8 simple yet effective ways to relieve stress
Introduction
A few decades ago, stress was not as common as it is in the present scenario. With the introduction of more modern elements and eagerness to achieve success in every field, it is almost difficult to avoid stress from our lives. It no way means that we need to live with it and make our lives miserable. We need to do our best to avoid it as much as possible. If it cannot be avoided, we need to learn the ways to offer ourselves relief from it as and when it embraces us through its deep tentacles. Leaving it as it is while continuing our lives in misery can take a toll on us in long-term. Stress can greatly impact our mental health. When mental health is affected, it surely affects the overall well-being. Stress can be managed. All we require are some effective strategies and patience to get rid of it from our lives. Following are the simple but effective ways that will help us to deal with stress and enjoy every second of our lives being free from stress and happy.
- Music is the best companion- We often get surrounded by a situation that makes us tensed and inculcate lots of stress in our minds. All we need to do is give ourselves a break of a few minutes. Listen to our favorite track or we can even sing to rejoice ourselves. Those of us who know how to play instruments can devote a few minutes and play their favorite instruments to relax the mind and boy. Usually slow, calming music has a soothing effect on the mind. When it heals the mind, it instills positive vibrations inside. It decreases the levels of cortisol hormone which is responsible for triggering stress in us. Moreover, it decreases blood pressure. Nature can also help us in such situations. Carefully listen to the chirping sounds of birds, sounds made when raindrops fall on earth, music created by the waves hitting the seashore and many such nature sounds that will calm our mind and help us become stress-free within no time.
- Focus on breathing- We have heard many a time that during stressful situations, we need to breath deeply. Deep breathing is not just an act of breathing but it definitely does a lot of good when it comes to dealing with stress. In stressful situations, we usually breathe very shallowly. Deep breathing increases oxygen supply to every body part including the brain. As we are concentrating on breathing, we deviate our mind from stress and the factors that have invited it. After the session, we end up thinking more clearly and come with a solution. Thus, deep breathing is a big part of meditation and has been practiced by sages and monks since age-old times. It does not require lots of efforts or time. A session of 3-5 minutes is sufficient to offer clarity in our thoughts. Sit in a comfortable position on the floor or on the chair and focus on breathing. Try to breathe slowly and deeply inside and outside.
- Call a near and dear one- Friends, family or relatives are the ones who are near and dear to our heart. They may not be present physically near us. Still, a reassuring sound coming from them can do wonders to our thought process, especially during stressful situations. It does not have to be a long talk. A voice call lasting for a couple of minutes is enough to heal our wounded heart. Thus, we should not hesitate in reaching out to them. All we need to do is to take a break from the work and call someone whom we know can heal us. Call them and let them know the problems that we are dealing with. They may not have every solution to all of our problems but still, we will feel light and a lot relieved after talking to them. In case, we cannot call our friends or family, we can talk to ourselves. It is the best way to deal with stress. All we have to do is sit calmly and tell ourselves everything that's been bothering us. We may be surprised that after talking to ourselves, we may land with a solution immediately.
- Laughter is the best therapy- It may seem almost impossible to laugh or even smile during stressful circumstances. We don't have to wait for the laughter to arrive naturally to us. We need to make an effort and release our stress by laughing out loud just like the people who do it in the morning or evening time in the parks. Laughter improves the mood by releasing endorphins in the body. It also decreases the levels of adrenaline and cortisol which is responsible for causing stress. Not so naturally produced laughter can also play a trick with our brain and make us feel happy rather than tensed. We can read some jokes or remember some hilarious moments in our lives. We can also watch something that is hilarious and funny. Within no time, we will relieve ourselves of stress and return back to our work aiming to deal with it more patiently and calmly.
- Concentrate on the diet- We are what we eat. If we follow this philosophy, we will never have to face stress and anxiety again. Food habits and stress levels are related to each other in a close manner. When stressful situations arrive, we often skip our meals. Or else, we end up eating something that has lots of fats and sugar in it. It is because during such situations, eating healthy is the last priority in our list and thus, we end up eating the fast food that is easily available around the corners. If we want to exaggerate the stress levels then it is alright to delight ourselves with snacks that are sugary and deep fried. However, if we want to cure ourselves of stress then it is better to look for something that is healthy such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Moreover, foods which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids decrease the stress symptoms as per the study.
- Drink healthy- We need not only concentrate on our healthy eating but also on our liquid calories. Calories that we drink should also come from a healthy source. During stressful situations, we end up drinking too many numbers of tea and coffee. High dose of caffeine in the body can rise up the blood pressure level for a small duration. We do not want that kind of spike in our body and worsen the stress. Thus, instead of drinking tea, coffee or energy drinks, go for green tea. It is low in caffeine and rich in antioxidants. It induces a calming effect on the central nervous system as it is rich in an amino acid known as theanine. Moreover, coconut water, freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices are always the best sources of healthy drinking.
- Never compromise with sleeping hours- We all know that when we are in stress, we cannot sleep well. Even if we manage to sleep for a few hours, we wake up frequently. This kind of disturbed sleep takes a toll on our health and further worsens the level of stress. While going to bed, we need to make sure to keep those disturbing thoughts away from our bedroom. Stress or no stress, we need to sleep for 7-8 hours to remain healthy. Before bedtime, we need to calm down ourselves by relaxing for a few minutes. Going to bed straight away after finishing our work is not going to help us get a good sleep. There are many ways to relax like listening to music, a brisk walk, light massage, and aromatherapy. All these simple yet effective techniques will help us enjoy our sleep so that next day morning we can work with complete enthusiasm and dedication.
- Work out a little- Working out or simple exercises which are carried out for 2-3 minutes can help us decrease the levels of stress. We don't have to hit the gym or do some intense cardio exercises for achieving the results. Even simple stretches can relieve us from stress. All we need to do is stand up from our chair and walk for a couple of minutes around the office or wherever we are. While doing so, we need to keep our mind free from stressful thoughts. These kinds of frequent breaks help us to deal with even the most difficult situations in an effective way. Increased blood circulation causes a release in endorphins which in turn improves mood.
Conclusion
There are many ways to relieve stress. Different techniques work for different people. The need of the hour is to identify the causes or factors that trigger stress in us and keep ourselves away from them. In case, stress is triggered in us, we need to take help of these effective techniques to deal with the stress in a more powerful way.
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