The month of February calls for awareness about heart health and heart disease.  Managing stress in your life is good for your heart and for your emotional well-being.  The American Heart Association notes that “stress may affect behaviors and factors that increase heart disease risk.”  Here are 4 tips that can be a good start to coping with and reducing your stress.

1)      Take care of yourself.  This is easy to overlook, our lives are busy and we don’t always take the time to slow down and get the rest we need.  Try eating healthy, well balanced meals and try exercising on a regular basis.

2)      Take a break.  This could be as simple as sitting quietly for 5 or 10 minutes.  Turn off the news, step away from electronics and take some time to slow down and relax.  Try listening to some quiet classical music which can be an effective stress management tool.

3)      Do one thing each day that you enjoy.  This could be as simple as taking 15 minutes to find enjoyment in a hobby, art project or reading a book.  Call a friend or make plans to meet for lunch.

4)      Talk to someone about your stress.  Let it out, this can help put your stress into perspective and is a way to receive feedback and advice from loved ones in your life.