Everyone experiences stress at one time or another. The best way to manage your stress levels is to have a set of strategies at your fingertips.
If you follow these nine stress-relieving techniques, you’ll be well on your way to a calmer, happier, and less-stressed life.
Get some exercise
We all know the health benefits of regular exercise. From weight management to a reduced risk of a heart attack lower blood pressure, it’s a great lifestyle hack for everyone.
Exercise is also a great way to relieve stress. You don’t need to run a marathon; you just need to get your body moving. A 10-minute walk outside will get your muscles moving which will help you clear your mind, improve your mood and boost those much-needed endorphins.
Do a mindful breathing exercise
According to Healthline, deep breathing exercises such as abdominal breathing, belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and paced respiration can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system.
This is what enables you to relax after you have been in a stressful situation that has raised your heartbeat and quickened your breathing.
Meditate
Meditation is a mindfulness technique where you focus your thoughts on a specific object or activity with the aim of becoming mentally clear and emotionally stable.
Meditation is also a great way to relieve stress because it helps you clear your mind and give you a calm sense of
peace and balance.
Mindful mediation is a great technique you can practice quickly and almost anywhere. According to Rest Equation, as you focus on what you’re currently healing and sensing, you can reduce stress and anxiety by being ‘in the moment'.
Listen to some soothing music
Soothing music is a great way to relieve stress. It might seem like common sense, but there’s science behind it.
If you listen to music that is about 60 beats per minute, it mirrors your alpha brain waves between 8-12 Hertz, which is the state of your brain when you’re very relaxed but still awake.
So why not skip the hip hop and heavy metal and tune into some nature sounds or a classical tempo song to get some of those chilled vibes?
Try aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a great form of self-care to help boost your mood. Some smells are particularly relaxing, including:
- Lavender
- Rose
- Vetiver
- Bergamont
- Neroli
- Lemon
- Frankincense
- Sandalwood
- Ylang-ylang
- Geranium
- Orange blossom
Research also shows that aromatherapy triggers a positive response in the hypothalamus and amygdala, which help to regulate our mood, memory, and emotions.
Move your body with some stretching
When we’re stressed our muscles can become tense, hard, and sore. Stretching not only helps relieve the tension in our muscles but it increases blood flow and circulation.
You don’t need to have a background in Pilates or yoga to get the benefits of stretching. Just make sure you hold each stretch for between 15 to 30 seconds. And don’t forget to focus on your breathing at the same time.
Grab your stress ball
Repeatedly squeezing on a stress ball is a great way to focus your attention away from your stress trigger. Not only is it a focus for your attention, but the repeated action releases pent-up energy and helps promote relaxation.
Try acupressure
Acupressure is a form of alternative medicine where you apply fingertip pressure to specific points of the body.
Although there is no scientific evidence to support the notion that the body’s energy flows through ‘meridians’, applying pressure to muscles might help reduce tension and headaches.
Cuddle someone
Positive physical contact with another person or animal can release oxytocin and lower cortisol, which helps to lower blood pressure and reduce the heart rate.
