There are many methods for handling stress. There are stress relievers that your body will benefit from, and there are stress relievers that your body will suffer from. Drugs, alcohol, and junk food, are all temporary stress relievers that harm our bodies. If you are looking for natural stress relievers, you’ve come to the right place! These are the best stress relievers that I use, especially throughout the school year.

Essential Oils

Close your eyes and smell the beautiful scents of essential oils. Aromatherapy really works for me.  Peppermint is my go-to scent, as it cures my headaches and has a cooling effect. You can rub this oil into your skin to relieve stress onto your forehead, shoulders, neck, and even put some under your nose to help you breathe better. This method of stress relief calms me down and brings me into a safe headspace. I highly recommend this method to anyone that needs instant stress relief. 

Laughter

Ha! That’s so funny! What makes you laugh so hard that you can barely even breathe? That’s what you need to be thinking about when you’re stressed. I like to grab some friends, my computer, log in to YouTube and watch some old vine compilations. There’s always the option of some good stand-up comedy, too. There are a ton of videos out there that you can easily pull up for a good laugh. My favourite kind of laughter is the kind that makes me out of breath. This type of laughter brings me into a space that forces my mind to focus on the moment. That is exactly what I need when feeling stressed. Laughing is one of the best stress relievers because it instantly puts a smile on my face!

Practice Gratitude

Remember what you are grateful for. I try to incorporate practicing gratitude into my daily routine. I think that we should wake up every day and remember a few things that we are grateful for. Personally, I spend a few minutes writing my gratitude on my phone, in a Notes app, every morning. The purpose of this method is to remind me why we must carry on and live well. My practice of gratitude may look like this: I am grateful for my dog, my girlfriend, my friends, my family, my education, my talents, and my home. 

My Siberian husky, Bandit!

Exercise

The best thing I’ve done in my academic career: go to the gym. Every time I can’t cope with life, I take my anger out at the gym. Every time I’m worried about a paper, a midterm, or a final exam, I take it out on the gym equipment. It feels amazing to just let go of everything and focus on your body. If you do not enjoy going to the gym by yourself, you could always go to the gym with a friend! This makes it more enjoyable for some people. It really depends on your preference, but I find it fun to work out with friends. 

Journaling

If you are feeling something other than happiness, you should write it down. Writing down my thoughts allows me to release it into something else. After writing, I feel as if I am no longer carrying the weight of my thoughts. I recommend this to anyone that is feeling stressed. Once I have my thoughts written down, I am able to take a step back and look at what is going through my mind, but on paper. Sometimes it is difficult for me to see the real problem of what is adding stress to my life because my thoughts are unclear. When journaling, I put my thoughts out in front of me rather than being overwhelmed with trying to sort them out in my head. I recommend journaling to those that are ready to face the cause of their stress and to work out the problem.