WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS

Ways to relieve stress

Reducing the stress in your life will take a lot of reflection and action, but it will be worth it. If you're less stressed, you'll be able to sleep better, will have a more positive outlook on life, and will be much more able to enjoy your daily interactions. To reduce stress, you have to work on minimizing the stressful situations in your life and to relax your mind and body.

1. Meditate

It's simple. Sit up straight with both feet on the floor. Close your eyes. Focus your attention on reciting (out loud or silently) a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace” or “I love myself.” Place one hand on your belly to sync the mantra with your breaths. Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds.

2. Breathe Deeply

Take a 5 minute break and focus on your breathing. Sit up straight, eyes closed, with a hand on your belly. Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling the breath start in your abdomen and work its way to the top of your head. Reverse the process as you exhale through your mouth.

3. Listen to music

Music has the power to transform. If you feel the tensions rising, stick on a little classical music to transport you to a higher plane or plug into your favorite song to transport you to good times and happy memories. Listening to soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety. If you want to let off steam and get rid of pent up anger, stick on some rock or pop really loudly and belt out the song at the top of your voice.

4.Go outside

If you are feeling frazzled at work or at home, one quick way to relax is to head outdoors. You get a fresh perspective on the problem and breathe in fresh air.

5. Exercise

Exercise is well known as a stress buster. When we do it our bodies release feel good hormones which make us calmer. Exercise also uses up some of the hormones that the body makes when it's stressed.

6. Yoga

Yoga can be a quick route to relaxation. You don't have to do a full blown hour long workout to appreciate some of the benefits.

7. Visualization

Try visualizing a peaceful scene away from your current tensions. It could be a golden sandy beach with the azure waves lapping at your toes; it could be a warm bath with scented oils. The idea is to take your mind off the current worry and transport yourself and your mood to somewhere relaxing and calm. The more detail you imagine the calmer you'll get.

8. Have a cup of tea

It's a well-known cliche that many-a-problem can be solved by putting the kettle on, or that a cup of tea's the best thing to calm you down after a shock. The classic, common-sense way to relax may actually work.

9. Mindfulness

It's quite closely linked with meditation. The idea is to be mindful of something and appreciate it in that present moment and block everything else out. It may be appreciating the color of a flower or examining a piece of jewelry to see how it was made. Focusing on the present can reduce stress. "Turn off your screen, choose a common object like a pencil or a penny (not your phone) and begin breathing very slowly focusing on the object and describing it to yourself in as much detail as you can. To focus completely and fully on something in the present is the essence of mindfulness."

10. Pick your own way to relax

Different activities work for different people. Some people may find reading a book or magazine for 10 minutes a good way to relax. Others may find a therapeutic value in gardening or even cleaning. Spending just a quarter of an hour doing something you enjoy can make all the difference. You could have sex, watch your favorite comedy show, walk the dog or stroke the cat – all relaxing activities to take the sting out of tension. We all get stresses in life, so it pays to have a few quick tricks up your sleeve to deal with them.