4 healthy and cheap ways to destress

Posted on 12:30pm Tuesday 24th Mar 2020

In our go-go-go world, it can feel like we never fully destress, and let’s be honest, a spa day isn’t in everyone’s budget. Luckily there are lots of relaxing things to do at home for free that can help you de-stress and even reduce anxiety.

Let’s take a look at how you can reduce your stress levels in a natural and also budget-friendly way.

4 healthy and inexpensive ways to destress

Sleep

When you aren’t getting enough good sleep, your body boosts the level of stress hormones which can become a vicious cycle of stress creating a lack of sleep, and so forth.

A routine of a nightly pattern before you go to bed will help you fall asleep quicker, and stay asleep.

Known as good sleep hygiene, repeating the same acts before you go to bed, going to bed at the approximate same time (regardless of the day of the week) and getting out of bed at the same time each morning will help your sleep cycle.

Something as simple as warming up a cup of tea and washing you face before bed can be signals to your brain to start switching off the day.

Check out the Sleep Foundation’s healthy sleep tips for more ideas on how to improve your sleep habits.

Replace poor choices with good habits

If you find yourself reaching for a cigarette, fifth cup of coffee in the afternoon, or a third glass of wine at night, consider replacing those habits with ones that will help reduce your stress.

Whilst you might not be able to quit smoking instantly, you can replace smoking with low nicotine vapes to help you on your quitting for good journey. Switch out a cup of herbal tea for that coffee, and make a goal to switch to sparkling water in the evening.

You’ll be surprised how much of a difference these habit switches will make, all with being budget-friendly alternatives to existing choices.

Meditate

The art of mindfulness, or meditation, is a free way to quickly reduce stress levels, decrease high blood pressure, and slow a racing pulse.

It’s all too common to allow anxiety to overtake during high-stress days, and meditation is one way to combat this.

You may feel uncomfortable or bored during the first few sessions of meditation, but the more often you do it, the easier it will become.

There are many options for meditation and several free apps available. Try out Calm, Headspace, or Aura to see which one best fits your lifestyle. There are also several free meditation videos on YouTube which you can even access on the go or in the comfort of your own home.

Exercise in nature

We’ve all heard the benefits of exercise toted repeatedly, but something as simple as a 20-minute walk in nature can reduce stress immensely - no need to run a couple of miles, just be present in nature.

A study performed at the University of Michigan found that, “just a twenty minutes nature experience was enough to significantly reduce cortisol levels. But if you spent a little more time immersed in a nature experience, 20 to 30 minutes sitting or walking then cortisol levels dropped at their greatest rate.”

If you’d like to read more of the study, you can see the results and findings here.

Final thoughts

Living a healthy, reduced-stress life does not mean breaking the bank! For some other simple, inexpensive ways to reduce stress, consider painting your nails while watching a favourite light-hearted movie, taking a warm bubble bath, or listening to some of your favourite music albums while cooking dinner.

Sure, spa days, massage therapy and wellness retreats are a great way to relax and reduce stress levels, but they might just break the bank. There are plenty of simple and very effective methods to reduce stress that can be done at home and for free.