The Top 10 Ways to Relieve Stress
As a busy college student who takes classes, works, and participates in clubs outside of school, I know what it’s like to feel stressed out about life. Sometimes it seems as if there are no breaks, and I just need something to make me feel less stressed out about everything. In order to make myself not go insane from all of life’s craziness, I have had to find ways to relax and DE-stress.
- Music - I always hear people talking about the transforming power of music; how hearing one song can change someone’s attitude within seconds, making that person feel a multitude of feelings, or filling that person up with memories and nostalgia. It’s no lie that music holds an almost magical ability when it comes to making us feel better. Of course, it all depends on the genre of music, the singer, and personal preference, but almost everyone can agree that music is an amazing stress-reliever. I personally love rocking out to some hard-core punk rock in the car after a long day of work or classes. It’s great to just scream all the stress away. However, I also really enjoy classical music when I want to calm down because it puts me in a relaxed state-of-mind. I also have favorite bands that will almost always make me feel more at peace with everything happening in my life. Because music is easily accessible, plentiful, and diverse, I can truthfully say that listening to music is my favorite way to relieve stress.
2. Exercising- Exercise is another activity that we constantly hear people praising for it’s stress-relieving abilities. Testing the abilities of our bodies not only makes us stronger, but it makes us feel better about ourselves. I cannot get over how much of a difference I notice in my mood on a day when I go for a run, versus a day when I don’t. When I’m in a good mood, I’m usually able to control my stress-levels better too, which is definitely a positive effect of exercising. Sweating causes us to release endorphins, which trick the brain and body into feeling more positive.
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3. Eating a favorite food - I can say, without any doubts, that eating chocolate or pizza makes me feel better most of the time. That is, of course, when I haven’t already eaten half a jar of Nutella, or 3 slices of pizza. Nevertheless, food is definitely a good way to relieve stress after a difficult day of nonstop work. “Comfort foods” are comfort foods for a reason, but eating healthily also has it’s positive effects on stress levels. I definitely notice a difference in my mood after I drink an antioxidant-filled smoothie, or a hearty salad. It fills my body with an energy that makes me feel as though I can accomplish anything.
4. Driving - Ever since I became comfortable with driving after receiving my license, I have loved it for various reasons. The main reason being that I can hop in my car whenever I’d like to and go almost wherever I’d like to. I just recently discovered that going for drives alone is extremely calming and even comforting. Sometimes when I get stressed, it is because I have been stuck in one place for too long, and just need to get away from the area that is causing that stress. The distance I create when I drive usually makes me feel better instantly. 
5. Reading - Another way to create distance between myself, and the area that is making my stress worse, is by escaping into another world through reading. I love getting lost in a good book, and if I’m lucky enough to have the time to read, it is an amazing way to DE-stress. Books are extremely distracting because they have the ability of pulling me out of my current state and consciousness, and into someone else’s. I even get excited to read because I know that it does this to me. Another great reason reading helps with stress is that it helps me to know I am not the only one dealing with problems. It lets me connect to the characters, experiencing the conflicts they are having, and being distracted from mine. 
6. Writing- Almost nothing is better than pouring my thoughts out onto a page, where it almost seems as though I am unable to get them back. Writing is a major way to relieve stress because it lets us express our feelings in words. It is almost better than speaking to another person because it gives us the ability to write whatever we want, without worrying what the person we are speaking to will say. If I am dealing something in particular that is making me stressed out, I often pick up a notebook and just start writing to get everything off of my chest that has been bothering me. Writing has never not helped me when I have been stressed.
7. Watching a favorite show or a funny movie - Watching Netflix is probably the best way to DE-stress when I am feeling lazy. I love watching funny TV shows, like Bob’s Burgers, or romantic comedies. Everyone seems to say, “laughter is the best medicine,” and I think that is almost always true. Watching shows and movies is similar to driving and reading in the terms of “getting away” because they give the opportunity to be transported into a world outside of our own.
8. Playing with a dog or cat - Cute animals always make people feel better. I don’t think it’s possible to look at a puppy and not be at least somewhat happy. Whenever I see someone walking a cute dog down my street, or playing with a puppy at the beach, I get this unexplainable joy in me, even when I’m not up close to it. It is amazing how much a dogs and cats can make me feel less stressed. When I come home from work and see my cats laying on the floor in strange positions, it makes me stop thinking about what I need to be doing for a second, and just cuddle with my adorable cat. When I get the chance to cuddle a dog, however, I go crazy.
9. Taking a bath - If I have the time, taking a bath never fails at making me feel calm. Something about warm water is so relaxing. It feels wonderful to lay in a vat of liquid full of sudsy bubbles. After a day on my feet, my favorite way to take a bath is with a fresh-smelling bath bomb and candles. I personally feel as though the combination of warm water, candles, and sometimes even tea, is one of the most relaxing ways to DE-stress.
10. Meditation - I have heard many people say that they want to start meditating, but they usually don’t follow through with it. I am, unfortunately, one of those people. However, the few times I actually have meditated in my life have been very positive experiences. Meditating gives us the opportunity to escape from our minds, so as to get away from any negativity or difficult situations we are dealing with in our lives. It is a great way to heal our bodies through an almost “spiritual” activity. As I have heard, after meditating for a while, it eventually makes the person feel more at peace with him or herself, and generally less stressed.
