What do you do to handle stress? - Page 2

[redveg]

Weather permitting I get outside, sit in the sun and take deep breaths or meditate/chant. If I can't get outside I will stop everything I am doing and pop in a movie to take my mind off of things, or journal to get it all out.

[_ktg_]

With work - my unwind is my bike ride to/from work. That was starting to get stressful, because I just wanted to get to work or home faster and missed out on looking at the beauty all around me.

Other unwinds:
epsom salt bath ( this)
Playing video games with DH
Watching a comedy special with DH (on netflix)
Diggin in my garden

[Jenifer76]

I let it build up until it explodes and I end up in the ER and have to get Xanax.

Ideal, no?

[bluebirdiemama]

Originally Posted by Jenifer76

I let it build up until it explodes and I end up in the ER and have to get Xanax.

Ideal, no?

not like that's funny. but I can relate! I had panic attacks all last week, and my lymph gland got clogged and I've had a horrible cold since!

...I'd say not ideal.

[Jenifer76]

It is funny now.

Every night I started listening to a hypnosis relaxation thingy on my iPod. Either it works really well or the guy is so boring my body can't help but fall asleep.

[tinybutterfly]

The best thing I have done is change the way I eat. I started using the Feingold diet guidelines ( no additives, preservatives, food dyes, etc.) However, lately I am having trouble staying on it...go figure. I feel sooooo much better when I eat clean and eat well.

Fresh air, always makes me feel better.

Excercise. Another one of those things that makes me feel soooooo much better, but I really struggle to do this. I did get some walking DVDs that I can do inside and I actually like them...but making time to do it is my problem. I have a treadmill, too, but my legs feel really weird after I get off that.

I used to journal. A LOT.

I pray.

I try to get enough sleep.

Now that the kids are older I occassionally have a glass of wine.

I eat. I shop.

[Aubergine68]

More serious answer:

I am having a stressful week.

I am about to put on my iPod, running a podcast series I enjoy, apply some nice hand cream, put on my kitchen rubber gloves with the pretty frilly cuffs, do my dishes, and clean my kitchen, make lunches and snacks and do food prep for tomorrow.

Then I am going to have a quick bath, reading a book (either a zombie novel or a nonfiction spiritual memoir) in the tub, and get to bed before midnight.

Then in the morning, I will wake up and feel grateful that my kitchen is neat as a pin and food prep is done. I will have an extra cup of coffee and browse MDC before my day starts

[Jenifer76]

The hypnosis program I use is by Darren Marks a hypnotherapist in London. I have an iTouch so I got a free relaxation app called Deep Relax - Relax Completely. There are some paid apps from them but the free one works fine. I also think you can downloads the mp3s to your computer if you don't have an iTouch.