3 Ways to Reduce Your Stress Levels Today.

​1) Turn Your Radio off.
Most people literally do not get 10 minutes a day in silence. Whether you listen to talk radio or even music, try turning off your radio to and from work. If you have a 30 minute drive to work, that’s an hour a day in silence. Enjoy the silence, collect your thoughts, and you will notice a big difference on how you attack your day.

2) Meditate.
Most people have no idea how to meditate, or are intimidated by it. I hear a lot, there is no way I can turn my brain off and sit in silence. Let me tell you, if I can do it, anyone can. And like most things, you only get better with practice. Incorporating meditation in to your daily routine will make a huge impact in your stress levels. Start with small blocks of time like 5 to 10 mins, as you get better you will find yourself being able to sit for 20 or 25 minutes with ease. I prefer to do it in the morning when I wake up. Find a quiet place that you won’t be disturbed. Find a cushion or blanket that you can sit on. If you want to look for one that is specifically designed for meditation they are called zafu’s. There are a few different poses you can practice, full lotus in pretty difficult for most people and requires quite a bit of flexibility. You can Google what a half lotus pose looks like or my favorite pose is hero’s pose. There are a few different options with what you can do with your hands, I simply place them on my thighs in hero’s pose. This gives you a sense of being grounded. Practice good posture, like a string is pulling your spine straight through the top of your head, like a puppet. Tilt your gaze, only your eyes, not your head, slightly downward. If you keep your eyes open you can stare at a wall, or for beginners closing your eyes may be easier to not let your mind wander. Begin by counting your breathes, 1 to 10, when you get to 10, start over. If you find yourself thinking about something, recognize the thought, then let it drift away, and start back at counting.

3) High Intensity Surges.
Everyone knows that exercise can help with stress levels, especially stress hormones, but this can literally be done at your desk throughout your day. Pick an exercise that you can do high intensity, like running in place. When you are feeling stressed, run in place fast as you can for 20 seconds, then take a 20 second break, repeat 3 times. These are little surges that will reduce stress hormones like cortisol and get you moving.