Wiggle your toes. Sip coffee. On the phone. Inhale something energizing, like lemon, ginger, peppermint. While talking, stand up or pace back and forth to burn off excess energy, or take calls outside when possible.
On the computer. Work standing up. Do knee-bends in minute intervals. Suck on a peppermint. Sip tea. Lunch breaks. Take a walk around the block or in the parking lot.
Listen to soothing music while eating. Chat with a colleague. Your workspace. Place family photos on your desk or mementos that remind you of your life outside the office. In traffic. Play music or listen to an audiobook. Take a different route to see something new. Do neck-rolls at stoplights. Sing in the car to stay awake and happy. Public transportation. Take a break from reading, cell conversations, and music to tune into the sights and sounds around you.
Running errands. Wear a special perfume or lotion so you can enjoy it while you rush from place to place. Carry a stress ball in your pocket. Waiting in lines. Instead of worrying about time slipping away, focus on your breathing. People watch. Chat with the person ahead of you. Chew a stick of minty gum. Authors: Jeanne Segal, Ph.
Relaxation — Tips and exercises to help you relax, some of them quickly. This holiday season alone, millions of people will turn to HelpGuide for free mental health guidance and support. So many people rely on us in their most difficult moments. Can we rely on you? All gifts made before December 31 will be doubled. Cookie Policy. What is the fastest way to relieve stress? The best way to quickly relieve stress often relates to your specific stress response: Overexcited stress response: If you tend to become angry, agitated, overly emotional, or keyed up under stress, you will respond best to stress relief activities that quiet you down.
Vocal toning As strange as it may sound, vocal toning is a special technique that reduces the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Take a break from technology Taking a short hiatus from the television, computer, and cell phone will give you insight on what your senses respond to best. Try tuning into relaxing music instead of talk radio during your commute.
Or try riding in silence for 10 minutes. Stuck in a long line at the grocery store? Instead of talking on your phone, take a moment to people watch. Pay attention to what you hear and see. It reduces the stress hormone norepinephrine and can produce a sense of relaxation. So don't be afraid to ask a loved one for a hug if you need it. It's good for both of you and it can be one of the simplest forms of stress relief available.
Aromatherapy has real benefits for stress relief—it can help you to feel energized, more relaxed, or more present in the moment. Emerging research suggests certain scents can alter brain wave activity and decrease stress hormones in the body. So whether you enjoy candles, diffusers, or body products, consider incorporating some aromatherapy into your day.
If you aren't into drawing or painting, consider coloring in a coloring book. Adult coloring books have risen in popularity and for good reason—coloring can be a great stress reliever. Research consistently shows that coloring can have a meditative effect. One study found that anxiety levels decline in people who were coloring complex geometric patterns, making it a perfect outlet for stress reduction.
Certain habits can promote resilience to stress, as well as increase overall wellness. For example, those who exercise or meditate regularly tend to become less stressed in the face of a difficult challenge. So it's important to create a lifestyle that will help you ward off stress and deal with challenges in a healthy way. A poor diet can bring greater reactivity toward stress. Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods can provide a temporary sense of relief that adds to your long-term stress.
Refined carbs, like cookies and potato chips, can cause a spike in blood sugar. When your blood sugar crashes, you might experience more stress and anxiety. Consuming a healthy diet can help you combat stress over the long haul. Foods like eggs, avocado, and walnuts support mood regulation and energy balance. Leisure activities can be a wonderful way to relieve stress. Yet, many people feel as though their lives are too busy for hobbies, games, or extra fun.
But building time for leisure into your schedule could be key to helping you feel your best. And when you feel better, you'll perform better, which means leisure time may make your work time more efficient. Whether you find joy in caring for a garden or you like making quilts, hobbies and leisure are key to living your best life. The way you talk to yourself matters.
Harsh self-criticism, self-doubt, and catastrophic predictions aren't helpful. If you're constantly thinking things like, "I don't have time for this," and "I can't stand this," you'll stress yourself out. It's important to learn to talk to yourself in a more realistic, compassionate manner. When you call yourself names or doubt your ability to succeed, reply with a kinder inner dialogue. Positive self-talk can help you develop a healthier outlook.
And an optimistic and compassionate conversation can help you manage your emotions and take positive action.
Yoga combines physical movement, meditation, light exercise, and controlled breathing—all of which provide excellent stress relief. And while you're likely to reap immediate benefits from a single yoga session, you're likely to receive long-term benefits if you incorporate it into your life in a consistent way. Yoga offers a variety of physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits. To get started, you might take a class, enroll in an online program, or use an app to help you begin practicing.
Gratitude helps you recognize all the things you have to be thankful for. Whether you're grateful for a sunny day or thankful you arrived at work safely, think about all the good things you have in life.
Gratitude also reminds you of all of the resources you have to cope with stress, which can be quite empowering. Studies also show grateful people enjoy better mental health, lower stress, and a better quality of life.
So whether you decide to make it a habit to identify what you're grateful for as you sit around the dinner table or you decide to write down three things you're grateful for in a gratitude journal every day, make gratitude a regular habit.
Physical activity is key to managing stress and improving mental health. And the best news is, there are many different kinds of activities that can reduce your stress. Join a gym, take a class, or exercise outside.
Keep in mind that there are many different ways to get more physical activity in your day too. Walking, strength training, kayaking, hiking, and spin class are just a few different examples of ways you can get stress relief. Most stress relievers focus on changing your emotions. But sometimes, you won't necessarily get relief until you change the environment. This is referred to as problem-focused coping as opposed to emotion-focused coping.
Problem-focused coping involves taking steps to remove the stressor from your life as opposed to changing how you feel about the stressor. If you're trying to squeeze 20 hours worth of work into 16 hours, you're going to feel stressed. Reducing your workload could be key to helping you get through the day feeling better. Whether that means stepping away from a committee you joined or it involves hiring someone to complete some of your household chores for you,. Honing your time management skills can allow you to minimize the stressors that you experience, and better manage the ones you can't avoid.
When you are able to complete everything on your "to do" list without the stress of rushing or forgetting, your whole life feels easier. Having supportive people in your life is the key to stress management. If you lack emotional support and friendship, it's important to get it. That may mean reaching out to your existing network. Perhaps confiding in a family member or distant friend can help you become closer and it may give you the social support you need. You may also need to expand your network.
Join an organization, attend a support group, or get professional help if you lack supportive people in your life. Sometimes, the best way to reduce your stress is to cut something out of your life. This Way Up: Intro to mindfulness course. While a little bit of stress is normal and can actually help you function more effectively during times of pressure, ongoing stress is not good for your physical or mental health.
Ongoing stress affects your mental health and can be worth a trip to the doctor. Coping with the daily grind. How to have a conversation with a mate about mental health. Skip links and keyboard navigation Skip to content Skip to site navigation Skip to footer Use tab and cursor keys to move around the page more information.
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