The holidays are over…but the stress is not! We all still have a lot of stressors in our lives. These past few years it seems have seen a drastic escalation of anxiety for many people. And with no more Christmas gifts to unwrap, there are a few chilly and worrying winter months ahead of us. The winter blues are no joke and many people this time of year can easily succumb to anxiety. It’s important to take care of your mental health! So what can we do to relax today? What are some easy and (more importantly after all those holiday bills) affordable ways to relax? Not everyone can (or wants) to go outside in the cold to seek out calming activities.
So here are six indoor-friendly, winter accessible, totally easy ways you can reduce stress and relax today.
Chew Gum – It’s actually been proven that chomping on gum can relieve stress! Personally, I can always go for a nice refreshing bit of mint breath. A study done at Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia found that not only does chewing gum reduce stress and anxiety, it increased alertness! AND it can help improve performance when you are trying to multitask. Just remember what your mother told you and chew with your mouth shut.
Indoor Plants – They’re affordable, add a touch of green to a room, and help reduce stress. Ok, actually going out in nature is the real mood booster. But that’s not always an option in the winter. And house plants are super easy-access. Just taking a three-minute break during the day to go hang out with a plant can ease your stress. This has been taken so seriously by serious people that there was a whole study about it done in Japan.
Listen to Classical Music – Yeah, yeah, we’ve all heard that playing classical music for babies can make them smarter. But it can help us adults too! Neurologist Dr. Michael Schneck found that classical music can help relieve anxiety. Listening to it can lower cortisol levels, which is often associated with stress. Not only that, it can lower your blood pressure and heart rate.
Okay, so far we have you chewing gum in front of a houseplant while listening to music. Let that mental visual sink in for a moment. What’s next…
Eat Chocolate – Alright this is a personal favorite. But not just ANY chocolate will do. It has to be dark chocolate. Don’t just take my word for it! A study from Loma Linda University Health in California states that eating dark chocolate can lower blood pressure, enhance blood flow, and results in beneficial brain frequency called gamma. In layman terms? Dark chocolate makes your body and brain work better and happier – which reduces stress.
Laugh – Who DOESN’T need a good chuckle?! Laughter does lots of great things we need! It brings extra oxygen-rich air to your heart and muscles and increases endorphins released from the brain. Also it can help ease your blood pressure and heart rate – that’s some really fantastic stuff right there! Also it puts you in a good mood, which is super important to any people who are stuck inside with you through the winter. Not judging. Just saying: Don’t be a grumpy gus!
Color – Step aside kids! Coloring is for adults too! In fact, coloring can help relax the amygdala (that’s the fear center of the brain for those of you who don’t feel like googling it). But relaxing your mind, coloring can generate a mental state that is very similar to meditation. It gives you a moment of mental pause that can induce a sense of mindful quietness that can give your thoughts a rest. That is SUPER important when you are stressed out or suffer from anxiety!
This the part where you say “Wait a minute lady typing this post! You said I can relax today! If I order a coloring book I have to wait for it to ship and get delivered!” Well, impatient but perceptive reader, you are correct. But the solution is printable coloring pages! Order the exact images you want to color and print them at home or color them in your favorite coloring app. Don’t have a printer? Your local library probably has printing services (often for FREE). Here’s a list of Other Ways To Print Without A Home Printer.
Interested in adult coloring! Here is a whole Coloring Shop full of gorgeous hand-drawn coloring pages you can download and color today!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you click them and make a purchase (at no cost to you). This post is otherwise NOT sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands mentioned or reviewed.
About Artistry By Lisa Marie:
Artistry By Lisa Marie is a small art studio located in Rochester, NY. It currently consists of Lisa Marie, a hoard of colored pencils and her two small boys (her husband John is a computer geek with no artistic skill and has bowed out of the art business). Lisa Marie has been professionally creating art for over a decade and has created an extensive library of stunning hand-drawn coloring pages, all available for digital download. While she has a Master’s in Art History and can talk your ear off about the Old Masters, her background is custom pet portraits and beautiful coloring pages. Her main interests are encouraging creativity and helping colorists release their inner artist and relax.
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Want to start your collection of gorgeous printable coloring pages? Visit my hand-drawn grayscale coloring books and pages in my Coloring Shop! Instant download to enjoy today!
Not sure how to color in grayscale? Check out this fantastic Beginners Guide To Grayscale Coloring!
Wait, wait, wait! PRINTABLE coloring? What the heck is that? How do you even start? Relax! Leisurely click to my list of The 3 Things You Need to Start Your Printable Coloring Page Adventure!
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