How to Combat Stress

By Kelani Allen, writer

Junior Courtney Bradley gets in touch with her yoga side
​photo by Kelani Allen

 In my previous article I wrote about how socioeconomic status and stress can have an impact on health. In case anyone read that article and was wondering how they could alleviate that stress, here is a list of stress busting tips.

1. Write in a journal Writing in a journal can help relieve stress tremendously, it helps to get things off the mind and let go
2. Exercise and yoga Exercising is great when it comes to relieving stress, exercise and yoga both release endorphins in the brain, endorphins are a natural feel good chemical that triggers a positive response
3. Using herbs and essential oils Herbs and essential oils like lavender, rose, and chamomile are proven to have a psychological effect on the body​on the body. It all has to do with the  limbic  system, a group of brain structures
4. Meditate Meditating is a powerful practice for relieving stress. It can be done by just sitting in silence, chanting, or praying. It        can lower heart rate, reduce blood pressure and calm the mind

5.    Take deep breaths Doing breathing exercises can help reduce stress it is scientifically proven that it affects many parts of    
       the body, such as heart, brain, and immune system
6.    Listen to music Listening to music that you prefer, can be calming to the body and mind
7.    Create a balanced schedule Having an organized schedule can help relieve stress by not having so much on the mind and
​       having it all swarming around in your head