3 Surprising Ways to De-stress

April 27, 2010 3:00 pm     Posted in Uncategorized  Jessica- Delaware g+ page


By Jessica

April is Stress Awareness Month, and I don’t know about you guys, but I am definitely aware of my stress. Research papers, projects, and exams are rolling in faster than ever before and it seems like I can’t finish one thing without getting behind on another. Not to mention the hours of sleep lost worrying about that summer internship or if that guy from last weekend is ever gonna call me back.

So what’s a girl to do? Meditate? Listen to Enya? Write in a journal? Does any of this bullsh*t actually work? Maybe it’s all the caffeine running through my system, but I can’t even sit still long enough to try (plus, Enya is just not my thing). Here are some surprising tips for stress relief better suited to our lifestyles…

1. Sex
When we’re stressed-out and exhausted, nookie is often the last thing on our minds. But heed my advice, grab your guy and get going! Studies show that sex improves mood, lowers blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and releases endorphins, meaning that the next day we are happier and much more productive. If finding a partner is a source of stress, go at it alone! Getting to orgasm sans partner still has some of the mental and physical health benefits of regular intercourse.

2. Reduce Caffeine/Alcohol Intake
Most of us rely on coffee or energy drinks to help us tackle our to-do lists, and there’s nothing like a round of cocktails (or five) to help us kick back after a long week. But unforch for me, it turns out that my bevs of choice are actually counterproductive to relieving stress! Caffeine ups levels of cortisol and messes with neurotransmitters in your brain, leading to moodiness and a crash later on. Drinking it too late in the day can affect sleep, and a lack of sleep leads to a lack of concentration. As for alcohol, one drink can relax us and help us focus, but any more than that negatively affects us. Anyone who’s ever tried to cram for a test with a nasty hangover can probably attest to this. Try sticking to a cup of green tea in the morning  and one glass of wine at night during finals week, and you’ll be golden.

3. Bond with your girlfriends
It may seem counterproductive to sit around and BS with your BFFs when you should be studying, but studies show that laughter and physical contact (like hugs) are awesome ways to relieve stress. It reduces stress hormones, releases endorphins and even increases production of antibodies to keep you healthy! There’s also proof that distractions help put you back in a positive mood so you’re better able to focus when you do return to your work. So ditch that desk chair every few hours and take a break with your friends to watch a funny movie or just goof off. It’ll be worth it in the long run!

11 Comments on "3 Surprising Ways to De-stress"

  1. Byron Stock says:
    Wed, 28th Apr 20104:30 am 

    Stress (and the physical symptoms it creates) is the result of negative EMOTIONS and beliefs that occur when people are unable to cope with the demands of their environment.

    Following is a scientifically proven technique that anyone can use to transform negative emotions into positive productive emotions and behavior. It is based on about 20 years of physiological research about how emotions effect the brain and cognition. With practice you can learn to do it in just a few seconds – thus eliminating the cause of the symptoms described in the article.

    1. Recognize the disturbing emotions and take a TIME-OUT.

    2. SHIFT your focus away from your racing mind and disturbed emotions to the area around

    your heart. Keep your attention there for about 10 seconds.

    3. Recall some positive fun times in your life and re-experience the emotions you had then.

    ACTIVATE positive emotions. Do this for about 30 seconds.

    4. Using your intuition, ASK yourself “What would be a more effective response to this situation for me… one that would minimize stress?”

    5. LISTEN to what your intuition says in answer to your question.

    Initially begin by practicing this BEFORE… meetings, phone calls, difficult discussions, driving in traffic, walking in the door at home, picking up the kids, etc.

    You can also use it AFTER… meetings, phone calls, difficult discussions, etc.

    With PRACTICE you will be able to do it in shorter and shorter amounts of time.

  2. Mel says:
    Tue, 4th May 20107:32 am 

    … That's not really all that surprising. :P

  3. lexykhella says:
    Mon, 25th Mar 20133:43 pm 

    I can completely understand the caffeine craze! All of that energy running through your body should make you more pumped up to work, right? No.. It makes you more crazed about the amount of work you have!
    I love the focus of this article! Please check out my blog on student stress management too at thechillpillblog.wordpress.com

Tell us what you're thinking...