Who doesn’t bear the brunt of a stressful day? From the minor tasks to major situations, stress is a part of life. While you cannot always control the situation, you can control your response to them. When your stress becomes overwhelming, it can affect your well-being.
It is always advised to take a minute and breath, but sometimes, it’s not that easy, right? Let’s look at some easy ways to de-stress healthily and regain control of the day.
Quick Ways to Stressed
There are a number of helpful techniques that can beat stress quickly, such as meditation, deep breathing, and taking a walk. These are fast-acting tools that can be done anywhere, anytime. Whether it’s just before an important presentation or you’re about to write an exam, these tools will surely bring you back to Zen mode.
#1- Take a vacation; in your mind
This is called guided imagery, which allows you to imagine yourself in your “happy place.” This could be anywhere, such as on the beach, listening to the calming waves, smelling the salty, and feeling the warmth on your skin. You can also do this with a recording, listening to someone walk you through a peaceful scene.
Or, you can do it on your own:
- Simply close your eyes for a minute or so and imagine yourself in a peaceful scene. Think about all the sensory experiences you’re doing, and let yourself feel like you’re really there.
- After a few minutes, open your eyes and come back to your moment, de-stressed!
#2- Focus on your breathing
Simply focusing on your breathing or changing your breathing technique is a big help when trying to de-stress. These breathing techniques calm your mind and body in just a few moments, and the best thing is that no one will know you’re doing them. This is best for when you feel overcrowded.
Here are simple breathing techniques below:
- Breathe in through your nose and imagine you’re breathing in calm, peaceful air. Now, imagine that going through your entire body. As you exhale, imagine your stress and tension being blown out of your body.
- Breathe in through your nose and watch your stomach fill with air; count slowly to three as you breathe in. Hold it for a second, and slowly breathe out through your nose, counting to three again.
#3- Take a quick walk
Exercise is one of the best stress relievers and works in both short-term and long-term stress relief tools. Taking a walk lets you see a new environment, which gets you into a different mindset, calming you down.
This works best after a stressful day at the office or when things are too overwhelming with the kids. Taking a long walk in the park is a sure way to rejuvenate your mind and body.
#4- Hug it out
Physical touch from a loved one does a lot for your stress. Hugging, especially, helps with stress by releasing the hormone called oxytocin (the “cuddle hormone”). This hormone decreases stress and lets you feel happier.
Hugging someone you love greatly helps with anxiety as well and produces a sense of relaxation. So, next time you feel like life is getting too much, simply seek out a hug from your loved one.
#5- Coloring!
This is a fond childhood memory and a great stress reliever when you need it. If you’re not one to draw or paint a picture, you can color in a coloring book. Adult coloring books are quite popular now and are even available on your phone.
Coloring has a meditative effect when it includes complex geometric patterns, making it the perfect and easy stress-reduction tool.
Long-Term Strategies to Deal with Stress
So, what can you do about stress in the long term? It is important to modify your lifestyle with healthy habits so you can easily deal with stress, no matter what situation comes your way.
Here are some changes you can make to handle stress better.
Eat a balanced diet
Believe it or not, a poor diet brings a greater reaction when stressed. Usually, you would reach for high-fat, high-sugar foods that give you temporary relief but adds to your long-term stress.
Cookies, crisps, and the all-time favorite ice cream cause your blood sugar to spike and crash quickly, which may bring about more stress and anxiety. Consider replacing these with healthier food, such as eggs, walnuts, and avocado. These foods regulate mood and keep your energy up.
Exercise
A healthy diet paired with regular physical activity is not only healthy for the body but also for the mind. You don’t have to do high-intensity exercise routines, and there are many ways to get more physical activity during the day.
Simply walking, swimming, hiking, and spin class are classic examples of relieving stress. Even dancing is a great way to “shake” off the stress!
Have “Me” time
This can be doing any leisure activity that you want. When you integrate these activities into a busy lifestyle, you feel your best and start performing better. This means extra fun, hobbies, and games make your work time productive. You can toil away in the garden or take up crochet; the choice is yours!
Be kinder to yourself
The way you talk to yourself matters. Self-doubt, lots of self-criticisms, and shattering predictions are not the way to go. It may be easy to think things like “I don’t have time for this,” but you need to have a different outlook even in the most stressful situations.
It would help if you talked to yourself in a compassionate, realistic manner. When you call yourself names or feel like you will not achieve your goals, reply with a kind inner word. Positive self-talk helps you take control of your emotions and lets you take action in a beneficial way on buz business.
Takeaway
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all option when dealing with stress; what works for you may not work for someone else. Finding the best stress relief tools may take experimenting and sometimes even some practice.
You must be patient and keep looking for a tool that will help you manage life’s roller coaster ride, in a healthy way, of course!
