stress

i have been incredibly stressed out lately. last week, i totally dropped the blogging-ball because i just had no time.

by the end of the week, i was grateful for every blink because it was like a micro-nap, and i just desperately needed some sleep.

but i wanted to tell you some secrets i discovered in dealing with stress. feel free to pitch in in the comments--i need all the help i can get!



neosporin. my face looooves to tell other people when i'm stressed, because it breaks out. everywhere. my aunt happened to be in town over the weekend, and she shared with me the greatest secret I have ever heard: use neosporin. it sounds so weird, but if you rub anti-bacterial cream on your face, it helps to fight the zit-causing bacteria. it's not a total quick-fix; it's taken my face about 3 days to really show any results, but i can see a huge difference! i look scary at night though - i like to rub vaseline on my lips to keep them from chapping in the cold weather, and now neosporin gel on my face... it's like i've just crawled out of a swamp!

get some sleep! my body is unnaturally prone to stress-related illness. i'm 73% sure i have pneumonia right now (for the second time in 6 months... give me a break!!) it's hard to get enough sleep when you're stressed, especially for me lately-because it's hard for me to get enough sleep ever-but just resting your body is important. it gives it a chance to reprioritize its own needs so it can heal itself efficiently.

drink water. i'm a huge water fan. if i had to choose only one drink to have for the rest of my life, i would totally choose water. it is so good for you! there a ten ka-zillion benefits to drinking water. it reduces your risk of heart disease, it helps flush your body of toxins, it prevents headaches, it reduces fluid retention in women, etc. etc. etc. drinking water when you're stressed will help your body deal with all the activity.

antioxidants: as i mentioned earlier, i have recently invested in a whole bunch of tea. i didn't really mean for it to happen; i just wanted some of the samples that they give you! but i left one-hundred-and-one dollars poorer with a lifetime supply of tea. the upside is that this stuff is really, really good for you. i've got chai, herbal, white, mate, rooibus, all kinds of tea. and they're supposed to do all kinds of great stuff for you. i don't know, look it up.

what do you do to help yourself in stressful times? i'd honestly LOVE to hear.

photo credit: via