wander and visualize positive images as you perform repetitive tasks. When you’re done, you’ll not only feel good about yourself because you were productive, but you will have regained some much-needed positivity and mental clarity.

Sit back and enjoy the calming benefits of marijuana

Marijuana has been a highly debated topic for decades, but its healthy properties and calming benefits cannot be mistaken or ignored. In fact, with the US and the rest of the world legalizing marijuana and medical professionals advocating its use, it is becoming the go-to remedy for a myriad of health conditions, acting as one of the strongest and safest relaxants in the world.

By indulging in recreational use, you can free your mind from the accumulated stress, relieve total-body tension and soreness, and simply lead a healthier lifestyle. With a variety of cannabis options on the market, from consumables to traditional strains you need to smoke, marijuana has become accessible to everyone – from athletes to sedentary individuals.

Be active and try Yoga

However, being sedentary is never really a good choice, as the body and the mind both require a hearty dose of exercise in order to maintain a healthy and positive lifestyle. While almost every type of exercise does the trick, from lifting weights to trekking across mountain ranges, Yoga can oftentimes be significantly more effective at reducing stress.

Also known as active meditation, joining a Yoga class or doing it a few times a week at home is an excellent way to rekindle the mind-body connection and get a tough workout in as well. The challenge of transitioning through asanas coupled with deep, relaxed breathing leaves little room for worrying thoughts.

Socialize with friends and pets

Humans are social creatures, and not only can a single long hug help reduce stress by making your body produce “happy hormones,” but spending quality time with the people you love and the pets you adore is a great way to boost mental clarity, forget about your troubles, and simply let go.

Furthermore, friends can actively help you destress by listening and even offering valuable advice and even a kind word of support when you’re feeling down. When everyone is busy and you’re feeling stressed, just grab your pet for a nice long snuggle session and you will feel right as rain in no time.

Stress has seamlessly slithered its way into our daily lives, and the modern society is just beginning to wake up and recognize the damaging effects that it has on our overall health and long-term well-being. Eliminating stress or even learning how to control it is not an easy task, and rather than muscling through, be sure to adopt these healthy habits that will pave the road to a lifetime of happiness.

About the author:

Luke is a health and fitness blogger at Ripped.me and a great fan of the gym and a healthy diet. He follows the trends in fitness, gym and healthy life and loves to share his knowledge through useful and informative articles.

You can follow Luke at on Facebook and Twitter.