Stress less: 5 relaxation tips for mums

Are you constantly busy looking after your kids, juggling work, the family household and school commitments – ending up feeling stressed and with no time to do anything properly? Feeling burnt out is very bad for your mental health. Try these five ways for stressed out mums to relax…

Meet up with other mums to stress less

Hanging out with other mums is good for your stress relief – studies show that simply  chatting with your friends  will lower your stress levels and is one of the key reasons why women live longer than men. Experts say women have relied on friends and neighborhood relationships to help them bring up their children and keep their sanity. Get together with your friends more often and de-stress – it’s good for your health!

Do some relaxing green exercise

Getting outdoors exercise and getting motivated is essential . Research  has found that  it boosts feelings of wellbeing and reduces stress and anxiety. Nature makes us feel good.

 Write your stresses a worry pad

If something happens during the day that stresses you out, try this simple psychological trick to alleviate the anxiety. “A really useful trick is to keep a worry delay pad,” advises Dr Sarah Edelman, clinical psychologist and author of Change Your Thinking (ABC Books). Every time you stress out about something, write it in the pad and say to yourself that you’ll come back to it at 7pm. “Most people forget to open their pad at 7pm, as they’ve moved on by then. If you do look, you’ve often lost the emotion connected to it.”

Less caffeine = less stress

It’s tempting to gulp down a double-shot of espresso when you feel a stress-out coming on but, because stress stimulates the production of the hormone adrenaline, drinking coffee only serves to make stress worse. Water  is a far better choice.  

Sleep well to cut your stress

Getting enough rest reduces stress, and good quality sleep is obtained by not eating three hours before bedtime, ensuring that your bedding doesn’t make you too hot during the night and turning off your nightlight.

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