DeStressing in Stressful Times
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- Getting Started with FlipsterPDF guide to getting started with Flipster
Eudeonology (Happiness!)
- Ologies interview with Dr. Laurie Santos
Alie Ward interviews happiness researcher & Yale professor, Dr. Laurie Santos, about living the good life in tough times.
Hone your stress-relieving skills!
Like many things, managing your response to stress takes practice, and practice takes time. Work on honing your stress relief skills with these suggestions.
- Activities to Manage Stress and Induce RelaxationThree activities designed to help manage stress and induce relaxation
- Coping with Stress During an Infectious Disease OutbreakTips for coping with stress during an infectious disease outbreak from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association
- Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health During an Infectious Disease OutbreakTips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Meditation
Meditation can have numerous health benefits, "including reduction in stress, anxiety, depression, as well as improved memory and increased brain efficiency with sustained attention. Meditation is also known to induce physiological benefits such as lowering blood pressure, heart rate, epinephrine, metabolism, breathing pattern and increased melatonin."¹ There are many popular paid apps that can help with guided meditation, and some free resources linked below.
1. Ooi, S.L. and Pak, S.C. (2019). The landscape of current meditation research: An overview to the special issue on 'Health benefits of meditation'. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 4(2) 1-8. doi:10.21926/obm.icm.1902033
- Pixel Thoughts
Pixel Thoughts is a 60 second meditation exercise to help you relax. It is available for free in-browser, or as an Apple or Android app. - Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind is a free meditation app available in your web browser, or on your Apple or Android device. - Meditate At Your Desk
Mindful.org offers a quick how-to for re-centering yourself and finding some calm during the middle of a workday.
Exercise
Exercise is known to have stress-mitigating effects.¹
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7 Minute Workout
With more than 3 million downloads, The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout® App is the fast, simple, science-based way to work out anywhere, anytime. Designed by Chris Jordan, Director of Exercise Physiology at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, the workout has helped people around the world get the most out of every minute. And now our world class, personalized workout experience is on Apple Watch – so your workout is always with you!
RunKeeper
Join the running community that helps people get out the door and stick with running forever. Go for a run, walk, or any activity really! You'll get a clear view of your training in real time. Join challenges, snag workout rewards, and share achievements with your friends.
Deep Breathing Exercises
- Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for RelaxationPracticing deep breathing is an incredibly effective technique to lower stress in the body. This link takes you to a University of Michigan Health Library guide with walkthroughs for practicing deep breathing exercises.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Anxiety Canada - Progressive Muscle RelaxationAnxiety Canada, a Canadian nonprofit group focused on creating free, online, self-help resources for anxiety, provides a progressive muscle relaxation exercise to teach you how to relax your muscles through a two-step process. This exercise will help you to lower your overall tension and stress levels, and help you relax when you are feeling anxious. It can also help reduce physical problems such as stomachaches and headaches, as well as improve your sleep.