Stay Stress-Free with SEPTA!
November 5, 2019
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 is Stress Awareness Day, a day aimed to identify and reduce the stress factors in your life.
Stress. Everyone has it, and it isn't always a bad thing. Biologically, it's our body's way of protecting itself from harm. However, too much stress can cause harm to our health and relationships. As a SEPTA rider, you're avoiding the stress that comes from daily driving. Along with steering clear of traffic and parking hassles, there are plenty of other SEPTA can help you reduce stress. See a list of tips below to help you relax or Stress Awareness Day!
1. Ride SEPTA
As we mentioned above, riding SEPTA helps you avoid the stress that comes with driving. Forget the white knuckles and sit back and relax on your train, trolley, or bus. SEPTA, and public transportation in general, also comes with a number of other benefits to your safety, wallet, economy, and environment. Check them out here!
2. Exercise
Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to combat stress. It might seem contradictory, but putting physical stress on your body through exercise can relieve mental stress. Need a gym membership? We can help with that! Get one month free at any Sweat Fitness location when you flash your SEPTA Key with this Perk! But you don't have to join a gym to get exercise. Walking and jogging, which involve the repetitive movements of large muscle groups, can be particularly stress relieving. And good news - SEPTA riders take 30% more steps per day than people who rely on cars!
3. Read a Book
When SEPTA's doing the driving, you don't need to keep your eyes on the road. Instead you can keep them on a good book! Reading can be a wonderful (and healthy) escape from the stress of everyday life. Reading can even relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%! If you're in need of a book to read, check out Books in Transit, which offers free literature to all SEPTA riders!
4. Listen to Music
Riding SEPTA allows you to browse and listen to your favorite music without having to keep your eyes on the road. Whether it's classical or hip-hop, music you enjoy helps to elevate your mood. If you're looking for some music to help you tune out on your ride in, check out our Spotify playlist! This 271-long playlist is comprised of songs SEPTA riders submitted for our October contest, where we asked riders what they listen on their commutes!
5. Spend Time With Friends and Family
Sometimes spending time with the people we love is the best way to reduce stress. In fact, a study found that for women in particular, spending time with friends and children helps release oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. This effect is called "tend and befriend," and is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response. SEPTA helps thousands of Philadelphians get to where they need to go to connect with family and friends, especially with the holidays fast approaching! For our November contest, we want to know who you're most excited to see this season and ways to get there on SEPTA! Enter for a chance to win a December TrailPass!
We hope these simple tips help make your Stress Awareness Day a little more stress-free!
