If you’ve got children, whether you work or stay at home with the kids, your days are sure to be tiring, stressful, and emotional. The good days will leave you feeling exhausted and the bad ones will have you wound up long after the kids have gone to bed. Stress can have a detrimental effect on your physical and mental health, damage your relationships, and affect how you are with your children. So, while stress is a perfectly normal part of parenthood, it’s important that you find ways to de-stress and unwind after a hard day, leaving any tension behind before you go to bed, so you can start the next day alert, happy, and ready to face its challenges.
Read
Reading is a great way to escape your life and live in someone else’s shoes for a while. Some people find it difficult to read when they are feeling stressed out whereas others love nothing more than to light a candle, slide into a hot bubble bath, and immerse themselves in a good novel. It helps them to feel refreshed and put their own problems into perspective or simply forget about them for a while. If you are a book lover, these book themed candles could be perfect.
Treat Yourself
Treating yourself can be absolutely anything that makes you smile and is just for you. You could paint your nails, watch your favorite DVD, do some online shopping, order takeout, or open a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates.
Exercise
Exercise is a wonderful way to use your stress for something positive. Some people find repetitive exercise such as swimming or running very relaxing whereas others find high impact exercises such as rhythm boxing helps them let off some steam and burn away their stress. Exercise releases endorphins and serotonin, which helps you feel relaxed and happy. It can also help you to feel more confident and in control, which is something most parents need a little help with from time to time.
Talk
Talking is probably one of the best ways to cope with stress. We all know that bottling things up only makes them worse. So, have a chat. Even if it’s just mundane day-to-day issues that are bothering you. It’s always better to share. Talk to your partner, phone a good friend, or even chat with a counselor online.
Cook
Cooking is another great way to put your stress energy into something positive. Try some new recipes and spend some time creating something new. You could develop a healthier diet and a love of cooking which could benefit your whole family for years to come.
Get a Massage
A massage can give you renewed energy, release any tension, and relax you ready for a great night’s sleep. If you can’t get out for a massage, get your partner to learn some skills and have some fun practicing together.
We all respond to stress differently, which means we also need to find different ways to cope with it. Try a few different things to find what works best for you and remember to enjoy yourself!
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