{"id":12137,"date":"2019-04-12T22:16:23","date_gmt":"2019-04-13T02:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/?p=12137"},"modified":"2022-06-23T09:55:52","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T13:55:52","slug":"activities-to-reduce-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Reduce Stress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If the pressure of your workload or relationships is weighing on you, take action by participating in these activities known for their stress-relieving properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>1. Exercise<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Take the edge off of the mental stress by moving your body. The endorphins that are released from exercise can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/10-benefits-of-exercise\">help lower stress and anxiety<\/a>. Not to mention, exercise is known to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/17-tips-to-sleep-better\">improve your quality of sleep<\/a>, which could help you feel more prepared to take on a big day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try swapping out a short drive with a walk, as the combination of a change of scenery and a little movement can give you quite the mood boost. Or, opt for the stairs instead of the elevator if your schedule is too slammed to fit a workout in. If working out sounds like a daunting chore for you, consider attending a dance-based class like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/live\/top-5-workouts-to-do-with-your-girlfriends\/\">Zumba with your girlfriends<\/a>, hitting the roller rink, or going for a bike ride because there is something about that magical feeling of the wind blowing through your hair that makes you forget your to-do list. Not to mention, doing so in style with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/active\">Dia&amp;Co Active<\/a> might help you feel even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>2. Aromatherapy<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Scents can be extremely soothing. Lighting a candle or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety#section7\">using essential oils may reduce your feelings of stress<\/a> and anxiety. We always think that any form of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/live\/5-moms-on-how-they-practice-self-care\/\">self-care<\/a> is a good idea, especially if you\u2019re having a particularly stressful week. If the fancy spas think it\u2019s a good idea to make the place smell like lavender, rose, or bergamot, we think <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/live\/diy-spa-winter\/\">creating your own spa-like environment<\/a> complete with aromatherapeutic scents is an even better idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>3. Laughter<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s cliche to say that laughter is the best medicine, but it doesn\u2019t make it any less true. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety#section7\">Laughing relieves tension<\/a> by relaxing your muscles and can even relieve your stress response. It\u2019s simply harder to feel anxious when you\u2019re laughing. Spend some time with your funniest friends, watching the TV shows that make you giggle, or hit a comedy club. Sometimes, just saying the reasons why you\u2019re stressed while laughing can help you release some of the stress you\u2019re holding onto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>4. Music<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Put together a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/live\/body-positive-summer-playlist\/\">playlist<\/a> that helps the world spin a bit slower as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S019745561530006X\">music has been known to reduce stress<\/a> too. If you know there is one song that always calms you down, put it on and feel free to play it on repeat until you don\u2019t feel like you need it anymore. On days when you need more energy, listen to a playlist full of songs that are more energetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>5. Cuddles<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a reason why it\u2019s so fun to cuddle our loved ones and furry friends! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4323947\/\">Positive physical contact can help release oxytocin and lower cortisol<\/a>. This means your blood pressure and heart rate can be lowered from snuggles, so dole out the hugs freely and squeeze the hands of your loved ones. A little physical contact can do a lot to combat your stress and theirs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Bonus Tip: Saying no.<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Often times the stressors in our lives are not in our control. But when they are,&nbsp;it\u2019s important that we exercise our right to say no to the asks that we don\u2019t have the bandwidth to handle or support. If you regularly find yourself taking on more than you can handle, it would be smart to be selective about what you can take on. Your time and energy are precious resources, so distribute them thoughtfully. Self-care isn\u2019t selfish, and making sure you have the time and energy for you isn\u2019t selfish either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you feeling overwhelmed right now? Looking for ways to clear your mind and get rid of emotional baggage? Give these tips a try to see if they can help you find a mellow moment. If you have stress relief tips that you love to practice, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/diaandco\">give us a shout on social<\/a> and let us know what you do to find peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If the pressure of your workload or relationships is weighing on you, take action by participating in these activities known for their stress-relieving properties. 1. Exercise Take the edge off of the mental stress by moving your body. The endorphins that are released from exercise can help lower stress and anxiety. Not to mention, exercise [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":12139,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[184],"class_list":["post-12137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>5 Ways to Reduce Stress - Dia &amp; Co<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With April being Stress Awareness Month, we&#039;re here to give you tips on ways to help you can calm down and take a beat.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Ways to Reduce Stress - Dia &amp; Co\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With April being Stress Awareness Month, we&#039;re here to give you tips on ways to help you can calm down and take a beat.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dia &amp; Co\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/diaandco\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-04-13T02:16:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-06-23T13:55:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"830\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"540\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marge Hudson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@diaandco\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@diaandco\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marge Hudson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/\",\"name\":\"5 Ways to Reduce Stress - Dia &amp; Co\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-04-13T02:16:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-06-23T13:55:52+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/12fa817987a28e5e481cfbdfaa4a81de\"},\"description\":\"With April being Stress Awareness Month, we're here to give you tips on ways to help you can calm down and take a beat.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg\",\"width\":830,\"height\":540,\"caption\":\"Maddy Jones walking outside\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"5 Ways to Reduce Stress\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Dia &amp; Co\",\"description\":\"Dia &amp; Co is the premier personal styling service for plus-size women. Try on clothes at home, keep what you like, return the rest to us!\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/12fa817987a28e5e481cfbdfaa4a81de\",\"name\":\"Marge Hudson\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"5 Ways to Reduce Stress - Dia &amp; Co","description":"With April being Stress Awareness Month, we're here to give you tips on ways to help you can calm down and take a beat.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"5 Ways to Reduce Stress - Dia &amp; Co","og_description":"With April being Stress Awareness Month, we're here to give you tips on ways to help you can calm down and take a beat.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/","og_site_name":"Dia &amp; Co","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/diaandco\/","article_published_time":"2019-04-13T02:16:23+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-06-23T13:55:52+00:00","og_image":[{"width":830,"height":540,"url":"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Marge Hudson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@diaandco","twitter_site":"@diaandco","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marge Hudson","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/","name":"5 Ways to Reduce Stress - Dia &amp; Co","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg","datePublished":"2019-04-13T02:16:23+00:00","dateModified":"2022-06-23T13:55:52+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/12fa817987a28e5e481cfbdfaa4a81de"},"description":"With April being Stress Awareness Month, we're here to give you tips on ways to help you can calm down and take a beat.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/d3mnyo7e05c2kb.cloudfront.net\/blog-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/10-activities-header.jpg","width":830,"height":540,"caption":"Maddy Jones walking outside"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wellness\/activities-to-reduce-stress\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"5 Ways to Reduce Stress"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/","name":"Dia &amp; Co","description":"Dia &amp; Co is the premier personal styling service for plus-size women. Try on clothes at home, keep what you like, return the rest to us!","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/12fa817987a28e5e481cfbdfaa4a81de","name":"Marge Hudson"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12137"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12137\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}