Avera Medical Minute: Managing stress

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Summer can be filled with kids’ activities, family get-togethers, work and errands. There is a lot to juggle and sometimes not a lot of time to sit down and relax, which can lead to stress.

Sara Van’t Hul, behavioral health outpatient manager with Avera, says there are some key items to keep in mind when managing your obligations such as:

• Being active

• Eating a healthy diet

• Prioritizing

• Creating a schedule

• Avoiding multitasking

Something that goes overlooked to avoid stress is finding something that brings out laughter.

“Using laughter has proven to increase [mood], releases happy chemicals in our brain, and that will also reduce the stress,” Van’t Hul said.

Asking for help through family and friends should also be considered.

For more information, visit avera.org/medicalminute.

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