Lindsey Rae Writes the Day: Ways to relax in a crazy world
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<p class="p1">National Stress Awareness Day was Wednesday, Nov. 4. </p><p class="p1">I worry way too much about every detail. Sometimes, it makes me physically sick. </p><p class="p1">To counteract it, I have found several remedies that helped me out.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Drink tea</strong></p><p class="p1">Not a huge glass of cold sweet tea, but a small mug of black, green or white tea.</p><p class="p1">Green tea has an amino acid call L-theanine that helps curb a rising heart rate and blood pressure, according to an article called "19 natural remedies for anxiety" on foxnews.com.</p><p class="p1">The article also stated that a few small human studies have found that it reduces anxiety.</p><p class="p1">Tea does have caffeine. According to caffeineinformer.com, Lipton black tea has 55 mg per 8 fluid oz. cup. Lipton green tea has 35 mg and Lipton white tea has 15 mg. </p><p class="p1">There are decaffeinated teas that are available for those who are sensitive to caffeine.</p><p class="p1">Taking my time to drink a hot cup of tea just relaxes me and I feel like it gets my creative juices flowing.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Take a warm bath/shower</strong></p><p class="p1">Both warm baths and showers have great health benefits for relaxation. </p><p class="p1">According to ba-bamail.com, the hot water increases the body temperature and relaxes the muscles. Relaxing the muscles not only helps us relax physcially, bur also mentally. </p><p class="p1">Adding soothing scents like lavender oil, can also help calm down your mind and body. Also, choose products such as body wash and lotion, that has a calming scent, for lasting effects.</p><p class="p1">Including lavender, some scents that are commonly used to help relax someone is baby powder and vanilla.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Listen to slower music</strong></p><p class="p1">Any music between 49-86 beats per minute is considered a slow tempo. </p><p class="p1">Slower music always puts me in a mind-set of relaxation. </p><p class="p1">Sometimes, the words to slower songs get to me, such as a break-up song or a song about a loved one passing away. </p><p class="p1">When I find I'm paying too close attention to the music, I switch to classical, or sounds such as a waterfall or the beach.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Visit nature</strong></p><p class="p1">Nature gets you away from all the stress, all the screens and all the commitments. </p><p class="p1">A nice stroll in your local park or your backyard can really clear your head.</p><p class="p1">Make sure to always tell someone where you are going and take your cell phone, but put it on vibrate or in your backpack so work or any stress-causing phone calls won't disturb your relaxation.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Spend time alone</strong></p><p class="p1">This goes back to the previous suggestion. Sometimes, stress isn't work or mistakes you've made, but it could be a person. </p><p class="p1">It could be someone more distant like a co-worker, family friend, or someone closer like your children or significant other.</p><p class="p1">Taking time away from the world and focusing on yourself can clear your head.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Eliminate caffeine</strong> </p><p class="p1">A couple years ago, I had experienced some pains in my chest. I knew it wasn't a heart attack, but they came almost every day.</p><p class="p1">Finally, they got so bad that I asked my doctor about it.</p><p class="p1">She immediately said, "Don't drink so much caffeine." </p><p class="p1">At the time, I was drinking a 32 oz. cup of Diet Pepsi and sweet tea when I got home. All I was consuming was caffeine. </p><p class="p1">But, I quit sodas altogether and only drank 32 oz. a sweet tea in the morning at work. Once that was gone, all I drank was water. My pains immediately stopped and thus my anxiety stopped.</p><p class="p1">Caffeine doesn't affect everyone the same, but if you feel anxious or jittery, maybe cutting back on caffeine is the solution.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Write a to-do list</strong></p><p class="p1">Writing lists is how I know what I'm doing at any given moment and it eliminates the guessing game of what's going on next.</p><p class="p1">If the cause of your anxiety is too much to do, this could help alleviate it. </p><p class="p1">Write a to-do list in order of importance and by day. That way, you can see what you have to do that day, in what order and then you don't worry as much about all your activities.</p><p class="p1">You also are less likely to forget anything from an important meeting to a phone call by writing it down.</p><p class="p1">Also write down the things you want to do. If you want to workout, write it down. If you want to read a book, write it down. Down time should always be on your schedule and it's a motivator to get what you have to do done so you can do what you want to do.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Sleep</strong></p><p class="p1">Sleep is when your body repairs itself, physically and mentally. </p><p class="p1">If you get a good night's sleep, then that's one less thing you have to worry about. </p><p class="p1">As an adult, try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Just breathe</strong></p><p class="p1">If everything is too overwhelming, just take long, deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. It may seem cliche', but it really does work.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Around the office</strong></p><p class="p1">I asked around the office and among my peers what they do to relax. These are some of the answers I got:</p><p class="p1">Spend $20 at the penny machines at the casino, binge watch a favorite show, read, pray, go to the record store and working out.</p><p class="p1">If you are not able to control your stress or anxiety, contact your doctor.</p>