Four ways to keep stress at bay

As much as we enjoy our Colorado summers, there can be a bit of a dark cloud hanging in the sky. As summer activities and camps wind down and school semesters and fall prep rev up - we can get a little lost in the run around. Take this time to remember to take care of ourselves, and not let stress go unchecked.

Meditation

Meditation does not have to be about pretzeled legs, chanting, and reaching enlightenment. It can simply be about creating a moment of stillness in your mind as a way to become more relaxed. Just one minute, 60 seconds of meditation, can dramatically improve your mood, your productivity and the quality of your day.

I even use my posture as a mediation. Just keep coming back to it. We fall away into the slouch, then come back to awareness, fall away and come back. It's a good practice for our minds and our bodies!

The local Shambhala Center put out a very simple app for this. Check it out in your app store: "Shambhala".

---

Exercise

It can be tough to make time for exercise when the schedule gets tight and tensions get high. But that's when it becomes even more important. Exercise can relieve the physical symptoms of stress like fatigue, pain, and moodiness. If you can't make time for daily workout, try to fit a 5-10 minute walk outside into some part of your day. A little goes a long way when you need it.

Giggle and hum

Both laughter and music can lower the blood pressure. In fact, this study in 2011 showed that 3 months of laughter or music therapy resulted in the same drop in blood pressure that could be achieved with a low-salt diet, losing 10 pounds, or taking a blood-pressure-lowering medication.  WOW. 

So let's laugh and hum ourselves silly! Cue up the "Who's on first?" or dance around with your kids while making dinner.

Massage

Regular massage can improve sleep, relieve headaches, reduce muscle pain, and improve moods. Plus, massage feels good. When you feel good, you play more, work more efficiently, and take better care of the people you love. Schedule a massage to stay on top of your busy (and fun) life!

Commit to taking care of yourself! You may be surprised with the results.