Destress and Relax

Stress is all around us - but don’t let it have the upper hand! 

 

Stress is a part of life, and some stress is even good for us - it’s a great motivator! Think about the stress you feel before a first date, or just as you are about to do something new and daring.  Too little of that kind of stress can lead to boredom - even depression. 

 

But then there’s bad stress, which drains you and wears you out, and can turn into chronic stress, leading to many mental and physical problems. It’s essential to find a way to lessen this stress in your life and its impact on your body. 

 

We’re here to help with some easy and enjoyable tips to help you tackle stress - and relax!

 

Copper Fit’s Ten ways to Destress and Relax:

 

 

1. Easy Yoga, you don’t have to be a Yogi!

 

Yoga has been around for thousands of years for a good reason. The benefits for your body go beyond improving strength, balance, and flexibility. Yoga is a powerful stress reducer and its own form of meditation that helps you disconnect from this modern world and its troubles. Don’t be scared off by images of people standing on their heads or twisting like a pretzel. Simple beginner moves can bring your body and mind great benefits! 

 

Try the Easy Pose (Sukhasana):

1. Begin in a comfortable seated position, legs crossed. While sitting, allow your shoulders to relax. 
2. Extend your tailbone down and contract your stomach, which will help to straighten your back and lengthen your back from the top of your head.
3. Inhale for six seconds while pushing your stomach away from your body. 
4. Exhale, allowing your stomach to come back to your body. 

Do this four times. Feel better already?

 

2. Work out the knots.

 

Is stress, poor posture, and “tech neck” giving you knots in your shoulders and upper back? We’re guessing the answer is yes! This part of the body holds stress for just about everyone. Getting rid of tension here helps your whole body to chill. Throughout the day, basic neck stretches like shoulder shrugs or neck rolls help, and foam rollers are excellent for neck soreness and inflammation. 

 

Working out those knots with a massage is the best thing you can do, but who has the time or money for that? Bring the massage to you - every day with Copper Fit Massage Gun.  It’s a deep tissue massager that can reduce muscle tension and improve blood circulation with an ultimate deep kneading massage therapy to help relax and relieve muscle tightness and soreness, not to be used on the neck but the upper back and shoulders—reducing tension that affects the whole body. It’s also great for reducing recovery time for just about any muscle after a big workout. 

 

3. Laughing is truly the best medicine. 

 

This is no joke - feeling stressed? Meet your funniest friend for a glass of wine, turn on your favorite funny TV show, download a podcast from your favorite comedian. Scientifically, you get an endorphin boost that causes a feeling of happiness. When you laugh, muscles weaken, endorphins pump, and it’s the ultimate feeling of relaxation. And it’s addicting - the more laughter you bring into your life, the more you want! So, lighten up, and laugh! 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Take a walk. 

 

Walking is something that every doctor endorses. It’s pretty powerful what just a short walk can do for you. If we’re going to get technical, walking positively influences your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is your central nervous response system. Put simply: it boosts your mood! Endorphins are released and being surrounded outside by nature is soothing. 

 

Hippocrates said all the way back in 370 BC, “ Walking is a man’s best medicine.” If leg pain stops you from even just walking around the block, some things can help. Try Copper Fit Compression Socks. The graduated compression helps reduce swelling, increase circulation, and improve leg and foot comfort and performance. It’s an inexpensive and easy way to reduce stress - don’t let leg pain stop you.

 

5. Talk it out. 

 

Holding your stress in and dealing with it alone doesn’t work, period. It’s essential to have someone to vent to - a trusted friend, partner, or therapist. Talking about your problems means you have someone to share the burden and lighten your load - and can help break down a problem so it doesn’t seem overwhelming. Releasing your thoughts to someone else can bring a feeling of catharsis - relief from what is plaguing you in your head. 

 

6. Tune it out.

 

There is a lot of stress we HAVE to deal with in life. But with a 24-hour news cycle, the bad news in the world can follow us around all day. Making boundaries for yourself, with social media and news and taking a break from it is crucial for stress levels. According to statista.com, “As of 2022, the average daily social media usage of internet users worldwide amounted to 147 minutes per day, up from 145 minutes in the previous year.” Ask yourself if your consumption of news and social media is causing stress?  How would it benefit your life if you used those 730+ hours to focus on things good for your stress, anxiety, and mental health?

 

7. Turn up the heat! And bring in the cold. 

 

Physically taking care of stress in your body helps you to feel less stressed, period. Tightened muscles make you feel sore - and frankly, cranky! We’ve covered a few things you can do throughout the workday at your desk to deal with stress in the shoulders and neck, like stretching. How about hot and cold therapy to reduce inflammation and pain - while you work? Copper Fit has made it easy with the Rapid Relief Neck & Shoulder Wrap. It’s like a big hug! You can use it to apply a cold compress to reduce pain and inflammation or a warm compress to help relax tense neck muscles. You can quickly cool it in the freezer for cooling ice therapy or warm it in the microwave for relaxing heat. Soothe soreness, soothe stress!

 

8. Meditate and breathe.

 

Physically, meditation is one of the most potent ways to reduce stress. Our favorite way? A guided meditation through an app like Calm. If meditation is not for you, deep breathing is a shorter and powerful way to fight stress.  Stress.org says deep breathing  “increases the supply of oxygen to your brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of calmness.

Try the square breathing technique: Inhale your breath as you count to 4.

1. Hold your breath for four counts.
2. Exhale your breath slowly as you count to 4.
3. Hold your breath for four counts.
4. Repeat for a few minutes until you feel calm.

 

9. Get creative! 

 

Get busy with something you love that takes your mind off the bigger things in life. Losing yourself in something you enjoy is one of the greatest pleasures in life! Find an activity that requires focus and concentration and physical activity like baking, painting a room, making jewelry, or planting a garden. Get busy and get physical!

 

10. Organize. Yep,  you heard it right!

 

Maybe the thought of organizing for stress relief makes you feel, well, stressed. Let’s look at it differently. For many, decluttering and putting things in order reduces stress levels. And how about the stress reduction once you are organized: according to a study in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, “Women who described their homes as cluttered or full of unfinished projects were more depressed, fatigued, and had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than women who felt their homes were restful and restorative.” 

Copper Fit Tip: Just tackle one small thing at a time. You may find it addicting! Maybe this weekend it’s as simple as a kitchen drawer.

 

You have the power to control some of the stress in your life. Just making small changes can make all the difference!