How do you destress?
BeezBeez
Posts: 41 Member
Hi, everyone. I'm coming up short right now, I was hoping you could help me out. How do I destress in a healthy way? Running has worked for me in the past, but I'm dealing with a fairly crippling bout of plantar fasciitis at the moment and can't do it. Deep breathing or a soak in the tub don't cut it. I want beers and I want garbage junk food, but I'm not going to indulge in either. I've tried the rowing machine, but it's not quite as effective at burning off that bad day energy as running was for me. What do you do?
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Replies
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The last time, I cleaned. Put on some loud music and just went at it angrily. My floors are pretty clean.17
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I destressed by either a massage or a Medicure and Pedicure
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RelCanonical wrote: »The last time, I cleaned. Put on some loud music and just went at it angrily. My floors are pretty clean.
I do far more angry cleaning than I would care to admit.10 -
When I have a hard time destressing due to physical issues that prevent dancing, exercising, etc... Here are things myself (or one of my kids who has physical issues) do -
1. listen to music while playing a video game (pacman is oddly relaxing when playing nice music, LOL, and there are a lot of free online versions)
2. Singing
3. shooter video games where I get to kill something, on particular types of bad days.
4. youtube videos that are often labeled 'weirdly satisfying compliations' or the like - just oddball things that actually often do help the body just feel good.
5. Exercises where I lay on my back and do a lot of crunches type exercises, or on sides and do leg lifts, or on front and do things to lift back or shoulders up - usually until I am utterly exhausted, if it's for stress relief4 -
These are great! Keep 'em coming! (Rowing actually did really help me today, but I'm absolutely going to implement angry-mopping and shooter games in the future!)1
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Well seeing that beer is out..
Gaming. Whether with others or myself. It would keep my mind off of food. Pokémon Go still continues to be motivation for me to get up and moving.
Due to the pain, you could do something like yoga until it clears up.1 -
Reading has always been what's centered me and it's my go-to when I just need to have a bit of me time. I try and read at least 30 minutes a day.8
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My best bud on my picture de-stresses me best. All i need to do is to scratch behind his ear.14
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My dog loves rough and tumble play. I put on something that can get totally furry and sit down on the floor with a tug-toy. She does the rest and makes me laugh at the same time, which helps with the stress SO MUCH.
Sometimes I just have to find my most significant of others, say "just venting", and let it out, unfiltered nasties and all.
A simple zoner game that requires no thought, just patterns or words or shapes sometimes helps.
I totally hear you about the deep breathing, I would love to be able to see myself as a person who could meditate and shake it off. But no! Not even a little!! Wound way too tight for that LOL6 -
Would doing weights help? That or a punching bag?4
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Cycling is my zen. I’m blessed to live in a rural area with low traffic and courteous drivers. After a bad day at school I can go ride 25-45 miles and the world is good again when I get home.4
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Cycling works really well for me.
Sadly I have not been able to cycle as much as I would like lately.
Otherwise, I cling to my lists and just keep trying to get on top of things.
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I cycle. I swim. I go really fast on the elliptical. I walk. I lift weights.
I love the variety.1 -
Rowing (on the water rather than on the machines) is one of my favourite things for de-stressing and getting my cardio in. There's just something about being on the water that is super-calming for me.
The elliptical or bike might be an option too if you're used to running for de-stressing.3 -
Do you play a musical instrument? If I'm more angry than stressed, it helps me to bang out a really loud, fast piano piece. I have a favorite called The Storm that does it every time. Then I can follow it up with something slow and soothing to bring me back down.
If it's just stress, then Yin Yoga works wonders for me. I've found swimming does a pretty good job too.4 -
I'll quote myself from the thread that led me to this one.
Regular exercise is absolutely crucial to my mental health.
I don't have a gym membership. I have a small home gym but am not currently lifting weights due to an elbow injury and because it's gardening seasoning.
We have a small suburban lot and every year or two I come up with a big project that consumes many hours.
Right now I have a big boring project 12 hour landscaping project that I have been picking away at 45-60 minutes at a time and have about three hours left.
I have 4 flower beds on my property that I tend to, and am also working in beds at three neighbors.
I have three raised beds for veggies.
My city cut down some dead trees behind our fence that were on their conservation land and in the process cleared about a 30 foot strip that gives me lots of extra space to play in.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-and-panic/201505/petal-power-why-is-gardening-so-good-our-mental-health
...5. Working in nature releases happy hormones.
To say that gardening encourages us to exercise and spend time outdoors might seem a statement of the obvious, but it’s worth reminding ourselves that what’s good for the body is also good for the mind. When I’m deeply immersed in writing it can be all too easy to forget this, but when we exercise levels of serotonin and dopamine (hormones that make us feel good) rise and the level of cortisol (a hormone associated with stress), is lowered. It’s true that a session in the garden can be tiring, but it can also get rid of excess energy so you sleep better and ultimately feel renewed inside.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/antidepressant-microbes-soil.htm
Antidepressant Microbes In Soil: How Dirt Makes You Happy
Prozac may not be the only way to get rid of your serious blues. Soil microbes have been found to have similar effects on the brain and are without side effects and chemical dependency potential. Learn how to harness the natural antidepressant in soil and make yourself happier and healthier. Read on to see how dirt makes you happy.4 -
Rather than shooter games, I play a game called Katamari Damacy.
Its cartoony and silly, the music is a delight, and the people scream in terror as you chase them down and roll them into a giant ball. So satisfying. XD
But also: trashy romance novels, singing inappropriate music at the top of my lungs, cat videos on YouTube, dancing. Anything fun and not requiring much thought or concentration.5 -
YOGA!!!!
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For me: Steambath/sauna, ambling through gardens or woods, yoga or stretching, meditation, listening to music, happy social time, visual journaling or other low-stress arts/crafts, working in my garden/yard, among other things. Some of my friends enjoy adult coloring books, or written journaling of the "free form brain dump" type.
This next is personality and situation-dependent, but I'm sometimes finding my effort to learn to play a musical instrument de-stressing, in that it ideally requires being in the moment with relaxed attention. (At other times, when my fingers won't obey central command, it can be stress-inducing, though.
).
Now, something more narrow:
If machine rowing isn't working because you simply don't enjoy it, then stop reading now.
If it isn't working because you can't make it vigorous enough to de-stress, then working on technique will help with that. Most people at most gyms, where I usually see Concept 2 machines, are doing it quite ineffectively. (Even many trainers have poor technique.) Usually, these people have the damper set on 10 (it's not resistance, folks!), and are flying up and down the slide hitting over 30 strokes per minute, raising and lower their hands midstroke so they don't collide with their knees, and generally not getting much power into the flywheel. (On the water rowing is more fun, BTW, but really requires lessons for the sliding-seat type.)1 -
If it isn't working because you can't make it vigorous enough to de-stress, then working on technique will help with that. Most people at most gyms, where I usually see Concept 2 machines, are doing it quite ineffectively. (Even many trainers have poor technique.) Usually, these people have the damper set on 10 (it's not resistance, folks!), and are flying up and down the slide hitting over 30 strokes per minute, raising and lower their hands midstroke so they don't collide with their knees, and generally not getting much power into the flywheel. (On the water rowing is more fun, BTW, but really requires lessons for the sliding-seat type.)
Thanks. I actually really love the rowing machine! I've been using it on and off for about a year now, but am just recently using it consistently enough that I'm starting to see significant improvement. I think the issue is more that I'm not quite strong enough yet to feel like I can row "hard" and keep my form good enough that I won't injure myself. I'm getting there, and I hope that if I stick with it it can completely take the place of running for me. I just really miss the ability to put my shoes on and take off out the door to burn off a bad mood. It'll take some adjustment. Your posts on some of the other boards have really made me want to stick with this rowing thing, though, so thank you!
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Totally agree about the dog, but back to yoga... I was doing a 12min routine 4x/wk for almost a year before I started feeling the calming effects. If I had a longer routine or did it more often, maybe I would have reached that point sooner. The allure of a short routine to me, however, is it's harder to make excuses. It's easier to fit it into my evening. I enjoy it more when listening to a spotify "chill:yoga & meditation" playlist. Maybe find some music that holds your interest and give yoga another chance?-1 -
Been there with the plantar fasciitis recently.
Listening to music- even if it means dancing while sitting helps. Or doing my nails and experimenting with nail art. Do you have any hobbies like doing crafts?
Everyone else is saying dogs but we have a cat. Playing with her on the floor is also a great stress reliever. 😸3 -
Totally agree about the dog, but back to yoga... I was doing a 12min routine 4x/wk for almost a year before I started feeling the calming effects. If I had a longer routine or did it more often, maybe I would have reached that point sooner. The allure of a short routine to me, however, is it's harder to make excuses. It's easier to fit it into my evening. I enjoy it more when listening to a spotify "chill:yoga & meditation" playlist. Maybe find some music that holds your interest and give yoga another chance?
I've spent years doing hour-long yoga routines. I enjoy it and find it helpful in many, many other ways, but it just doesn't help that wound-up, stressed-out feeling for me no matter how much other people insist that it will.2 -
Call of Duty Blackout3
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Get some "action"3
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I know you can't run ATM bc if the plantar fasciitis, but if you are able to take a long slow walk, I find walking outside when the weather is nice to be a good stress relief for me. I also have good luck with using a fast flow yoga as a stress relief (again if your current physical situation allows).
My dog is also pretty helpful with destressing. She's always happy to see me and gives lots of kisses and is pretty comical with her constant running around in circles. She just makes it difficult to hold on to the stress.1 -
I was having an especially stressful day where the stress from that day PLUS all the built up stress was coming to a head, and I really, really wanted to just indulge in something "bad."
So, that was my dinner - chips and dip. Not healthy, not great for me, but by today I was ready to go back to tackling things and work on dealing with things so my stress could be less.
I don't recommend that regularly, but once in a blue moon? Not horrible.
My normal stress relief is going out for a motorcycle ride or if it's a lower stress level, a glass of wine and a good book curled up in a blanket with some candles going is pretty relaxing for me.4 -
Garden. Getting your hands in the dirt is very calming.2
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Are you able to swim? I have found swimming, with the mindless :-) counting breaths and lengths very calming.1
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