How to Manage Stress By Creating a Relaxing Oasis At Home

We all lead stressful lives. There’s the commute to and from work, the neverending to-do list, the after-school programs, dinner to be made, bills to be paid–whew! Most of us are lucky to have three whole minutes to ourselves at the end of the day. There is a tendency to overlook this part of the day and fill it with some other chore, but research shows that it’s important to your mental and physical health to manage stress by taking some personal time.

According to the Mayo Clinic, our busy modern lives often activate our body’s fight-or-flight response. Without regular stress relief to reset that signal, and because we are often on, that fight-or-flight signal never really turns off. Over the years that can lead to very serious health problems–not to mention leave you less productive and reduce your quality of life.

There are many articles about how to manage stress; it’s a much bigger topic than can really be discussed in one post, but it’s important to know that they are small changes you can make that will have a big impact.

Secret Short-Cut To Manage Stress At Home

So, let’s get back to that free time you have at the end of your day (or the little bit of time you get on the weekends). I find that having a quiet space where I can retreat to for some quiet activity all by myself is a wonderful remedy for resetting my stress meter. A little nook, away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and the sounds of the TV, is one of my main ways to manage stress. It’s where I can unwind at the end of a long day–sometimes with a book, an embroidery project, a cat and/or a glass of wine.

I think it’s important for each of us to have a relaxing nook. You may already have a space in your home like this, but for those who do not and who want to create one, here are seven tips for creating your own quiet nook in which to manage stress.

7 Tips For Creating A Relaxing Nook To Manage Stress

1. If possible, choose a space away from the main part of the home and away from the TV and other screens. Having a door is nice too.

2. A comfy chair you can sink into, lounge or settee is key. A footstool and a soft throw are nice additions too.

3. Pleasant smelling candles or other aromatherapies are essential to creating a relaxing atmosphere in which you can manage stress.

4. Keep a basket of books, magazines or craft projects on hand in this space. Preferably things that are easy to pick up, get lost in for a ½ hour or so and then quickly abandon.

5. When trying to manage stress, lighting is key. Decide whether you want a nice bright area for working on a craft project or a less bright space for listening to music.

6. Creating a quiet nook with outside views is also ideal for some folks to trigger that necessary de-stress response.

7. Finally, adding the right kind of decorative touches are important too. Plants, flowers, lot of throw pillows, illustrated prints can all help set the mood for resetting your stress meter.

Related on Organic Authority:

3 Healthy, Harmonious Ways to Reduce Stress

Are You Addicted to Stress?

Chill Out! How Stress Can Affect Your Decisions

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/MY00435

Image: SparksOfLife

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