Low Cost Stress Relievers

[mrsklamc]

Are you on the North side or the South side? If you are on the South Side, Mount Pleasant Christian Church in Greenwood has an extremely low cost fitness center, it's a very nice facility too.

If you are on the North side, I have tons of ideas...

Flowing Well Park is a beautiful place for a walk.
Aveda in the Castleton Square mall has students perform low cost services.
I know of a church in Noblesville that has a quilting group- though it certainly CAN be done by hand, the slow speed would be too frustrating for me.

If you have a bathroom full of free CVS stuff like me, just going through it can almost be like a spa day- I forget what all I have in there so it can be a nice surprise to go through it.

I know of a northside salon that does a 'flash facial' for $25.

 

[pearlieq]

Not actually doing the yoga -- I think I would be in traction if I tried to achieve any of those positions -- but just watching them, and the soft music, and the narrator lady's smoooooth voice, it's all very relaxing to me.

OMG, I thought I was the only person that did this!

I watch Wai Lana yoga on our local public television station. Between the Hawaiian music, the scenery, and the voice, it's super relaxing.

Much more so than going to the ER, which is what would happen if I actually tried to do what she was doing!

 

[branv]

If you have cable tv watch Fit TV, I've discovered the Namaste Yoga show on there and it's so helpful in relieving my stress. If you already have cable then it's free! I have taped several of the shows on my DVR and do them whenever I can throughout the day to relieve my stress.

A bonus is that you become flexible and in better shape! Good luck in whatever you do!

We also use our time warner FitTV to do this! I know they say it's far better to take a class so you can get guidance, but for those of us who don't have the funds, are too self-concious, or don't have the ability to regularly get to a studio, it's better than nothing at all.

DH & I really like their video "Beginner AM/PM Yoga video by YogaWorks". It's doable even for stiff-as-a-board, way-overweight pooh bears like us. Some of those videos that call themselves "beginner" videos apparently need a tutorial on what life is like for those of us without rubber-band hamstrings But we've had great success with the YogaWorks. They are really good about explaining each move so you can do it without always having to stop to stare at the screen, awesome warm up/cool down, pose modifications for those with limitations, and more flow for those with limited stamina. Overall it is challenging for a beginner without leaving you feeling discouraged or like it's impossible.

I can't tell you how relaxed but energized I feel after doing a session. Even on those days where it just feels like my body is resisting and like I'm moving through quicksand, no matter how sweaty and oogy I get, at the very end I feel really peaceful yet incredibly vibrant. I know that may sound goofy, but for someone like me who has NEVER felt that way after any exercise (runner's high must surely be a myth ), it means a lot to me to find this. As long as I remember that it's about paying attention to my body, my breathing and NOT a fight to conquer a pose, it's freeing b/c all that external stuff moves out of my mind. For example, when DH gets stressed, his blood sugar goes up. But he's found that when it's high, if he does a Yoga session, shortly afterward it's back to normal. He also sleeps better when he does it regularly.

Oh yes, and all that stretching has REALLY decreased my ankle/foot pain.

If you don't have a cable provider that offers the FitTV, you can order the video I suggested, or many others, from Netflix. I've also checked some out from our local library.

 

[Evi]

Things I do when under stress:

cut back on caffeine I still have coffee just half it with decaf

I love drinking tea infront of the fireplace

Yoga if your really stressed try to commit to 3-4 1 hr classes a week makes a huge difference

Meditate even a few minutes a day

Buy bach Herbal essences put a few drops in water or under tongue

Buy lavender essence add a few drops near your pillow before bed or even a perfume that has lavender in it like lavanilla lavender.

Get a massage

Take a bath add some epsom salt and lavander drops

Keep a journal and make a list of good things that happen everyday

Read an uplifting book

Pray or find some sense of spirituality

Walk in a beautiful park borrow a friends pet and go for a walk if you don't have one hehe its a great excuse to walk

get a mani/pedi or even give yourself one any kind of self pamper at home facial a face mask etc.

Spend time with family and friends

trust your not alone we all stress out sometimes and know that with all the bad comes good and new opportunities.

 

[JCMHutch]

I do a lot of cooking, and in the last year I've really gotten into making things from scratch. It is relaxing until I have to deal with the dishes.

I'd love to learn how to quilt. I don't have a sewing machine though, is it necessary? Could you recommend some learning resources?

I actually use a quilting kit set from Joann's Fabrics. There are twelve smaller kits and then a finishing kit. The instructions give you the sew by hand and sewing machine instructions. The entire thing will make one full quilt front and then has the directions to add a back and do the actual quilting. The first few kits are easier patterns and then there may be some harder ones towards the end - so you work your way up. I did the fronts of all the quilts by hand, used a machine to put the 2 pieces of backing together (they are really long!) and then did the quilting and 4 outside seams by hand.

I liked the first kit first so much that I just keep using those. By using these you don't have to worry about finding a pattern, buying fabric, measuring, cutting all the pieces, etc. Joann's usually has two patterns to choose from - one easier and one harder. (I have made mistakes in my sewing or misplaced pieces of fabric and had to buy replacement fat squares, which Joann's sells in the same display as the kits. ) I have made 4 so far and still have the first one I made 5 years ago on my couch. We use it every winter.

If you go the kit way, and you are not sure, most crafting stores will sell smaller kits for frame size decorative quilts. If you like that, you could try the full size one. Just keep in mind that for the full size quilts, the patterns change yearly so you want to buy the kits as they come out - once they are gone, you will not find that one again. Joann's also sells the complete 13 piece kit online and its cheaper buy it that way.

I hope this helps.

 

[DisneyDizzy]

When I'm stressed, I can't sleep. I find "getting together" with my husband is a HUGE stress reliever. The exercise is good and I definitely sleep better.

Also walking with my earphones in and tuning out the whole world, shutting and locking the bathroom door and taking a very long bubble bath. I don't care if the world falls apart outside that door. They can handle it.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Do you have one of those massage kiosks in the middle of your mall? It cost something like $16 for 15 minutes at my mall and it's a real massage--not just a massage chair. I feel sooo much better whenever I splurge on one.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Whenever I get stressed out I usually head out for a chair massage (not a massaging chair but you sit in the chair with a real massage therapist). They are not the 75.00+ kind they are usually 1.00 per minute. Just call around. I have booked as little as 10 minutes and they really help me throughout the rest of the day. Another thing I do is ask DH to take the kids somewhere for a few hours..they like to hang out at their grandparents. I just like hanging out around my house alone sometimes. Watching a movie and just being alone.

 

[crisi]

You might want to try Cognative Behavioral Therapy if you have insurance. It helps change the way you think to relieve anxiety. If you don't have insurance, David Burn's book "Feeling Good" can work you through some techniques to deal.

 

[redlawyer]

The suggestions for a walk, yoga, etc. are good. However, when I'm stressed its time to bring out the big guns. A pint of Ben and Jerry's Heath Bar Crunch. I'm not saying that this is an every day situation, but when things are really difficult, sitting there with one spoon in a big comfy armchair, things definitely start looking better.

 

[cdrn1]

Xanax. Generic $4 for 30. Works for me.

 

[indimom]

Think about the things that make you happy, that you enjoy, and do it...
Even though I'm not that good at it (have to stick with the tried and true varieties), I love digging in the dirt and planting flowers, watering them, enjoying their color, it just brightens my day...
Another "discovery" I made in the last year is that I ENJOY washing dishes (by hand!!! ). Go figure! Our third dishwasher broke down and I decided enough was enough, I'd just wash by hand. Low and behold, I enjoy it. I think it's the warm, scented water, and the quick and easy "accomplishment" factor. But I really enjoy it.
I love to have my hair brushed. Sometimes I'll pay the kids to brush my hair for 15 minutes.
And (over the years) I have to be honest with myself about what I CAN'T do... It took me years to stop over-extending myself. I've finally learned to say "no" once in a while, I just can't do it all.

So, think about it? What do you love, enjoy, find relaxing??? Put some time for those things into your day. Eliminate your stressers if at all possible, or hand off those responsibilities to your DH.

And if/when you try to get yourself off the meds, be prepared for your problems/symptoms to worsen for a while. I come from a family of anxious/high strung/nervous types. This has been a commom occurance for them.
Also, it wouldn't hurt to check with your doctor about the meds you are currently using. My mother had a particular medication that she used for years and didn't realize it was causing her sleep issues (bad dreams followed by wakefulness). They changed this med when they changed her blood pressure meds (couldn't be used together) and suddenly her sleep issues ended. She was shocked that she had been suffering for years and could have solved the problem with a change in meds. Definately make sure you are sharing all your issues with your doctor in case a change is in order.

Hope this helps.

 

[benolathe]

The first thing that came to mind for me was knitting. I just learned a few weeks ago, and have been making lots of different things - and a lot of dishcloths. lol It is really nice to be able to create something out of a piece of 'string.'

And I would also recommend taking a walk around your neighborhood in the evenings. It is really relaxing to me to put my earbuds in and listen to songs on my iPod while walking for an hour or so.

 

[ilovemonk]

Thank you guys for all of your suggestions. I'm going to try all of them, but the first thing I think I'm going to do is share the wealth on stuff. I totally Micro manage the house despite the DH & DSs asking to help. Then I'll work on your guys' list.

Maybe that's part of it, too, that you micromanage. Try to delegate and let them help. I always tell my kids that I am not the only member of the family that lives in our house so they should help, too, which is true. Why should I do all the work. lol

I like to sew, knit, crochet, exercise, and play with our dog to relieve stress. Plus, I love to have some "me" time even for 15 minutes. The kids know that when I close my office door or my bathroom door when I take bubble baths for 15 minutes that mommy is on a mini vacation.