How to de-stress Fast
- Raylin
- Sep 13, 2018
- 5 min read
Tip #1: Take a Deep Breath: This is the easiest and most convenient way to relieve stress anywhere. Breathing mindfully creates almost immediate effects.
Benefits: Mindful breathing relieves tension, restores energy, and reduces stress.
Steps Sit Still Breathing: Deep breathing just means to breathe deeply from the abdomen, instead of shallow breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get the less tense you become, short of breath, and anxious you feel.
Sit crossed legged or on a chair with your back straight.
Put your left hand on your chest and your right hand on your stomach.
Breathe in and out noticing which hand is rising and how quickly your breath is traveling.
Inhale for 10 through your nose concentrating on your belly. You should feel your stomach move outward.
Exhale for 10 through your mouth, contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in.
Repeat 3x. Your stomach should move outward on the inhale and your stomach move inward on the exhale.
If this is difficult, try this exercise lying flat on your back. Feet grounded on the floor shoulder width apart.
Tip #2: Posture Makes Perfect: Shoulders back, chin up, chest up, spine tall, and crown of the head high.
Benefits: “Studies show that poor posture is related to anxiety, depression, helplessness, and irritability, so keeping your chin up and shoulders back will help,” Dr. Serani says.
Steps Rag Doll:
Stand Tall with feet shoulder width apart.
While keeping a bend in your knees, try to touch your feet with your hands for 5 seconds.
Let go of your upper body like a rag doll while keeping your hips down to your feet rooted.
Slowly come up one vertebrea at a time starting with the tail bone and moving up. The last bone to come up is the crown of your head.
Stand tall for 5 seconds. When in doubt, feel like you are Beyonce
Tip #3: Natural Muscle Relaxers: Muscles get tense when you’re stressed. Progressive muscle relaxation is a two-step process in which you systematically tense and relax different muscle groups in the body.
Benefitst: This can help you to you react to the first signs of the muscular tension that accompanies stress. And as your body relaxes, so will your mind.
Steps Progressive Musle Relaxtion:
Inhale and Exhale slowly 3x.
Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot. Stay squeezed for 5.
Relax your foot and notice how it feels.
Inhale and Exhale slowly 3x.
Slowly tense the muscles in your left foot. Stay squeezed for 5.
Relax your foot and notice how it feels.
Inhale and Exhale slowly 3x.
Repeat contracting and relaxing different muscle groups from your feet to your head.
Right Calf, left calf
Right thigh, left thigh
Hips
Abs
Chest
Back
Right Arm, Right hand
Left Arm, Left hand
Neck
Shoulders
Jaw
Eye Brows
Tip #4: Fresh Air, Don’t Care: Everyone needs “fresh air” to reap the benefits and feel more at ease.
Benefits: Even opening a window can help get more oxygen to your brain, soothing stress. shift your neurochemistry, recharge, and boost endorphins.
Steps: Take a walk in the park, walk around the block, take your pet for a walk
Tip #5: Yoga Power Pose: Yoga has been around for over 5,000 years. By transfering focus on the body and breath, yoga can block anxiety and release tension.
Benefits: It opens space in the body, relieves neck tension, and relaxes physical symptoms.
Steps:
Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), standing with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides. Let your thoughts settle. Focus on the present moment. Breathe deeply and evenly, calming your mind. Draw your awareness inward. Turn to the left.
Exhale as you step your feet wide apart, about 4 to 5 feet.
Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, so your toes are pointing to the top of the mat.
Pivot your left foot inwards at a 45-degree angle.
Align your front heel with the arch of your back foot. Keep your pelvis turned toward the front of your mat.
Press your weight through your left heel. Then, exhale as you bend your right knee over your right ankle. Your shin should be perpendicular to the floor. Lift through the arches of your feet, while rooting down through your ankles.
Reach up strongly through your arms. Broaden across your belly, lengthen the sides of your waist, and lift through your chest. Keep your palms and fingers active and reaching.
You can keep your arms parallel, or press your palms together.
Gently tilt your head back and gaze up at your thumbs. Keep your shoulders dropped away from your ears. Feel your shoulder blades pressing firmly inward.
Press down through the outer edge of your back foot, keeping your back leg straight.
Hold for up to one minute.
To release the pose, press your weight through your back heel and straighten your front leg. Lower your arms. Turn to the left, reversing the position of your feet, and repeat for the same length of time on the opposite side.
Tip #6: Get Moving: Exercise not only helps you build a fierce body, it also helps with stress. Exercise provides a distraction and outlet.
Benefits: Every time you are physically active, your body releases mood-boosting chemicals called endorphins. Exercise not only melts stress, it also protects your heart, strengthens your heart muscle, and helps you maintain a healthy weight with proper Nutrition.
Steps:
Run around the block or in place for 30 seconds
10 jumping jacks
10 pushups
10 crunches
Repeat as necessary.
Tip #7 Tune In: While classical music has incredible soothing effects, any type of music that resonates with you will help with stress relief.
Benefits: Listening to music lowers your blood pressure, relaxes your body, calms your mind, releases dopamine, and decreases level of stress hormones.
Get Started:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN9fFvpLyv4
Tip #8 Be Kind to Yourself: Moving forward instead of being lost in the circle of worries and “whys” helps to reduce stress. Check your thoughts. What you tell yourself or think about yourself has a profound effect on your stress level.
Benefits: By your choice of perspective, you direct how your body will respond—in fight or flight, or in creative choices and solution-based responses,”
Steps:
Think about positive ideas and write them down.
Ask how you can improve, instead of criticizing.
Why something is happening and how you can fix it.
Be a silent observer. Notice your feels and accept them.
Empowering Words: “I can”, “I am”.
How can I change/improve/get better? Instead of looking at the past.
Tip #9 Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Looking at yourself in the mirror and speaking aloud encouraging thoughts to yourself helps with a pep talk.
Benefits: Positive speaking releases worry and improves self-confidence.
Steps:
Find a mirror (whether in the bathroom or car).
Speak aloud positive affirmations to yourself. “I am excellent at what I do.”, “I’ve got this. I am amazing.” “I am an asset to this company”. “I am awesome.”
Speak in your head if needed. If you are not feeling confident, say “I am enough.” “I can and I will.”
Tip: #10 Live, LAUGH, Love: Laughter is the best medicine when your stressed. Watch a viral video that you think is funny.
Benefits: Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. And remember…what counts is the physical act of laughing
Get Started:
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