Five on Friday: Reducing Anxiety and Stress

For many, it’s been a stressful week! This week’s Five on Friday comes from Kaethe Weingarten, PhD, Director of Witness to Witness. She has reviewed hundreds of resources on reducing anxiety and stress. We asked her what some of her top recommendations would be for this very high-stress week, and she kindly offered up the following five resources, with a note included for each about why she recommends it. Thank you, Kaethe!

Here are “Five Easy Pieces” about how to de-stress I have selected out of the hundreds of resources I have that made sense to me to share today.  Here’s what I like about each one:

Some people think self-care is an overblown idea.  This short piece lays out concrete suggestions that are backed up by research for those of us who want the “hard science” as a reason to take better care of ourselves during stressful times.

These are simple, straightforward activities that don’t take much time or effort.  I did five-finger breathing with two of my grandchildren the other day and they liked doing it…and it helped.  (The six-year-old was about to have a loose tooth pulled!)

For many of us, sleep is elusive these days.  Resting is an alternative.  Here are some suggestions from Tricia Hersey, founder of the Nap Ministry, that I have slightly modified. 

Close your eyes for 10 minutes

Take a long shower in silence

Meditate for 20 minutes

Stare out of window and daydream

Sip decaf tea before going to bed

Slow dance with yourself to soothing music

Pray

Do a yoga pose

Time yourself for a 20 minute nap

Take a hot bath

Take a media break

Batch your responses to texts and emails

Take a long walk in nature

Listen to a long piece of music while doing nothing else

Play a musical instrument

Work on a coloring book

Knit or crochet

Bake

Do slow breathing in to a count of 4, hold for 2 and out for a count of 5

There are so many guided meditation scripts out in the world these days.  This one appeals to me for its simplicity and tenderness.

I have always liked Toni Bernhard’s work.  This short piece rings emotionally true to me and it’s practical.

Have a safe and healthy weekend.

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