6. Be an Early Riser: Getting up earlier has one big practical advantage — morning people tend to be more proactive. Simply put, they stand to get more stuff done. In addition, research shows that morning people are generally more optimistic and emotionally stable, says the Harvard Business Review.
7. Get More Sleep: If you’re finding stress is interrupting your nighttime sleep, a nap may be just what the doctor ordered. Not only does research show an afternoon nap can make up for some of the negative effects of chronically poor nighttime sleep, according the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, but napping also was found to relieve stress and positively strengthen the immune system.
8. Step Away from the Smartphone: The benefits of having a personal Smartphone are numerous. But individuals who take their phone to bed with them may have a harder time sleeping. Engaging with your phone before bedtime can cause your body to respond in a similar manner as it does to stress, says Mark Rosekind, PhD, former director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Program at the NASA Ames Research.
Do you want to start using a more balanced approach to how often you use your smart phone, but feel unsure where to start? Participating in National Day of Unplugging may be just the motivation you need to spend less time with your screen. Next year’s National Day of Unplugging is scheduled for March 4 and 5th, so mark your calendar!
9. Listen to Classical Music: Research conducted by the University of California found that, after listening classical music, listeners exhibited significantly lower blood pressure. Stick with classical music, like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, as other genres did not show a stress reducing effect.
10. Enjoy a Massage: A nice, therapeutic massage has numerous stress relieving effects on the body. After their first massage, clients reported lower anxiety levels and had lower Cortisol levels and resting heart rates in anORYGEN Research Center study.
11. Tip: Get a Dog: Just in case the last 10 tips aren’t enough to help you better handle the stressful life events you’re facing, we’ve added one more bonus tip — get a dog. The bond between humans and their pets are strong. Even after a short interaction with a therapy dog, patients reported their mood significantly increases and stress decreased in a Harvard Medical School study.