Over time, the hectic pace of life today takes its toll on our bodies and minds. It is hard to switch off from our thoughts and free our bodies from tension and stress. If we are not careful to take time out to relax, we can find our peace of mind deteriorating into a whirl of dissatisfaction and chaos. Here are 6 practical ways to help you calm stress and rediscover a happier, more peaceful you:

Adopt a Healthier Lifestyle to Improve Well-Being

Adopting a healthier lifestyle can help you to reduce stress. Consuming too much caffeine and alcohol may appear to help us stay on top but their chemical effects will add to our body's stress levels over time. Drinking more water and herbal teas and eating more vitamin rich foods will help you feel good, which in turn will make you better able to handle stress. Green tea and Chamomile tea are especially good to help you relax and can help you sleep at night. Make sure you get enough sleep to allow the body to repair itself and awake refreshed to face the new day.

Exercise is a Great Way to De-stress

Exercise helps you to calm stress by releasing endorphins (positive chemicals in the brain). Even mild exercise can help. A higher level of endorphins has beneficial effects upon body and mind including an elevated mood and increased levels of immunity. Regular exercise can definitely help to reduce stress.

Calm Stress With Yoga

Yoga uses simple, non-strenuous body movements and postures which have a beneficial effect on your physical health. It also has a calming effect on the mind and will help to calm stress. As well as improving strength and stamina, it is designed to harmonise body, mind and spirit and lead to a feeling of oneness and calm.

Commune with Nature to Calm Stress

Getting out into the countryside with its fresh air and beautiful scenery will help to relax your body and clear your mind. Walk in the woods or along the beach as often as you can. Take your time to appreciate the wonders of nature and reflect upon how insignificant our personal experience is in the great scheme of the entire universe.

Get Your Worries Into Perspective

When we are stressed we have a tendency to focus on ourselves and our feelings can get totally out of perspective. Consider whether the things you are stressed over will still be worrying you in 5 or 10 years time? When you can put your stresses into perspective, you realise that they are not as significant as you may think. If there is something you can do to alleviate your problem then take action. For the rest you just have to let go and accept.

Learn to Meditate

If you've never meditated before then you won't know how great it can make you feel. To start you simply need to sit still, relax and let go of the thoughts that come into your head. Focussing on your breathing will help. Just do this to the best of your ability. Clearing your mind will help to relax your body and it is a great way to calm stress. The benefits are enormous in terms of a healthy body and a positive outlook. Daily practice of meditation will help you to recover your inner joy and compassion and will increase your enjoyment of life.