Fortunately, there are several evidence-based strategies that can help you reduce stress and improve your overall psychological well-being. Exercise, mindfulness, spending time with a pet, minimizing screen time, and going out more often are effective methods. Listening to or playing music is a good stress relief because it can provide mental distraction, reduce muscle tension, and lower stress hormones. Turn up the volume and let your mind be absorbed by the music.
It's also OK and healthy to realize that you can't be 100% successful at everything at the same time. Be aware of the things you can control and work to accept the things you can't control. Spend time with a friend or family member who listens to you. It's a natural way to calm you down and reduce stress.
When you connect with people in person, your body releases a hormone that stops your fight-or-flight response. Long-term talk therapy helps some people deal with stress. One approach, cognitive behavioral therapy, helps you change negative thinking patterns. The therapist can guide you to other approaches that might be helpful.
During stressful sessions, stay connected to your breathing. Massage your fingertips. Taking short breaks to walk several times a day is a powerful tool for channeling stress. Working out or participating in yoga, dance, or tai chi classes with friends also helps achieve step 2 to stay connected.
Many people rely on exercise to help reduce stress in their daily lives. Setting goals and challenges, whether at work or away, such as learning a new language or a new sport, helps build trust. This will help you deal with stress. Explore a variety of sensory experiences so that no matter where you are, you'll always have a stress-relieving tool.
If new stressors test your ability to cope, or if self-care measures simply don't relieve stress, you may need to seek reinforcements in the form of therapy or counseling. To use your senses to quickly relieve stress, you must first identify the sensory experiences that work best for you. In addition to having physical health benefits, exercise has been proven to be a powerful stress reliever. Social contact is good stress relief because it can be distracting, supportive, and helping you tolerate life's ups and downs.
If you tend to close when you're under stress or have suffered trauma, stress-relieving activities that help you move can be particularly helpful. Yoga, mindful meditation, and exercise are just a few examples of stress-relieving activities that work great.
