Stress Busters: Ways To Relax And Recharge
When you’re stressed, your body produces extra cortisol and other stress-related hormones, and these can have harmful effects on your health and well-being over time. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to reduce your stress levels—you just have to know where to look! This post contains recommendations from the popular weight-loss app Noom, including some unconventional stress relievers.
1. Let’s Get Psychological
The first thing you can do to relieve stress is work on your self-esteem. “Many people have trouble knowing what or who they are, and simply look outside for validation,” says Noom nutritionist Winnie Chen in this article for the app. To boost your confidence, get rid of those bad habits—like smoking, over-eating, or drinking too much alcohol—and learn to like and appreciate yourself.
2. You’re The Boss
Noom nutritionist Leslie Bonci suggests trying a little self-competition. “Instead of beating yourself up and giving in to negative self-talk, try rebooting the relationship with yourself by thinking positively,” she writes. “Compete with yourself to achieve your goals for a week. This will set you up for success in the long term.”
3. Personal Coaching For Your Personal Goals
You may think you don’t have time to exercise, but that’s not true. Leslie says everyone has time for at least five minutes of cardio every day, even if all you have is a small patch of sidewalk or the local park. Do just a little bit every day and in a month or two you’ll see great progress because your body will start craving the activity!
4. Progress Over Perfection
“The biggest killers of self-esteem, according to Noom nutritionist Leslie Bonci, are perfectionism and perfectionistic thinking. Perfectionists tend to get caught up in their feelings of inadequacy and worry that they’re not doing enough or working hard enough,” Winnie says. When you’re faced with a stressful deadline, let go of that feeling of there being no time to exercise and just be flexible.
