Buzz
Stress can sometimes hit unexpectedly, overwhelming you and causing your day to feel off-track. Fortunately, there are some simple strategies to effectively manage intense stressful situations. These methods can quickly soothe the stress triggers and help you continue pushing through your day. When practiced regularly, they can even provide a long-term source of stress relief.
Steps
Engage the Senses
Use Aromatherapy. The part of the brain that processes scents is located close to the area that governs emotions. Therefore, inhaling your favorite scents can quickly and easily influence your mood.
- Apply a few drops of essential oil to your wrists. Lavender is calming, while lemon and orange scents are ideal for boosting energy quickly.
- You can also use an essential oil diffuser at home or in the office.
Drink Tea. Black tea has been proven to lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and encourage feelings of relaxation and comfort. The ritual of preparing a cup of tea can also calm the mind. Additionally, tea helps maintain hydration, which is beneficial for both the body and the mind.
Chew Gum. A study found that chewing gum can reduce anxiety and boost alertness. It's one of the simplest solutions! Keep a few pieces of gum in your bag or desk. When you feel stressed, pop some gum and chew until your mood improves.
- Choose sugar-free gum, as it's better for your teeth.
Listen to Natural Sounds. Natural sounds (such as the babbling of a stream, crackling fire, or the chirping of insects and birds in the forest) can almost instantly reduce stress levels.
- Search for CDs, apps, or audio and video files on podcasts that offer your favorite natural sounds. Listen to them to counter stress, or play natural sounds when you feel overwhelmed.
Listen to Music. Music can help relieve stress, alleviate pain, and improve overall quality of life. Try listening to music when you’re stressed to quickly and easily change your mood.
- Create a playlist of upbeat songs you enjoy that don’t induce stress.
- Whenever you feel stress creeping in, open your playlist and hit play.
Stimulate the Body
Take a Shower. Taking a shower is a great way to refresh, fight anxiety, and reduce stress. Especially if you are feeling stuck or lacking motivation, simply enjoying a shower can be an ideal self-care moment that boosts self-esteem. Moreover, the sensation of water, your favorite scents, and the act of touching yourself while showering can be very soothing for relieving stress.
Lie with Your Legs Up the Wall. The 'Legs up the wall pose' or 'viparita karani' is an excellent yoga pose for stress relief. This position improves circulation to the head and upper body while providing rest for the central nervous system.
- Sit on the floor and place your hips as close to the wall as possible.
- Relax and gently lower your upper body to the floor.
- Lift your legs up and place them against the wall.
- Hold the pose for 10 minutes.
Dance. Dancing is an effective way to relieve stress in two ways: it connects you to lively music and offers the benefits of physical exercise. You can enjoy these benefits in just a few minutes. Whenever you start feeling stressed, get up and dance to one song. You can even schedule short dance breaks throughout your workday for regular stress relief.
Take a Walk. Any aerobic exercise has been shown to calm an agitated nervous system and improve mood. Walking is probably the quickest and simplest way to reap these benefits. A study suggests that a brisk 30-minute walk can be just as effective as painkillers. Even a short 5 to 10-minute walk can work wonders for relieving stress.
- Whenever you feel stressed, take a walk.
- Aim to walk for about 30 minutes at a time.
- Practice this exercise a few times a week (or even daily) to minimize stress and feel more at ease.
Give Yourself a Massage. Massage is known to relieve stress and promote health, but you don't need to see a professional! You can achieve these benefits by massaging yourself. Start with a gentle massage for your eyes (especially if you've been staring at a computer screen for a long time).
- Close your eyes.
- Place your thumbs under your eyebrows.
- Apply pressure and move your thumbs in small circles outward along your brows.
- Continue this motion around your eyes.
Focus Your Mind
Live in the Present. Anxiety often arises when we worry about the future or dwell on the past. Take a few minutes to intentionally focus on the present. Choose a simple task, like washing dishes or making a cup of tea. Spend 5 minutes concentrating fully on the task, observing as many details as possible. After 5 minutes, you'll find yourself feeling more relaxed.
Deep Breathing. Deep breathing is a fantastic way to center yourself in the moment. Moreover, focused breathing has been proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, both of which significantly reduce stress levels.
- Breathe deeply and slowly 5-10 times.
- Focus on making each inhale as long as your exhale.
- Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your nose or mouth.
Say an Affirmation. An affirmation is a positive statement about yourself. It can be written down or reflected on in your mind, but it has the most powerful impact when spoken aloud.
- Prepare a few affirmations ahead of time. If you struggle to write them down, a good example could be 'I am a great writer.'
- When anxiety or stress builds up, calmly repeat your affirmation.
- It might help to look into a mirror while doing this.
- Some affirmation ideas include: I am a good person; I deserve to be happy; I am good at my job; and I am beautiful.
Smile. Smiling has been shown to trigger the release of beta-endorphins in the brain. In fact, even the anticipation of a smile can stimulate this release. If you find yourself in a stressful moment, take some time to find something humorous. Even if you don't laugh out loud, the anticipation of a smile might be enough!
- Watch a funny video.
- Recall a fun experience with friends.
- Listen to a comedy podcast.
Practice “Body Scanning”. Body scanning is a simple meditation exercise that helps relieve tension and brings a sense of groundedness. It can be done for at least 30 minutes. The goal is to increase awareness of each part of the body without judging or attempting to change it.
- If possible, lie down on the floor. (If space is limited, it's okay to do this exercise while sitting in a chair).
- Close your eyes and begin by noticing any parts of your body that are in contact with the floor (or chair).
- Relax any tense areas of your body (commonly the jaw, neck, and shoulders).
- Start with your toes and gradually work your way through your body.
- Imagine yourself enjoying the experience of scanning your body—not to evaluate it, but simply to observe it.
- End the body scan at the top of your head.
Tips
- Avoid directing your stress or anger towards friends or colleagues.
- These tips help alleviate any sources of tension or anxiety. When practiced regularly, all these suggestions can contribute to reducing overall stress or anxiety.
