3 Ways to De-stress: Lower your stress level in just a few minutes.
5/1/2014
Try variations on these themes to decrease stress and, in turn, lower your blood pressure, improve your immune response and make your sleep more plentiful and serene.
Go outside. Researchers in the United States and Japan have found that simply being in nature can help your blood pressure drop. Is it the smell of trees? The green views? Or the workout of trail walking?
Even sitting still in the woods has health benefits, researchers concluded after multiple studies. And, as a bonus for hikers, researchers found that woodland exercise lowered blood pressure and improved immune response more than the same workouts done in urban settings.
Once you’re outside, move! Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress and help control depression.
Which exercise is best? Try movements you enjoy, from jumping on a trampoline to gardening. For added stress busting, perform exercises that focus the mind on the present moment. Yoga, martial arts and dance have all been shown to have excellent stress-relief benefits.
Be mindful. Take time each day to ground and center your mind. Meditation or prayer, whether accompanied by yoga or performed in stillness, can help bring focus and peace to your daily life.
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Remember that this information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, but rather to increase awareness and help equip patients with information and facilitate conversations with your physician that will benefit your health.
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