You’ve heard them before, and you would probably hear them again. But the only reason they keep popping up is because these lifestyle changes actually work. And the better part? They will cost you almost nothing! Well, not unless you are counting your time and effort.

Changes in your lifestyle will help you reduce stress and anxiety — **Make simple and effective lifestyle changes to improve your overall health. Image courtesy of Suad Kamardeen on Unsplash**

We teamed up with Ify Eze, founder of the Afroroots brand to compile a list of easy lifestyle changes you can start doing today to rid yourself of stress and anxiety for a healthier and better you.

Always try to plan your day.

planning your day to reduce stress and anxiety — **Planning your day gives you better clarity and leaves you time to do more. Image courtesy of Piqsels**

This is not just simply because you want to be organised. Planning your day means you are creating time for things that matter the most to you, and are leaving enough space to do the things that are truly important. It also a failproof way to keep you from running crazy before the end of the day from all your tasks.

List out the duties you must achieve for the day and set a time limit for each of them. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you do not immediately reach your goals. The aim is to help and not stress you further! Instead, understand why that happened and make the necessary adjustments.

Breathing exercises.

Breathing exercise to reduce stress and anxiety — **Regular breathing exercises during the day are good for alleviating stress and combating anxiety. Image courtesy of madison lavern on Unsplash**

As you go through your day, practise breathing exercises for no more than 2-5 minutes at different times. They do not involve any heavy body movements nor are they time-consuming. And they are a good way to restore calm to your life while giving you the strength to go through the rest of your day.

Incorporate yoga into your daily routine.

Yoga exercise to relieve stress and anxiety — **Your yoga exercises do not have to be so complicated. Image courtesy of rishikesh yogpeeth on Unsplash**

No, don’t roll your eyes. Yoga actually works. Think of stretches that take the kinks out of your muscles and joints than difficult twisting movements that leave your feet and arms in the air and your head on the floor.

Simple stretches would help to relax your body and relieve you of pain and tension. These exercises include compressing your spine; extending your hands above your head and taking them down while working with your breath; and, gently pushing your head back and bringing it down to your chest while working with your breath.

Incororate yoga into your lifestyle changes to reduce anxiety and stress — **Simple yoga poses like this will help you to calm you. Image courtesy of Jared Rice on** **Unsplash**

See? It is not so hard as you thought. And if you are still worried about the time to get these done, well, that is what point one was for.

Love tea? Go herbal!

Chamomile tea can help to relax the body and reduce anxiety — **If you can, drink herbal teas to help you relax better. Image courtesy of ebaso from Pixabay**

While they are not considered true teas because they are herbs and flowers, some of them have health-improving properties that will benefit you greatly.

Herbal teas to try include chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, sage, lemon balm, and passionflower tea. These teas are not for everyone, so if you find yourself reacting to any one of them, discontinue immediately.

Sleep early. Sleep well.

Good sleep helps to relieve stress — **Good quality sleep daily is just as important as every other thing you do to stay healthy. Image courtesy Retha Ferguson from Pexels**

No amount of stretching, time management, breathing or tea-sipping will help you alleviate stress and anxiety if you do not get at least 8hrs of good quality sleep daily.

Lastly, remember to eat healthy.