February is heart health month

And a major topic is heart disease. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women, and while 1 in 31 women die from breast cancer, 1 in 3 die of heart disease. One of the leading causes for Heart Disease is a high stress level – very common in women of any age. Fortunately, this is easily preventable!

Keeping your heart healthy by de-stressing your life can improve your physical and mental health, and there are many fun ways to do it! Perhaps try a different kind of physical activity, like dancing, or yoga! DIY projects on Pinterest are always a fun idea to get those creative thoughts flowing. Maybe there’s a new restaurant in town or a movie out that you’ve wanted to see? One of the most popular (and the most fun) ways to de-stress is through reading or writing – great news!

Creativity is highly encouraged! Use it to channel your thoughts into something productive.

Perhaps venture into a bookstore and browse until something catches your eye! There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a new world to take your mind off of your daily stressors. A very popular way to de-stress is through writing, and stress can come from many different situations. Sometimes you’ve overbooked yourself, and haven’t left any time to breathe and relax. Some people in your life may be bringing their own problems and negative energy near you, adding unnecessary stress. Write down your triggers for stress, determine where they’re coming from and take small steps to alleviate yourself of them whenever possible. (A glass of red wine and some dark chocolate are good for your heart too, they might take off a little stress from the every day life, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a little wine and chocolate?)

Here are Five Ways to De-Stress by Writing:

1. Try active journaling. Take a walk into a park or to a favorite place and observe. Experience the world around you, write what you see, smell, feel, etc. Write about a positive experience you’ve recently had. If you’re upset over something that has happened, try writing about it as a way of coping with your emotions and assessing the situation in a different light.2. Poetry. There are many different types of poetry, try writing something fun and entertain rhymes, or write in free verse, there are no boundaries here!

   3. Ever thought about writing a fictional short story or novel? Now is your time to begin! Spend some time creating engaging characters or an engrossing storyline that stimulates your imagination.

   4. Do you want to share your own personal experiences with the world? Try writing about your own life and turn it into a memoir.

   5. If you’re stumped for writing topics or need some fresh new inspiration, try picking up a new book and exploring different writing styles from a variety of authors. It could offer you a fresh new look on your own ideas!

Always take some time to recognize the small details in life, and be sure to appreciate the positives in each day. Focusing more on positivity and learning is a simple change in mindset that can have an amazing effect on your emotional and physical stress levels. A few more tips: Keeping away from social media and your phone could help you de-stress and reconnect with your surroundings. Pay attention to your eating habits, creating healthier meals and a steady schedule will help your body in more ways than one. Try to get enough sleep, track your sleep schedule to ensure that you’re not depriving yourself of a good night’s rest. Be sure to spend some quality time with loved ones, it can help you recharge emotionally, or even spend some quality time alone just relaxing.

There are many ways to decrease stress levels in your life when you start becoming overwhelmed, be sure to take care of yourself and your heart, it’s always worth it.