7 Easy Ways to Relieve Stress as a Parent

As parents, we have all the reasons to feel stressed and exhausted. In addition to that, we often lack time to relax and recharge the batteries.

But don’t worry, there’s hope! These easy ways to relieve stress will show you that relaxing and releasing the pressure can take less time than you think.

1. Breathe deeply

When we are facing a stressful situation, we go into “fight-or-flight” mode: our body is tense, our heart is racing, and we are barely able to make rational decisions.

Breathing is actually one of the most straightforward ways to relieve stress and will help you activate a relaxation response in your body and mind. There are several breathing techniques you can apply depending on your situation.

I love breathing techniques as they are simple and can be practiced anywhere alone or with our children.

2. Laugh

Among its several benefits on health and mood, laughing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to relieve stress as it actually reduces the level of stress hormones in our body.

You might be asking yourself: “How on earth am I supposed to laugh when I’m stressed out?” Well, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Here are a few ideas that will certainly help you put a smile on your face or even burst into laughter:

• Think about something funny (a joke, a situation, etc.).
• If you can, try to find something funny in the situation that’s stressing you out.
• Talk to/call a person who makes you laugh.
• Watch a funny show/video.
• Listen to a funny podcast.
• Read a comic/book that makes you laugh.

3. Cry

On the other hand, sometimes, simply allowing yourself to cry can be just what you need to relieve stress. Crying is a natural stress relief mechanism triggered when stress levels are becoming unhealthy. Emotional tears allow to evacuate not only stress hormones but also manganese, which has a positive effect on our mood.

Obviously, crying isn’t something you necessary want to do in front of others. If there are people around you, e.g., your kids or co-workers, you might want to seek some privacy in the bathroom or in another room where you can be on your own.

4. Scream

Having a good scream is another effective way of releasing tension. Of course, we are talking about what is called a primal scream (which has the purpose of relieving stress) and not about angrily yelling at somebody – even though it sometimes might be tempting…

Even though screaming isn’t a very popular stress management technique, it’s a proven therapeutic method. It’s even used in many universities and colleges across Canada and the United States to help students relieve the stress of final exams. 

The tricky part about screaming is finding a location to practice it. Convenient locations to have a good scream could be in nature, in your car, or even screaming into a pillow. It’s also a great way to help children let some steam off.

5. Cuddle

The reaction of babies and children to hugs, kisses, and cuddles is the best proof of their soothing effect. Besides reducing stress, physical touch helps raise your mood, feel connected to others, improve your sleep, and even reduce anxiety.

There are so many ways to cuddle. Of course, you can cuddle your partner or your kids, but you can also hug a friend or spend time with your pet. So don’t wait any longer. Go show your loved ones some appreciation!

6. Walk

Among its numerous benefits, walking is a well-known stress management technique. In my eyes, it belongs to the easiest ways to relax and let go of tension. Accompanied or alone, in nature or in the city, walking can be adapted to almost any schedule or situation.

Also very appreciable is the fact that you can use it preventively. So don’t wait until you are overwhelmed by stress. Making walking part of your daily routine will allow you to regulate your stress levels on a daily basis.

7. Turn the music on

Music is an extremely powerful tool to relieve stress. Listening to soothing music, e.g., classical music, has a positive effect on your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels.

Music can also help you express your emotions, focus, and even put you in a meditative state, thereby multiplying the stress-relieving effect. Singing along (loudly or not) and/or dancing are other great ways to use music for stress management.

If you haven’t done so already, try to include music into your daily routine: turn on the music in the car, dance it out with your kids, sing in the shower!

Stress is omnipresent in our lives as parents so it’s crucial to find ways to compensate and let off some steam. These easy ways to relieve stress will help you relieve the tension and can be used preventively to make you more resilient to stress.