How to Relax

All of us have things going on in our lives that make us want to pull our hair out at one point or another.  Those times where we feel like we're just going and going... the world is working against us... we can never catch a break.

As a college student I feel that often these days.  When I visited with my doctor today to for migraine medication, he said that "high achievers" like me often suffer from headaches and anxiety.

Well.  Good to know! (;

So how do you unwind from all this craziness?  Here's a few things I like to do when I'm overwhelmed.

Read a book - For fun!

What I'm reading right now

If you're a student this probably sounds like the last thing you'd like to do in your spare time.  Honestly though I have found reading to be one of the best anti-stress medicines.  It keeps your mind sharp, but also gives you a chance to escape to someone else's reality without breaking your bank or having to leave the comfort of your couch.  Pretty perfect.

Take a bath

Uh yeah... I wish this was my bathrom.

Maybe you left bath-taking behind with your toddlerhood but this is a tried and true relaxation favorite of mine.  At the slightest sign of stress in my life I hop in the bath.  That's really no exaggeration!  To compound these tips you can also read a book in the bath, which I did just the other night (:

Also...  Epsom salt

Adding Epsom to your  bath is another bonus.  I like using lavender scented salts that I pick up at Rite-Aid for a pretty cheap price.  It's a good alternative to pricey bath salts that don't really do anything for you.  Epsom salts are proven to help relieve stress, anxiety and muscle aches&pains.

Wear a face mask

I'm not sure how effective these actually are, I just love doing them.  They give me a little boost of refreshment after a long day.  These two are what I've been using lately.

Use a little heat

Oh look... the half ripped tag is still on.

The main place that I hold tension is in my shoulders/neck which gives me lots of little headaches throughout a typical day.  My mom used to run an independent business with her friend selling heatable sewn bags of feed corn (!?) called Heatable Huggables that got me hooked on using heat for my achy joints and such.  Now I use this neck pillow which I love.  It has aromatherapy too.

Treat yourself!

Sometimes you just need a little retail therapy.  If you're like me your obsessed with saving your money, but remember that money is made for spending.  Every once in awhile it's okay to indulge! 

What are your favorite ways to relax?