Everyone has stress, and sometimes life can get a little overwhelming. At Cool Springs, we want to promote the overall health and wellness of all of our members and the entire community as a whole. To do this, we wanted to give everyone a few proven tips to reduce stress and anxiety. These may not help everyone and obviously won’t get rid of all your worries in an instant, but they are a place to start!

1. Workout/Try Group Training – It has been said over and over again that working out can make you happier and reduce stress by releasing endorphins and improving your quality of sleep and confidence level, and that is true. But, if working out alone isn’t the easiest for you, take it a step further and do some group training. Not only will you be producing endorphins and getting healthy, but you get to hang out with other people and socialize, which can motivate you to workout even when you don’t want to!
2. Disconnect from your Phone – In today’s world, a lot of stress stems from that little thing we hold in our hand. So, it only makes sense that putting that down for a while can reduce this stress. Ignore the interruptions and alerts from your phone and hang out with some friends or read a book with no distractions!
3. Hangout with a Furry Friend – This may sound a little strange but spending time with animals is actually proven to reduce anxiety by lowering your stress hormones and boosts oxytocin, known as the ‘love drug,’ that makes you happier. If you don’t have a furry friend of your own, borrow a friend’s pet for a day or volunteer at an animal shelter!
4. Try Something New – Go out and do something new. The sense of adventure and excitement can invigorate you and give you a feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment!
5. Spend Time with Family & Friends – Being around friends and family can help to reduce stress and anxiety by giving you a feeling of belonging and a network to rely on and talk to.

Doing any of these things or a combination of these, even every once in a while, can really make a difference. Life is busy and crazy, but it’s important to slow down and take time for yourself to focus on your mental health – remember that – and we hope that this can help you do so!