u/Khans-Sandorff95

my stress levels have been through the roof lately and it is starting to take a serious toll on my daily life. i wake up with a clenched jaw, my chest feels tight half the time, and i am constantly irritable over the smallest things. it feels like my nervous system is stuck in fight or flight mode and i can never fully relax even when i have free time on the weekends. i really want to handle this naturally before it gets worse but im not sure what actually moves the needle when you are already completely overwhelmed.

everyone always says to just meditate or go for a walk but when im in the middle of a stressful week sitting quietly with my thoughts just makes me feel more anxious. i have tried cutting back on coffee and going to bed earlier but i still feel this underlying buzz of tension. i want to know what specific, practical changes actually worked for you guys to bring your baseline stress down. did you change how you structure your day, start a specific hobby, or find a routine that actually stops a stress spiral in its tracks?

i was chatting with someone the other day and noticed they throw their bath towel straight into the laundry hamper after literally a single use. when i asked them about it they looked at me like i was a biohazard and said reusing a towel even once is just wiping yourself down with old dead skin and stagnant moisture.

meanwhile i usually use my towel for about four or five days before switching it out. my logic has always been that i am completely clean when i step out of the shower so the towel is just soaking up clean water and then it air dries completely on the rack anyway.

now i am sitting here second guessing myself and wondering if i have secretly been gross this entire time or if washing a towel after one single shower is just an extreme overreaction and a waste of laundry detergent.