Cures for a Bad Day

When you come home at the end of a bad day, your first instinct might be to plop onto the couch, turn on the television, and zone out for the evening. However, engaging in an activity that refreshes the mind and body is more helpful when it comes to relieving stress and anxiety.

Exercise

• Exercising increases the endorphins in your body. Endorphins help to lift your mood and relieve anxiety and stress. Additionally, exercising at the end of a bad day helps you to focus your attention on something besides the list of things not going well. Exercise builds confidence and makes you feel stronger, both important components in being able to handle life's challenges. Even a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood can reduce anxiety.

Yoga

• Yoga helps you align your breath with your body.

  Yoga gets both your body and your breath in sync. When you are stressed or anxious you tend to take shallow breaths or even hold your breath for long periods of time without noticing. Yoga poses are designed to get you breathing again along with the movement of your body. This can help you to feel more focused and centered.

Play

• Adults tend to forget about making time to play. Play can be physical, such as a game of basketball, or hide-and-go-seek with your kids. Play can also be mental, such as learning a new game. Incorporating fun back into your day is a good way to manage stress and anxiety. Playing a game with others can also help you feel less alone with your problems and worries. Playing takes your mind off your list of worries and can give you a fresh perspective on life's stresses.

Sleep

• Don't forget about sleep. Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. If you are not getting at least that much on a regular basis, your ability to cope with daily stresses weakens. Develop a nighttime routine that allows you to head to bed feeling relaxed. This routine could include writing down the things you need to do (worry about) tomorrow so that you won't think about them as you try to fall asleep. Also, minimize noise in your bedroom, including turning off your television, to aid your sleep.