We all know too much stress is bad for us - whilst a certain amount of pressure can help us to perform well and achieve our goals, when it goes unchecked things can get out of hand. Stress can contribute to a myriad of health problems, from high blood pressure to mental illnesses, as well as exacerbating existing conditions such as asthma, eczema and migraines. On top of all that, stress can wreak havoc with your skin, causing break-outs and a tired, dull-looking complexion - so all in all, it's something best dealt with!
![Six Ways To Relax & De-Stress]()
I always thought that I didn't get stressed - while my friends would be freaking out about exams and how much they'd revised (or hadn't), or panicking about interviews, or staying up all night proofreading their essay one more time, I was always pretty chilled. Looking back, I've realised that actually, I just had some good coping mechanisms in place (and some not-so-good ones, but we won't go into that right now!) - so I thought it'd be a good idea to share some of the things that help me relax and de-stress...
Baking
I think the best thing to bake is probably bread, as I find kneading the dough is a brilliant way of getting all your frustration out! Really, though, anything that needs a good stir will do - or just the act of going through the steps of a recipe might do the trick for you. I don't seem to get my bake on as much as I used to (thanks to living with my parents and not having much kitchen space) but I always find it really relaxing when I get chance.
Getting outdoors
I've always been an outdoors kinda girl - it comes with growing up on a farm, I guess - and I really notice the difference when I've not made the effort to take myself out for a few days. I live in a beautiful part of the world and even just an hour spent walking in the woods really helps to clear my heads and chill me out! Fresh air and spending some time with nature has a real way of relaxing me and I know I'm not the only one; this also kind of leads into my next point...
![Six Ways To Relax & De-Stress - The view from Farleton Knott, Cumbria]()
Exercise
Baking
I think the best thing to bake is probably bread, as I find kneading the dough is a brilliant way of getting all your frustration out! Really, though, anything that needs a good stir will do - or just the act of going through the steps of a recipe might do the trick for you. I don't seem to get my bake on as much as I used to (thanks to living with my parents and not having much kitchen space) but I always find it really relaxing when I get chance.
Getting outdoors
I've always been an outdoors kinda girl - it comes with growing up on a farm, I guess - and I really notice the difference when I've not made the effort to take myself out for a few days. I live in a beautiful part of the world and even just an hour spent walking in the woods really helps to clear my heads and chill me out! Fresh air and spending some time with nature has a real way of relaxing me and I know I'm not the only one; this also kind of leads into my next point...
It's such a cliché but it's a cliché for a reason; exercise really does help! Getting yourself moving releases endorphins which are your body's "happy chemicals". It's all about finding something that works for you - you might even need something different depending how you're feeling. If you're feeling sad or overwhelmed, try something gentle like swimming or yoga/Pilates, whereas if you're angry or super-stressed I find something energetic like running or cycling, or even a little bit violent/aggressive like boxing, is great for working out all your frustrations!
Lose yourself
Lose yourself
Not literally, although if that works for you, then there'll be no judgement from me! I mean in a good book or film - sometimes all you need to chill out is to take yourself away from things for an hour to two. I really struggle to concentrate on a film long enough to see the whole thing, but can easily curl up with a book and lose a whole day - although it's been a while since I've done that!
![Ways To Relax Book & A Brew]()
A bit of self-care
...Whatever that means for you; it might be running a nice hot bath with a bath bomb, painting your nails, calling a friend for a good gossip... Anything that makes you feel good about yourself and is 100% indulging in yourself will work here! For me, this would be slapping on a face mask (this Origins one is my current favourite) and settling down to read a book, magazine or a few blog posts.
A good old-fashioned spring clean
A good old-fashioned spring clean
'Tis the season, after all! I find clutter and "stuff" quite stressful, so having a good tidy-up, putting things away properly and, if possible, throwing things away, is really relaxing to me! This is more difficult whilst living with my parents as there is genuinely so much stuff in my room that I need to keep, but have nowhere else to put it - but even things like putting away clean laundry, cleaning my make-up brushes or tidying up my wardrobe help to calm me down and clear my head.
![Ways To Relax]()
Bonus tip: Rituals
How do you like to relax after a stressful day? What are your tips for keeping calm? I'd love to hear what you'd add to my list! I also have a Wellbeing board on Pinterest where I pin all sorts of things related to positivity and self-care, if this is something you're interested in - you can find that here.
xo
Humans are, by nature, creatures of habit - so it's likely that anything you can do on auto-pilot will have a soothing effect on you! If you can get into a little unwinding routine, your mind will come to associate it with chilling out. Something like removing your make-up and carrying out your evening skincare routine is a good one for this - do you have any little routines that always calm you down?
How do you like to relax after a stressful day? What are your tips for keeping calm? I'd love to hear what you'd add to my list! I also have a Wellbeing board on Pinterest where I pin all sorts of things related to positivity and self-care, if this is something you're interested in - you can find that here.
xo