It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know 2020 has been a stressful year. With the current elections and the upcoming holiday season, stress is at an all-time high. We get it, but what do we do about it?

Here are our top 5 tips to help you reduce stress and enjoy the season with your loved ones:

Breathe

Practicing belly breathing can calm your mind and relax your body. It also has many benefits such as reducing blood pressure, increasing oxygen, reducing tension and more.

TRY IT: Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. For several minutes, take deep breaths in the nose and out the mouth. Be intentional about filling your stomach with air rather than your chest. Take this time to relax your shoulders and center your mind.

Exercise

Take at least 30 minutes a day to be active. Physical activity promotes blood circulation, reduces stress and risks of heart disease, decrease tension, improves energy levels and more.

TRY IT: Short walks outside are a great way to get some fresh air, reset your mind and boost your energy levels! If you’re looking for something more, you can train in our private gyms with our personal trainers. When you sign up, you might even earn 1 week of free training!

Community

It’s always good to have some me-time, but as we’ve learned this year, staying in community is important too. Finding support with friends and family over a soom call or safely in person can be therapeutic.

TRY IT: Call a friend, take a socially distanced walk, whatever you choose try to be focused on what brings you joy. When you are stressed, try to avoid conversations that make your anxious or tense.

Create a To-Do List

With all things considered, sometimes finding time to sit down and relax can be hard. According to research, one of the best ways to avoid getting overwhelmed and reduce stress is to create a simple To-Do List. Here are some tips when creating your own:

Plan ahead. Make a list before you go to bed at night for the next day, or on Sundays for the week ahead. That way everything is down on paper and you aren’t stressing about it in the meantime.

• Hit checkpoints. If you have long term items on your list, make sure you have some short terms objectives to ensure that you’re staying on track.
• Cross it off! When you complete a task, cross it off that way the task is out of mind and you get the satisfaction of completing it!
• Use your time wisely. Multi-tasking isn’t always the best use of time. Prioritizing, time-blocking and focusing on 1-2 tasks can maximize your productivity.
• Use your judgment. At the end of the day, you know yourself best. Create a plan that works well for you and execute it!

Visit Your Chiro

Adjustments are an amazing way to reduce stress, release tension, restore motion and improve overall function from head to toe. Not to mention it’s a nice reset after a rough week (or year). Our doctors use different modalities to release stress and restrictions in the body. These modalities include active stretching techniques, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, cupping and more.

TRY IT: Schedule an appointment with us today using our easy online scheduling system. We accept most major insurances as well as offer cash plans. Chiropractic and physical therapy can give you freedom from pain and tension in your body.

Closing

You know your body best. Take some time out for yourself to rest up and recharge. Quiet time looks different for everyone. Some people prefer to meditate, read a book or even get in a nice workout. Whatever you choose, make time for YOU!

Looking to de-stress? Has your stress caused tension in your neck or shoulders? Schedule an appointment and get seen as early as today to get relief!