How do you de-stress? (exercises, vitamins, muscle, sleep)

[stepka]

I've had a major amount of stress for the last 3 years and with each "event" it just gets worse. All of these events has been unavoidable and many of them have been a complete surprise, in that I didn't see them coming. Before the first event, exactly 3 years ago today, my life was on an even keel and I had very little stress for many years. How do you stay sane? Besides a nice hot bath or something, what do you guys do to de-stress?

[ragnarkar]

If in doubt, exercise.. really hard..

Eating less food but higher energy foods also seems to help.. lay off the bread, candy, fast food, etc. and eat more fruits, vegetables, etc.

[DewDropInn]

Play my new conga drum.

[JanND]

I play some really nice background music, my favorite is oriental.

[Coolhand68]

Do things that involve concentrating on the moment and being in the moment. While meditation isn't for everyone, you can explore hobbies which require you to focus on what you're doing and use that as an outlet. It can be photography, fishing, shooting at a gun range, astronomy, cooking--experimenting with new recipes, or whatever happens to spark your interest. These are good escapes or ways to decompress. Whatever is troubling you may still be there, but at least you can do something to free your mind for awhile and get some relief.

Exercise is also a big stress reliever. You don't have to push yourself until your tongue is hanging out of your mouth, but some moderate exercise can do your mind (and body) good. It helps you sleep better too which is an important stress fighter.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

I use deep muscle relaxation. You can buy a tape to guide you through it. It is quite effective and puts me to sleep in 5 min or so. You should do it 3 x day when starting: before you get out of bed, mid-day or right after work, and when in bed for the night. Of course you can do it more but that is the minimum.

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[PhotogGal]

I do deep breathing exercises while listening to New Age/spa type music.

B vitamins help with stress too as does exercise and massage.

[tarragon]

Soft calming music and looking at my gardening books helps me.

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by stepka

I've had a major amount of stress for the last 3 years and with each "event" it just gets worse. All of these events has been unavoidable and many of them have been a complete surprise, in that I didn't see them coming. Before the first event, exactly 3 years ago today, my life was on an even keel and I had very little stress for many years. How do you stay sane? Besides a nice hot bath or something, what do you guys do to de-stress?

What is stress? How does it feel like? Never had it.

[Osito]

I listen to music, play on the internet or get involved in one of my many hobbies.