A 2018 study released by the American Psychological Association found that 74% of adults reported experiencing at least one physical or emotional symptom due to stress over the month of December. Does this sound familiar? Especially in the midst of a pandemic and added holiday emotions, stress is at an all-time high. Stress is commonly associated with mental health, but it can also affect your physical health and is now being shown to contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure and cause anxiety and depression. Here are some tips to help relieve stress right now:

• Write it down – If you are feeling overwhelmed with a situation, journaling can be a great outlet to release any worries or concerns you may be experiencing. You can also use journaling as a resource to get yourself more organized, make lists, or recap your day.
• Get active – Movement is great for your heart and your mind. Whether you go spend an hour at the gym or walk for 5 minutes, physical activity can clear your mind, allow you to focus on something else, and release those feel-good hormones called endorphins!
• Laugh it up – Call a friend and laugh about a funny memory (bonus points if you laugh until you cry!). Reminiscing on positive memories can also release endorphins.
• Get a good night’s rest – Getting enough sleep increases productivity and allows your body the chance to relax. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night – that means turning off Netflix, putting your phone on the bedside table and relaxing until you fall asleep.

Remember that there any many ways you can relieve stress. Find something you enjoy doing, makes you happy and start there.

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