Counselors Corner: Stress Relief Tips
Here are five tips from Dr. Janice Avalone to help reduce stress in these times.
By School Counselor Dr. Janice Avalone
Most of us have noticed a spike in our stress levels due to the global pandemic and significant changes in our lives from social distancing. Reminding ourselves of what we can control and letting go of what we cannot is an important technique in managing stress. Here are five additional tips to help reduce stress in these times.
- Meditation. If you don’t already have a meditation practice, a great start can be listening to relaxation apps. I recommend doing this in the morning, before you go to bed at night, and if you become stressed during the day. Many of these exercises are short, and it’s amazing how relaxed you can become in just a few minutes. Some of my favorites are: Plum Village, Headspace, Calm, and Breathe.
- Sleep Hygiene. Avoid digital devices at least 30 minutes before bed. At night if you can’t fall asleep or wake up in the night, try a body scan to release tension or counting breath techniques. These strategies are refocusing your brain away from stress and worry.
- Journaling. Write about your worries whether that is health, school, work, finances, family, etc. This practice helps process your worries, and takes them out of your brain and allows you to park them.
- Limit News. Stay informed, yet limit overexposure to the volume of the constant news cycle about the pandemic. Continuous watching of the news can contribute to unnecessary stress and secondary trauma from traumatic events that others are experiencing.
- Weighted Blanket. Explore the benefits of a therapeutic weighted blanket in combating stress. The way it works is that it puts pressure on your body that can release serotonin in the brain which creates a sense of calm and well-being.
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
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