Dealing with family stress

Stress is a part of everyone's lives. Stress can be positive or it can be negative. Negative stress causes a lot of problems like anxiety, confusion, and miscommunication. When there is a lot of stress in a family dynamic, it can be particularly difficult for family members to get along in harmony and it can lead to depression among many people. Being in a constant state of stress will start to take its toll on you physically and mentally. Positive stress can make you stronger as it teaches you how to overcome problems and tackle your fears. However, most people experience more negative stress than positive stress. To reduce the family stress in your home, here are some tips that can help:

Tip # 1 - Spend time together
One of the best ways to reduce stress in the home is to get out of the home and spend some quality time together. Make time to get away for a couple hours and participate in fun activities like indoor sky diving, swimming, and miniature golf. If possible, try to take at least one big family vacation per year. This gives you the opportunity to re-connect as a family unit and to get away from the daily stresses you all encounter.
Tip # 2 - Laugh
Turn off the cell phones, i Pods, televisions, and other things that distract you from having a conversation with your family. Sit around the table and eat dinner together and laugh together. Play board games like Twister and reminisce over past experiences you have shared together. Laughter is one of the best ways to reduce stress and to bring a family closer together.
Tip # 3 - Go outside
Far too often we become slaves to television shows, computers, and other things. Instead of spending all your time inside, get outside and experience the world. Take your family hiking and spend time in nature. Try to get everyone in your family to exercise on a daily basis for at least 30 minutes. Exercise also helps to reduce stress and tension and it uplifts everyone's mood. Regular exercise can help you prepare your body to effectively handle stress. Exercise helps you sleep better and it relaxes the muscles, all which help to reduce stress.

Tip # 4 - Meditation and Quiet Time
Stress can come from a variety of different things; one way to reduce it in the home is to have regular quiet time. Set aside 15-30 minutes where everyone will read a book or close their eyes and relax. Meditation can help to improve your life and it can help you handle stress more effectively. Mediation can bring you inner piece and it can draw you closer together as a family unit so you will be able to handle the different situations easier. Mediation also allows you to focus on specific things, which helps you to concentrate on the needs of your family. Pick a book for the entire family to read together. This is a wonderful way to teach your younger children how to read and it allows everyone to get their mind off the stressful activities of the day and focus on a different world. Reading motivational books can also help you handle problems, especially when it comes to making big decisions like a new job or moving.

Tip # 5 - Rest
Make sure everyone in your home is able to get a proper night's rest. Children need 10 hours of sleep or more, adults need about 8-10. Having a proper nights rest will rejuvenate the body and it helps to decrease stress. Getting a good night's rest also enhances your immune system and it helps to reduce the stress hormone in the muscles.