1. Talk to a Friend
In a stressful moment, a quick chat with a friend can work miracles! It can be a talk during a break or a phone call. We all have that one friend that help us to put our feet back to the ground. It’s very important to have an outside view of our worries and problems, and to listen the voice of someone close to us telling us to keep calm and that everything will turn out ok. Sometimes, that’s all we really need.
2. Meditate
Nowadays we have a lot of information and tools that teaches how to meditate. It’s very important to learn how to meditate and to understand that we can do it anywhere. We don’t need to go to a temple or to go on a retreat to the mountains. Sometimes we just need five minutes of piece.
When you’re feeling anxious, find a quiet and comfortable place and concentrate on your breath: take a deep breath, hold your breath for a few seconds and take a deep exhalation. You’ll feel more relaxed and relieved.
3. Eat chocolate
We all know how chocolate make us feel better during a lousy day, even if we don’t know why. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which causes our brain to release “feel good” hormones in our brain like dopamine and serotonin. Studies have found that people who rated themselves highly stressed to begin with had lower levels of stress hormones after eating chocolate every day for two weeks. Chocolate, specially dark chocolate, can indeed reduce stress. So, go ahead, grab a piece of chocolate and enjoy!
4. Have a cup of tea
Drink a cup of tea is one of the easiest and faster ways to relax. According to specialists, Chamomile tea is a gentle relaxant that acts as a nerve tonic and a sleeping aid. If you’re experiencing a long day and can’t seem to calm down, brew yourself a nice cup of chamomile tea with some added honey for a boost of nutrients.
You should also avoid coffee, because caffeine can contribute to nervousness and mood swings. You can drink to three cups of tea a day, if you are feeling anxious.
5. Close your eyes and listen
Sometimes, for us to calm down all it takes is to take a little break. But it has to be a real break – no phone, no scrolling through social media, no checking the email box nor thinking about what you have to do later. You really need to stop and that means to stop all the noise in your head. An easy tip is to go to somewhere calm, to close your eyes and to listen to the silence around you. You’ll see you’ll feel better after and more focused for the rest of the day.
6. Get a massage
This tip is for a stressful weekend, one of those when you’ve so much to take care that you don’t even know where to start. Our suggestion is for you to start with a massage. You can ask someone close to you to do it or go to a professional. We promise you than in the first few minutes of the massage, you’ll feel instantly better. To treat ourselves shouldn’t be seen as a luxury, but as necessity.
7. Squeeze a stress ball
Many professionals have a stress ball on their work desks. You may have noticed one of two colleagues that have one. A stress ball is an easy, portable, and non-violent way to relieve tension. Sometimes we just need to project our stressful energy to something, and squeezing a stress ball might do the trick.
8. Pet a cat or play with a dog
Do we really need to explain this one? A boyfriend or girlfriend is okay, but sometimes all we need is to snuggle with our cat or with our dog. Anyone with pets will understand the amazing relaxing effect of arriving home to them. It’s a fast and effective way to relaxing after a long work day and to forget about our problems.
After a rough day, remember to snuggle up with a pet for an instant smile, since pets can boost self-esteem and even ease the sting of social rejection .
9. Write down your problems
Writing has been used by people to relax and to deal with the world since the beginning of times. So there is no need to explain the unique cathartic effect of writing. Even when we were little, many of us kept a diary: “Dear diary, today I had an awful day”. Don’t be afraid of putting your emotions on paper. They’ll seem less intimidating after you do it. Sometimes to write is the best way to think about things.
10. Watch a funny video or tv show
To watch a funny youtube video or a comedy tv show is an instant way to feel good. It’ll help you in two things: first, it’ll keep your head away of your problems and second, depending of the tv show, you can see the same problemas you’re dealing with in real life, perfectly portrayed through the life of the characters, in a comic point of view. For this two reasons, it can have a strong relaxing effect.
11. Listen to your favorite song
Some songs have the magic effect of soothing us. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, just listen to your favorite song. That will bring you joy and strength and help you to go through your busy day. Music have the power to transform our mood, use that power!
12. Take a quick walk
When you’re feeling overwhelmed or having trouble concentrating, it’s always a good ideia to go for a quick stroll around the block. You’ll get the benefits of alone time, physical activity, and a few minutes to gather your thoughts. Sometimes, just spend a few minutes away from the office and all the stress and noise, will help you to clear your thoughts, and to come back with new ideas and a new attitude.
13. Do a few yoga poses
Yoga has multiple benefits wrapped up into one – physical exercise, relaxation breathing, and calming meditation. Indians have been practicing yoga for centuries and nowadays it’s a trendy activity. A Google search produces 48 million results, so learning the basics literally only takes a few minutes, there is no excuse. Once you learn yoga, you’ll have a powerful tool to relax, no matter where you’re. You’ll learn about your body, balance and breathing.
14. Light a candle
Candles are scientifically proven to soothe us. The gentle, mesmerising quality of their light makes them a perfect aid for any relaxation routine. No wonder that the SPA’s use them to create the perfect relaxing environment. Even a romantic dinner will be instantly better with candles. To light one or many candles around your home is a great way to relax after a long day. You can also choose a scent candle for additional benefits.
15. Turn off the screens
Nowadays we spend most of the hours of our day in front of a screen. We work in front of a screen and, during our free time, we try to relax also in front of a screen – watching a movie in our laptop, using social media in our phones…
Cell phones and TVs trick the brain into thinking its always daytime and that can negatively affect your ciradium rhythm (aka your sleep cycles). They can also lead to anxiety and overstimulation. Disconnecting is a wonderful relaxation exercise. It gives you time to think, or time to clear your head.
16. Give yourself a hand massage
When there’s no professional masseuse in sight, during the work day, for example, try DIYing a hand massage. A hand massage can relax you in a few minutes and help to calm your pounding heart. Massages can be especially helpful for people who spend a lot of time typing on a keyboard. We don’t realize how many tension hands can carry.
Apply some luxurious lotion and start kneading the base of the muscle under the thumb to relieve stress in the shoulders, neck, and scalp. You’ll feel better in only a few moments.
17. Use essential oils
Using essential oils is always a great way to relax. There are different way to apply them, depending of your health care and beauty routine. You can add them to your shower, mix them with lotion or simply take a whiff when stress starts to build. Scents like lavender, rose or ylang ylang are particularly calming.
18. Brush your hair
For many women, going to a hair salon is a very relaxing activity. Having someone brushing our hair or giving us a scalp massage can be so enjoyable and soothing as a body massage. Brushing our own hair can be equally relaxing. Remember to do it when you’re alone and in need of a quick and easy way to calm down. And, as a plus, your hair will look better too!
19. Bury yourself under blankets
We believe that there is no place like bed! We all love to get cozy under a pile blankets. When you arrive home after work, you can do that alone or with someone you love, instead of going to sit in the living room, in front of a TV. That will make you feel like you were a kid again! This is actually a positive feeling ingrained in every human being; it reminds our subconscious of being in the womb. These childhood memories have the amazing power of calm us down.
20. Sleep more
Sleep is, without a doubt, the most important relaxing activity. Having a good sleep routine is essential to reduce stress and maintain a steady level of calm. If you fall behind, you’ll start feeling irritable and tired. Aim for 8-10 hours a night. That’s a lot, but you’ll see the difference after just a few nights.
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