Tackling Everyday Chaos With Natural Stress Relief
We all have our own ways of balancing out stress. Some people exercise, others drink tea or do breathing exercises. There are a lot of different ways to find peace in your life and they can be very personal and unique to each individual. If you’re trying to find alternative methods that don’t rely on pharmaceuticals, then look no further!
In this article, we will explore some more natural stress relievers that may help you out of the mess that everyday life has turned into.
1. Cigarette smoking
Almost everyone knows that smoking is not good for you, but if you’re stressed out there are ways in which it can actually help you, at least temporarily. Nicotine on its own acts as a stimulant, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. This means that nicotine addiction can also lead to stress relief, at least to an extent. Smoking is also very addictive so if you’re finding it hard to manage your cravings with this method then try some of the other techniques below!
2. Exercise
There is no doubt that exercise has many benefits, both physical and mental. If you’re feeling stressed and need to blow off some steam, nothing works quite as well as a good run or a hard workout. Exercise can stimulate the body to release endorphins, that act as natural painkillers and help with stress. If you can’t exercise at that moment, try doing something active like taking the stairs instead of the elevator!
3. Music
Ears are part of our sense organs and there is debate about whether they should be called external organs too! Regardless of your stance on this debate, it is certainly true that music can affect our mood and make us feel better when we are stressed out. A recent study in the Journal of Music Therapy shows that music can reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone in our body. The key is to choose your music carefully. If you have a favourite genre, try listening to it when you are stressed out and see if it helps!
4. Relaxation Techniques
There are many different relaxation techniques that can help you calm down. These include yoga, meditation and breathing exercises as well as visualisation and tai chi. These practices all work by making you focus more on the present moment and reduce your sensitivity to outside stimuli. This means that when you’re experiencing stressful situations, you will feel less of an effect. Meditation and breathing exercises are great as they can be done anywhere and at anytime.
5. Tea
Tea is not just a drink! It has been used in numerous cultures since ancient times as an aid to relaxation. The purpose of drinking tea is not to consume the tea itself but rather to help focus on the activity of making a nice cup of tea – something you can do even when you don’t have any food or water in your house! There are many different types of teas out there, each one with its own flavour and health benefits so find the one that suits you best!
6. Panhandling
Very few people seem to have heard of this one but it is a well known technique. Try asking for change at the supermarket, asking for money on the street corner or even donating some change to charities around you. This is a great way to meet new people and also learn how to take care of yourself and your own needs when you can’t be bothered doing it yourself!
7. Talk therapy
If you want to get rid of your stress then speaking with a therapist or counsellor may be just what you need! Speak to someone about your problems, express all your emotions and let them help you overcome them. If you don’t feel like a therapist is right for you, then try speaking with a friend or family member! It works the same way!
8. Set Realistic Goals
There is nothing worse than setting unrealistic goals and feeling like a failure everyday because you aren’t meeting them. To avoid stress from goals, try setting small achievable goals that will get you moving in the right direction but don’t force you to overwork yourself. If you want to lose weight for example, aim for losing just one pound first and make your goal to do it each week until you reach your goal weight.
9. Avoid Your Trigger
If you are being caused a lot of problems by one person or situation then try to avoid that trigger as much as possible. If it is an unavoidable situation, try preparing yourself mentally before so that you can deal with the stress and focus on the things that you want to achieve. This may not work all of the time but it is worth a shot!
10. Meditation
Meditation has been used for years in various eastern cultures to control stress and improve mental health. People meditate in order to empty their mind and focus their attention on their breathing or an object in front of them. These practices can help bring you back to the present moment and reduce your sensitivity to stress in general.
11. Enjoy Your Food
When you’re stressed out, it is easy to eat without thinking too much of what you’re doing. When you’re stressed, you tend to feel like you’re on autopilot and things just happen to you, but there are a lot of things that you can actively do to bring back control over your life! One way is to savour the tastes and smells of the food that you eat and try making new recipes at home! This will force you to slow down while cooking and also make food more enjoyable for yourself!
12. Stay Hydrated
Water is vital to our daily health and we often ignore this simple fact. If you are feeling stressed out, drinking water may be the single most important factor for ensuring that you’re functioning optimally and keeping alert. Drink one glass of water for every 1,000 calories that you eat each day!
13. Use Other Techniques If You Cannot Practise Them
If none of the above techniques are working for you then it may be time to try something else. If a particular technique simply doesn’t suit you, then try something else or combine a few different techniques into a new one of your own! We have listed some other techniques below.
14. Visualisation
Visualisation is a simple technique where you imagine yourself in a place or situation that you would rather be in. You can do this all on your own or with someone to help you get into the mood. This technique has been used by athletes and others who have trained their minds to overcome obstacles and obstacles to reach their goals, so why not try it out for yourself?
15. Move Your Body When You Are Stressed Out!
This may sound silly but it really helps! There is something about physical activity that can help us relax without thinking too much.
Conclusion
Stress is something that all of us will experience at some point in our lives. While we can’t control every stressful situation or person, we can choose how to react to these situations and how they affect our overall health and wellbeing. By practising the techniques above, you will be able to respond to stressful situations in a way that helps you cope with any stress that you may experience in your career or personal life.