You don’t have to visit a swanky gym or a lavish spa to show yourself some love. You can boost your wellness from home by employing these expert strategies. Research proves they’ll help bust stress, increase resilience, and ultimately optimize your health and happiness.
- Prioritize Sleep - Getting enough z’s is one of the top ways to bolster immunity, supercharge cognition, and offset stress. Aim to get at least seven hours of quality snooze time per day.
- Work. It. Out - Exercise helps keep illness at bay and boosts happiness. Work it out from the comfort of your living room: YouTube offers a treasure trove of free online workout videos.
- Get Your Downward Dog On - No need to join a yoga studio — free yoga videos abound on the web. Dedicating time to your practice can increase flexibility and combat stress, among other perks.
- Practice Deep Breathing or Meditation - If there were ever a reason to start or resume a meditation practice, this would be it! Tune out the noise and tap into your inner calm by meditating or breathing deeply. Science proves over and over that meditation is one of the most powerful tools to combat anxiety, depression, and general stress.
- Eat to Beat Stress - What you eat can affect how frazzled you feel. Skip junk food in favor of following Everyday Health’s Stress-Free Diet that’s proven to help you feel calm and collected. (Hint: Dark chocolate makes the list!)
- Be Grateful - People who practice gratitude, such as by keeping a journal for recording blessings, report improved well-being, optimism, and physical health. Order a pretty notebook and start writing every morning or night.
- Turn On Some Tunes - Research shows music therapy can lessen symptoms of mental illness. Even if you don’t have anxiety or depression, you can turn a bad mood around by turning on your favorite song or album.
- Unplug From Social Media - The nonstop news cycle and comparing your situation to others’ can also wreak havoc on your stress levels. Try a social media detox and call a friend instead.
- Flex Your Creative Chops With Art Therapy - Practice your creativity by drawing, painting, knitting, or coloring. As with music therapy, research suggests art therapy can promote mindfulness and relaxation.
- Train Your Brain to Be More Resilient - You don’t have to be born resilient — you can build this attribute on your own. It’s a worthy effort that can help you better cope with life’s challenges, and improve your relationships and health. Take Everyday Health’s assessment to find out how resilient you are. You can also peruse Everyday Health’s list of books about resilience for inspiration!