Is the Election Making You Stressed? Try These 3 Stress Relieving Techniques

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a stressful year for us all. And the election between Trump and Biden is most likely not reducing anyone's stress. When you find yourself completely overwhelmed with anxiety, fear or just general tension,

try these 3 techniques to get you through.

1. Deep Breathing: The saying is true. Just take a deep breath when you find yourself overwhelmed. This breath will help bring oxygen into our body and help stimulate blood flow. This can help loosen any restricted areas, including muscle tension. Deep breathing also gives us something to focus on and can help center our thoughts. Try this techniques by placing one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath and feel your chest rise. On the exhale, feel your belly press outwards. Do 10 repetitions while taking about 5 seconds for each breath.

2. Take a Walk: Sometimes we need a change of scenery to help reduce our stress. Going for a long walk in a park, forest, or on the beach can also help us reduce our stress and improve our blood flow. Additionally, being in nature and focusing on the sounds it offers can help refocus our minds. Try taking a 10 minute walk outside while focusing on the sounds of the wind, the birds, or the fresh air smell.

3. Get off Social Media: Our stress can be easily intensified by the news, social media posts, and all the information that is constantly coming at us. Although social media is a great way to connect with friends and family, it can sometimes be overwhelming during an election cycle. It can be very easy to get pulled into a Facebook debate, be targeted with social media ads, or go down a "rabbit hole" of information on one topic. Taking a break from social media can help us refocus on what is important in our lives. It can help you reconnect with those people who are in your daily life and regain a sense of reality.