Stress! Is it driving you crazy? It’s time you calm down your horses and adopt these proven techniques to practice relaxation. Stress does not always brings you bad; it sometimes helps to bring the best out of you. For example, you could perform well and discover hidden skills such as multitasking when working under pressure. However, when your mind and body are incessantly forced to work in emergency mode, you experience stress.
Nevertheless, we have brought you some result-oriented tricks to relieve your tricky stress symptoms.
1. Get out in the sun!
The opposite of depressive mood is good mood, which is maintained by a “feel-good” monoamine neurotransmitter called serotonin. Exposing yourself to sunlight helps to boost serotonin, thereby helping you to get over your depressive symptoms. It would a big plus if you accompany your sunlight party with a physical exercise like biking.
2. Find a massage spa
Getting those professional fingers to rub your back, calf, foot, and face as a relaxing massage could help in reducing stress response which is indicated by a significant decrease in the heart rate.
3. Use aromatherapy
Lavender oil is best used in aromatherapy to curb stress levels. It could also be evaporated off a cotton ball kept near your bathtub to add to its soothing effect. Essential oils can be used in your bath water alongside some incense. Dimming the lights or lighting a candle will also help in reducing your stress levels using aromatherapy.
4. Break up with your smartphone
Now-a-days, smartphones have become an irresistible part of everybody’s life causing much physical as well as mental harm apart from their high-tech use. Social networking, television, and radio have been listed as the 6th main cause of stress. Keeping a safe distance from your technological gadgets will aid you to focus on yourself, rebuild your mind, and work through your stress levels.
5. Spend time with your furry mate
Animals have conventionally been studied to understand human emotions, which is the reason why old-aged patients, people with autism, and the disabled get emotional help from their support pets. If you don’t own a pet, you could walk through a zoological park or volunteered animal shelter and spend some time with animals.
6. Hug or kiss your partner
Social support is researched to be a top stress reduction mechanism as getting the feeling of having someone for your support fervently pumps out the unwanted stress from you. Cuddling someone you love or receiving regular hugs is a great way to keep your stress out of the door.
7. Move a hip!
Dancing goes hand-in-hand with exercising when it comes to boosting the stress relieving mood. If you hate hitting the gym, moving your feet on the music will do the job for you. And, you don’t need to be Michael Jackson or Shakira to do this. Just dance as you would when no one’s watching you.
8. Taste your taste buds some dark chocolate
Who doesn’t love chocolates? Why should girls have all the fun? Don’t feel shy to buy a dark chocolate and lick it like an adolescent. This sweet medicine carries nutrients holding stress relieving properties. For your information, there should be at least 70% cocoa content to reap the best health benefits out of a chocolate bar.
9. Smile please!
Smiling is associated with a number of health benefits, not just emotional. While you have those stress hormones rising up, you could easily lower them by only putting a nice smile on your face. It’s always hard to smile in stressful situations; however, stimulating it could help. Putting a pencil between your teeth is a good way to stimulate smiling.
10. Do some meditation
1 hour of meditation everyday could be very helpful in bursting those depressive clouds over your head. The entire motive behind meditating is to find focus for your mind and not let it wander. You could place a candle or any small object in front of you and focus your mind on it. This will help to clear off wanted thoughts from your mind and make it lively again.
11. Zzz…
Lack of sleep is one of the frontline causes of stress. Your body needs minimum 8 hours of sleep every day. Allow yourself to take a nap or two when you’re too stressed at home or workplace. It helps to boost your mind.
12. Cut down your to-do list
Undertaking unnecessary tasks is a sign of foolishness. Work smart. Distribute tasks to others at your office or home according to their skill sets and abilities. Don’t stress yourself as it only does harm and no good. Reserve some time for yourself as well. Enjoy life.
13. Chew a gum (sugar free)
Gum chewing is not a local tip to reduce stress; there’s a scientific research to back it up. A study in 2008 revealed that chewing gum helps to decrease the levels of stress hormone cortisol. However, you don’t want your teeth to get spoiled because of it; therefore, it is recommended to go for sugar free gums.
14. Go spiritual
If you have a spiritual belief, you should take help from your spiritual leader or mentor to get some advises to win over your stress problem. Create a positive energy around you by praying; it really helps.
15. Give yourself a party bash!
Treating yourself is a self-helped measure to defeat stress. Treat yourself as a celebrity. Go for a five star meal. Buy your favorite merchandise. Organize a party with friends. It helps you to feel special.
16. Try “Guided Imagery”
This is a very effective technique to relieve stress. You need to find yourself a comfortable position and silent place where you can let your imagination take you to your “happy place”. If you’re unable to focus, a guided online podcast should help.
17. Take a dip
Join a swimming club. Water gives you a calming effect and exercise helps you to revitalize your mood. Relieving stress symptoms and beating stress cannot be done much better than by taking a dip in water.
18. Maintain a gratitude diary
Keeping a note of all the good things in life you’re thankful of helps you to have an optimistic approach towards life. While listing your “gratitude” worth things in life, you will also realize that there are more important things than those which are pretty trivial.
19. Spend time with children
Children have the unique quality of enjoying life with a worry-free attitude. If you have kids, that’s well and good. But if you don’t, you could babysit for your friend’s. You get a chance to forget about your worries and interact with beautiful little hearts.
