Excess stress has been shown to cause problems like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other physical ailments. And that doesn’t even begin to speak to the emotional toll that stress causes. Fortunately, myriad stress relievers exist. If your family is experiencing undue stress, you may one to try one or more of these options to alleviate the stress you’re all feeling.
1. Exercise
It turns out that it’s good to get your blood pumping and your muscles moving when you’re stressed, according to WebMD. It doesn’t seem to much matter what kind of movement it is as long as it’s movement, which is good news if you’re looking for family-friendly exercises.
Incorporating exercise into your daily routine doesn’t have to be difficult. You might plan a daddy-daughter jog or sign up for a Tai Chi class on family night at the local YMCA. Or you can build exercise into your daily routines: If you have errands to do, do them on your bike.
Physical movement releases the feel-good chemicals in the brain, which in turn cuts down the effects of stress.
2. Meditate
Over the course of time, meditation has been shown to change your brain for the better. The brain’s neural pathways change the more and the longer you meditate. This alleviates the feelings of anxiety that you might feel. It also makes you better able to stand against stress once it does set in. Even kids can meditate, so if they’re interested in learning how, why not take up meditation as a family?
3. Go to the Hot Springs
Sometimes, you and yours just need to get away from it all, and heading out into nature and sitting in natural hot springs can do wonders for your outlook. It’s also a lot of fun for kids, especially if there’s a swimming pool nearby. Oftentimes, these baths have natural minerals that are also good for you. Plus it just recharges you to be out in nature for a while.
If you live in a place that doesn’t have close access to a natural hot springs, your family can still reap the benefits of a hot springs experience. Installing a hot tub/spa in your backyard gives you both the benefits of the hot water and of being outside.
Rocky Mountain Hot Tub Company service and similar businesses can give you some advice about what kinds of spas are available. They can also talk with you about keeping your tub environmentally friendly and even how to employ a little hydrotherapy into your spa routine.
4. Paint and Draw
It turns out that drawing a picture is good for you. Recent studies have shown that painting and drawing actually develop the brain. Not only that, the act of creating releases the chemical dopamine in the brain. A lack of dopamine shows up as low energy levels, a lack of motivation, ADHD, and apathy to name but a few.
It’s actually your brain stem, the oldest part of your brain, that releases dopamine, which seems to indicate an evolutionary need for the chemical. Basically, the release of dopamine is one of the ways that your brain rewards you naturally. Happiness usually follows, which in turn can make you feel less stressed.
And on the plus side, kids just seem to love to paint and draw, so this activity is sure to be a winner with your whole family!
There are as many ways to counteract stress as there are for developing it. Fortunately, many of these activities are also family-friendly. Painting and drawing, sitting in a hot tub, or taking up Tai Chi count as just a few of the ways that you and your family can relieve some stress.
