After a long day I often feel stressed.
Sometimes I know exactly why I’m stressed and other times I have no clue.
Either way, I don’t like staying in a stressed state.
Here are five ways that help me unwind at the end of the day.
Maybe they can help you too.

Breathe

I’m a shallow breather.
I once got a massage and my shallow breathing scared the masseuse to the point where she thought I had passed out.
She shook me in a panic asking, “Are you okay?”

Ever since then, I’m more aware of focusing on deep breathing.

Whenever I’m feeling stressed, I notice that my breathing becomes extra shallow.
When this happens, I take a time out and focus on taking deep breaths.
This may sound silly, but deep breathing almost always helps the stress fade away.
And maybe shallow breathing plays a role in feeling stressed…

Take A Bath

When I was younger, taking a bath meant sitting in a cold tub and staring at the wall.
I used to dread them.

Now, I find them warm and soothing.
Especially after a long stressful day.
And, I don’t stare at the wall anymore.
I read a book, have a glass of wine or close my eyes and listen to music.
Baths are my favorite way to unwind.

Stretch (Yoga)

Stress affects my whole body.
I become tight and tense.
And sometimes a bath won’t do, so I turn to stretching.

Sometimes I stretch on my own, and other times I go to yoga or follow a video on Youtube.

Stretching always makes my body feel at ease.
It also involves deep breathing, making it even more beneficial.

Sit by a fireplace

There is something warm and comforting about a fire.
After a hard day, I find that sitting fireside always relaxes me.
Sometimes I turn off the lights and just sit in silence while watching the flames.

When I do this it’s like my surroundings slow down.
All noise is shut out.
All worries get put on hold.
Ultimately, allowing me to decompress from the day.

Read Fiction

I used to only read self help books or motivational books.
Fiction was never an option because I used to think “Why would I read something that’s not going to help me or teach me.”

Then I went through a phase where I wanted nothing to do with motivational books, so I turned to fiction.
Now, reading fiction is my favorite.

When I read fiction my mind becomes so interested in what I’m reading that I soon forget all my stress.
Also with fiction, there is no self-inflicted pressure to improve myself like there is when I read self help books.

I’m simply reading for fun.

I love to cozy up on the couch with a cup of tea and read the latest by my favorite author, Emily Giffin.
Her books are light hearted, fun and always seem to help me relax.

I’ve always believed that I was a stressed out person by nature.
Then I realized I don’t have to be.
While I can’t avoid stress completely, I can manage it.
And, doing these five things have helped me do so.

How do you distress?

*This is not an add for Emily Giffin, I just really love her books.