“How to Feel Better in Less Than 15 Minutes”

Clear Your Mind: Take a brief meditation break. It’s simple: Sit quietly, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. When you get distracted, just bring your attention back to your breath. When you’re done, you could feel more positive and patient. That’s just what you need to shift the energy of your day and help you bounce back from stress.  

Get Outside: Step outdoors for a few minutes to pull some weeds, sit in the sunshine, or just get some fresh air. Research shows that time outside can give you more energy, a better memory, and less anxiety. Even if you’re in a city, notice trees, flowers, and parks. Soak up nature to give yourself a boost.

Have a Laugh: Read a few pages of a funny book, watch a clip of your favorite comedian, or call a friend who always cracks you up. Laughter obviously lightens your mood, plus it stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles. It makes your brain release more feel-good endorphins. And it can relax your muscles and help your circulation.

  

Count What’s Good: Pick up a pen and list at least a few things you’re grateful for today. Think about your relationships, things that went well, and any positive parts of your life -- big or small. People who do this feel better and are less bothered by stress. And it can take very little time to do.

Wish Someone Well: Practicing compassion for others tends to make you feel better, too. Choose someone: a friend, family member, co-worker, or even a stranger. In your mind, send them wishes to be happy and healthy and live with ease. This quick exercise can make you more satisfied with your own life.

Take a Walk: Lace up your shoes. A stroll around the neighborhood can lift your mood and bust stress. Stuck in a rut? Research shows your next big idea could be just a walk away. It can boost creative thinking.

Turn on Some Tunes: DJ, put on something peppy! Play a few of your favorite songs to relax and lighten your mood. Research shows music has all kinds of benefits -- it can reduce anxiety and pain. If you feel moved to get up and dance, even better.

Check a Chore Off Your List: What small task has been lurking in the back of your mind for too long? Change that burned-out light bulb, return that email, make that appointment. The satisfaction of getting something small done could stop stress and give you the momentum to tackle more.

Connect: Call a friend to catch up, email a family member to check in, or text a colleague to meet you for coffee. Making contact with other people builds social connections and gives you more support. Studies support this: Better relationships are one of the best ways to become happier.

Eat a Smart Snack: Fuel up, but keep it healthy and simple. Some ideas:
Oranges. Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, which is good for your immune system.

Nuts. Enjoy a small handful of walnuts, almonds, or pistachios for some omega-3 fatty acids that even out your stress hormones.

Whole grains. A bowl of oatmeal or a piece of whole wheat toast could help your brain make more serotonin, which can improve your mood.

Do a Good Deed: Open a door for someone. Donate to a cause you believe in. Sign up for a volunteer project. Help a family member with a small task. Studies prove that when you show kindness to other people, it makes you feel good. And it can be quick to do, any day of the week.

Stretch Yourself: Reach for your toes! Take a short break to gently stretch your neck, shoulders, lower back, thighs, and hips. Try yoga moves, like downward dog, mountain pose, or cat-cow. When you stretch, it lowers stress and sends extra blood to your muscles.

Hug It Out: Find a friend or family member and ask for a hug. That warm squeeze will give you a lift -- and could even make conflict less upsetting, according to one study. Hugging could also help your immune system, another study says.

Give Yourself a Pep Talk: “I can handle this.” Practice positive self-talk. Try to reverse any negative thoughts you have. If you’re worried about a mistake you made, tell yourself, “Everyone messes up. I can fix it.” Say a few upbeat mantras to yourself out loud -- it can change your thinking and cut your stress.

Write a Thank You Note: Jot down a few words of appreciation to someone who has helped you. You can express thanks for recent favors, birthday gifts, or long-lasting support. One study showed people who did this actually trained themselves to be more grateful.

Reviewed By: Tyler Wheeler, MD on March 11, 2019, WebMD

Sources:

Mayo Clinic: “Meditation: A Simple, Fast Way to Reduce Stress.”
Landscape and Urban Planning: “The Benefits of Nature Experience: Improved Affect and Cognition.”
Journal of Environmental Psychology: “Vitalizing Effects of Being Outdoors and in Nature.”
Southern Medical Journal: “Music as Therapy.”
Journal of Happiness Studies: “Counting One’s Blessings Can Reduce the Impact of Daily Stress.”
Mayo Clinic: “7 Simple Steps to Boosting Energy.”
The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley: “Loving-Kindness Meditation.”
Mayo Clinic: “Exercise and Stress: Get Moving to Manage Stress.”
Emotion: “Walking Facilitates Positive Affect (Even When Expecting the Opposite).”
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition: “Give Your Ideas Some Legs: The Positive Effect of Walking on Creative Thinking.”
Mayo Clinic: “Stress Relief from Laughter? It’s No Joke.”
American Heart Association: “3 Tips to Manage Stress.”
Psychological Science: “Successfully Striving for Happiness: Socially Engaged Pursuits Predict Increases in Life Satisfaction.”
UCLA Center for East-West Medicine: “Eat Right, Drink Well, Stress Less: Stress-Reducing Foods, Herbal Supplements, and Teas.”
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology: “Happy to Help? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Performing Acts of Kindness on the Well-being of the Actor.”
Mayo Clinic: “Stretching: Focus on Flexibility.”
Cleveland Clinic: “Sit All Day or Text a Lot? These Yoga Poses Can Help.”
Harvard Medical School: “Exercising to Relax”
PLoS ONE: “Receiving a Hug Is Associated With the Attenuation of Negative Mood That Occurs on Days With Interpersonal Conflict.”
Psychological Science: “Does Hugging Provide Stress-Buffering Social Support? A Study of Susceptibility to Upper Respiratory Infection and Illness.”
Neuroimage: “The Effects of Gratitude Expression on Neural Activity.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell #FeelFree2SignUpAndFollow

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.