How do you destress?

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

  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 38,512 Member
    I destressed by either a massage or a Medicure and Pedicure :)
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
    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 relief
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
    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!)
  • exhilen
    exhilen Posts: 43 Member
    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.
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
    exhilen wrote: »
    Due to the pain, you could do something like yoga until it clears up.

    I do love yoga! But despite everyone touting it as a stress-buster, it just doesn't do it for me.

    Dogs! Dogs! Dogs! Always true. 😀
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    Would doing weights help? That or a punching bag?
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    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.
  • liz0269
    liz0269 Posts: 139 Member
    I cycle. I swim. I go really fast on the elliptical. I walk. I lift weights.
    I love the variety.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,122 Member
    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.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    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.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,846 Member
    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.
  • daisies_and_kittens
    daisies_and_kittens Posts: 26 Member
    edited May 2019
    YOGA!!!!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,722 Member
    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.)