Adulting can be very stressful. But the good news is that there are several ways to combat stress. However, it’s not easy to find an activity to stick with, especially if you quickly get bored. That’s why you need to find enjoyable activities to relieve stress.
If you’re looking for a new activity to reduce stress, here’s a list for you. Hopefully, you find these activities fun enough so you can fight off stress every day.
Cooking or Baking
You don’t have to be a top chef to learn a new recipe. Cooking is a great way to divert your attention to something “tasty” and simultaneously learn new skills. If you have been eyeing to bake that cookie recipe you found on YouTube, do so!
Besides, experts say that baking or cooking is a form of self-soothing. Self-soothing is the practice of using your senses to feel calm, relaxed, and at peace. When you bake or cook, you’re using your sense of smell, taste, touch, and sight, making it an excellent recreation activity to eliminate stress.
Gardening
Channel the inner plant-lover in you and start gardening. Spending the time outdoors to get fresh air is a great way to produce melatonin, a hormone essential for a good night’s sleep. And as we all know, a night of good sleep is vital in fighting stress.
Watering plants or planting flowers and caring for them as they grow can be fulfilling, knowing that your hard work pays off. If you don’t have a garden, taking care of pot plants and growing them indoors can also help you boost happiness.
Photography
Studies show that taking photos is good for mental health. Photography is a recreational activity that will help you improve your focus, express yourself, and boost your self-worth. On top of that, it can also reduce stress hormones.
What’s great about photography is that it offers a wide range of varieties. You can photograph nature, people, animals, art, or anything that makes you feel relaxed. If you wish, you can even enroll in wedding, fashion, or boudoir photography classes.
Exercise
Exercising is another form of activity that promotes happy hormones, thus, significantly reducing stress. Exercising can make you feel recharged and ready to take on new challenges if you’re feeling jittery.
It doesn’t matter what exercise you do. You can jog for 20 minutes or do ten push-ups. Any movement can reduce stress and make you feel better. Plus, it helps you stay healthy, physically and mentally.
Get a Massage
Getting a massage is probably one of the most basic forms of recreational activities. Massage is an excellent way to reduce stress and sleep better. Some of its benefits include:
- Reducing muscle tension
- Improving circulation
- Eliminating stress hormones
- Relaxation
- Increasing flexibility and mobility
- Better skin tone
- Reducing stress and anxiety
Take a Warm Bath
After a whole day of work, pamper yourself with a warm bath. Apart from reducing stress, a warm bath can also lower blood sugar and pressure, help you sleep better, moisturize the skin, and improve blood circulation. Taking a warm bath is like rebooting yourself and allowing your body to shut down for a while.
To make the experience even better, add a few relaxing stimulators like soft music and fragrant candles.
Meditate
Meditating is another stress-relieving method approved by science. Sadly, many people find this practice pretty intimidating, but it’s a very effective technique to reduce stress quickly. Forget about your problems, close your eyes, and focus on breathing slowly.
According to research, slow breathing has calming effects on the cardiovascular and nervous systems. It can improve your mood, alertness and reduce stress hormones all at the same time. If you don’t have any experience, there are mobile apps for beginners.
Clean the House
Binge-cleaning is surprisingly therapeutic too! Gather all your cleaning tools and start wiping the floor, dusting the furniture, or deep cleaning your kitchen. House cleaning requires a lot of physical activity and planning, both of which help reduce stress. Moreover, accomplishing the task can give you a sense of fulfillment, significantly improving your mood.
The secret here is to clean mindfully. Stop thinking about the things that stress you out and focus on cleaning. Cleaning mindfully and focusing on what you’re doing is the key to relieving stress.
Read a Book
Reading a book may do the trick if you want a more laid-back recreational activity to reduce stress. Get a book that catches your attention, something with a unique storyline, or a book that teaches self-reliance.
Getting lost in between pages is a great way to forget about your problems for a while. Plus, it enhances your vocabulary, too, definitely a win-win.
Now that you know how to relieve stress, it’s time to put these activities to the test. The next time you feel tension, try out these activities and say goodbye to stress once and for all.
