Are you finding yourself under a lot of stress lately? Here are 52 self care ideas for stress you can try today to help you unwind and rest when you’re feeling overwhelmed. 

Almost everyone experiences stress in some shape or form in their daily lives. Whether you are a student, parent, employee, everyone has encountered and experienced stressful situations. It is important that we are able to identify what exactly it is that stresses us out and recognize when we are starting to feel the effects of such.

In this blog post, you will find different self care ideas for stress. After reading this post, hopefully you will be inspired in implementing few of these activities in your daily routine, especially on days when you are just needing a break.

What is stress and why is it harmful to our bodies? 

According to Harvard Health, our body goes into a ‘fight or flight’ response when we sense dangerous or threatening situations, which then signals our bodies to release stress hormones and activate different parts of our bodies to cope.

However, exposure to stress over a prolonged period of time can put a strain on our immune system, ultimately affecting our ability to properly respond to stressful situations. In addition, constant response to stress can increase the risk for the development of chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke, and even dementia, etc.

This post is all about self care ideas for stress. 

52 Self Care Ideas for Stress When Life Gets Overwhelming

1. Take a hot bath – turn off the lights, light a candle, and put a relaxing playlist in the background and indulge in a hot bath and stay as long and comfortable as you want. 
2. Get more hours of sleep – according to healthline, people require at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep time. Sleep, or a lack thereof, can have an impact on our productivity levels, weight, mental health, physical health, and so much more.
3. Listen to feel-good music – did you know that listening to music release dopamine? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in our brains that is responsible for making us feel good and rewarded. Listening to music also helps lower cortisol, which is a stress hormone.
4. Sip herbal tea – herbal tea has few benefits according to Harvard. if you’re a tea lover, you already are probably aware of the different teas out there for stress relief. My personal favourite is chamomile tea, which can easily be bought on Amazon so it makes things a lot more convenient. Tip: double check which ones are caffeine-free or not
5.  Recite positive affirmations – I am a firm believer of saying positive affirmations out loud. The more you tell yourself something over and over again, the more you will believe them. Words are powerful – don’t underestimate the weight they carry.
6.  Go on a drive – I do not know about you, but I find going on long drives therapeutic. Something about putting a good playlist on and driving (safely, of course) provides me the space where I can just escape and be free for a while.
7. Rewatch your favourite comfort movie – do you have a list of movies that you can just watch over and over again and still to this day, doesn’t fail to pick you up? I sure do, and it’s one of my favourite ways to unwind after a long day.
8.  Light your favourite candle – one of my favourite forms of self care is creating a relaxing ambience in my room by lighting my favourite candles. my absolute favourite candle brand has the most delicious smelling scents and it’s perfect for creating a calming and relaxing space.
9.  Order takeout – cause why not?
10.  Build legos – I have always found legos so fun. Check out the sales and deals on their website here.
11.  Say ‘no’ – setting boundaries is key and is a form of self care.
12. Go shopping – if budget allows, consider retail therapy as a way to de-stress.
13.  Have a good cry – sometimes we just need to release what we’ve been holding in the inside. crying can be a powerful way to release emotions and stress.
14.  Cuddle with your pets – spending time with pets is another form of self care. Our fur babies can do wonders on our mental and emotional health.
15. Get a massage – when was the last time you’ve treated yourself to a massage day? maybe it’s time to book that appointment and have a relaxing spa day soon.
16. Plan something fun with friends on the weekend – has it been a while since you’ve met up with friends over dinner? why not take a break from work and school, and spend time with the people you love?
17.  Read a book – reading is one of my favourite self care activities. I love being able to escape from everyday life from time to time and indulge in a good book.
18. Hit the gym – if you love to workout and exercising helps you de-stress, spending some time in the gym or working out at home may help improve your mood and clear your head.
19. Buy yourself flowers – flowers aren’t just for special occasions. getting yourself fresh cut flowers is a form of self care.
20. FaceTime a friend – I don’t know about you but FaceTime calls with my friends always is such a mood booster. Spending time with people you love is a great way to de-stress and it can really improve our mood.
21. Do a puzzle – solving a puzzle and sipping on a drink of your choice in your pajamas sounds like the perfect night in 🙂
22. Watch the sunset – you will never regret catching a sunset anywhere you are.
23. Get creative: knit, draw, or paint – do you consider yourself artistic? if you said yes, try spending some time doing crafts and unleash your creativity by making something new.
24. Plan a tentative trip – sometimes I like to create a rough draft of an itinerary to a travel destination of my choice for the future. it helps me to look forward to something in the near future.
25. Dance like nobody’s watching – sometimes when I just need a mood booster, I like to play music that will make me dance and bust a couple of moves by myself.
26. Tidy up your space – ever heard of the saying “clean space, clean mind?” spending a few minutes tidying up your space might just do the trick in clearing your head.
27. Paint your nails – are your nails due for some TLC? why not pamper yourself to a new set of manicure right in the comfort of your own home?
28. Make a vision board – not only do vision boards help us manifest our goals + aspirations, but making them is so much fun.
29. Practice gratitude – when we are stressed out, it is easy to forget all of our blessings. writing down a gratitude list helps us remember how fortunate we are and gives us a chance to reflect what we are thankful for.
30. Watch vlogs – anyone else love YouTube like I do? One of my favourite ways to unwind is to watch some of my favourite vloggers. Maybe with some snacks, too.
31. Be patient with yourself – sometimes we just need to give ourselves some grace.
32. Make a cup of hot chocolate – one of my favourite drinks to indulge is a nice steaming mug of hot chocolate.
33. Go for ice cream – sometimes you just need to treat yourself 🙂
34. Walk your dog – getting some fresh air by going on a walk with our pets is a fun way to spend time with our cute fur babies.
35. Play video games – one of my favourite ways to de-stress is playing video games. whenever I just need a break, I like to chill for an hour or so playing my favourite games.
36. Pray – praying and spending time with God is a form of self-care for many people. As a spiritual person myself, I find comfort in spending time with God during times of stress and pressure in my day to day life.
37. Bake – do you love to bake? check out these easy and simple recipes for your next baking session.
38.  Do a brain dump – sometimes I just need to grab a piece of paper and write everything that’s on my mind to help clear my head and give me more clarity. the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, try jotting down your thoughts – maybe it’s things you have to do, or simply what you’re currently feeling.
39.  Do breathing exercises – sometimes when I’m too overwhelmed, I forget to breathe properly. anytime I am feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, I like to do the box breathing technique. This helps reset my breathing and remain grounded and mindful to what is around me.
40. Get outside and soak up some sun – anytime that I can get some sunlight for myself is wonderful for my mental health. Being outside is an instant mood booster for myself.
41.  Stretch – spending a few minutes stretching helps relieve tension in my body and instantly makes me feel at ease and relaxed.
42.  Hydrate – do you ever find yourself to forget to sip water throughout the day, especially when you’re stressed out? drink plenty of water because staying hydrated has many overall health benefits for the body.
43. Put on a face mask – give yourself some pampering at home and have a spa night
44. Cook yourself a meal – are you feeling inspired to cook a yummy meal? check out these recipes.
45. Take a nap – research shows that naps are good for adults, and not just babies. studies show that napping for as short as 30 minutes can ease stress levels.
46.  Listen to your favourite podcasts – if you’re someone who enjoys listening to podcasts, why not tune in to an episode while going for a walk, or sipping on your favourite beverage as a way to relax?
47. Hug a loved one – research has shown that hugs help reduce stress and have many health benefits.
48. Unplug from social media – the last thing we need when we’re overwhelmed is being overstimulated by social media. sometimes taking a break from our phones is just what we need to do for our mental health.
49.  Journal your worries – when you’ve got too many things going through your head, writing down your thoughts on a piece of paper can help clear your head.
50. Put on a comfy pair of pajamas – I don’t know about you but I love me some comfy loungewear. after a long, stressful day, all I want to do is put on a cozy pair of pajamas and chill in bed.
51. Play with makeup – experimenting with makeup is a form of self-expression and creativity, and can help boost confidence and self-esteem. I know for me playing with makeup makes me feel confident, pretty and happy.
52. Find new music on Spotify or Apple Music – music is such a big part of my daily self care routine. finding new music and creating a bunch of playlist is such a fun way to de-stress and relax.

This post was all about self care ideas for stress.

Which of these ideas did you like and would want to implement into your self care routine? Comment down below and I would love to hear your thoughts!