How to Achieve Instant Calm with these Simple Solutions

 

Sadly, more and more of us today seem to suffer from stress and anxiety.  And it is not helped by being bombarded with information and stimuli from technology (and its advances), from the media and even from our own environment.

But help is at hand as we share some suggestions on how to reduce that stress and anxiety and help to achieve a calmer life for ourselves. 

Earlier we wrote about the top ten signs and symptoms of stress.

Splashing cooling water

For an instant self soothing and calming effect, splash some cool water on your face, your wrists and the back of your neck.  This temperature change will ensure an automatic calming rush, stimulating the body's dive reflex to slow the heart rate and respiration and inducing a more focused tranquil state. 

Just standing up

Many of us spend too much time sitting.  If you can just stand up from time to time, this will help you to feel refreshed as our blood tends to pool in the legs when we ae sitting. 

An additional tip (if you suffer from feeling a bit dizzy or experience pain in your back when you get up) is to lean forward, press your hands on your legs, ground your heels and then rise up slowly. 

Relaxing your muscles

It is easy to succumb to physical tension throughout our muscles.  To relieve this, systematically tense and then release the different muscles groups - working from your toes to your shoulders.

Squeeze lightly for five seconds and then let go to provide an outlet for anxious energy while at the same time reminding your body what total relaxation actually feels like - and restoring a greater sense of ease. 

Closing your eyes

If you can take a minute or two to close your eyes, you will block out external stimuli, giving your brain a break from processing all that information while helping to reduce stress and anxiety. 

This tip will also improve your focus and concentration - and help you to feel more relaxed. 

Releasing any tension

Another way to release any tension you may be feeling in your body is to roll your shoulders to help with the neck area.  Then shake your hands in the air and wobble your feet, your hips and your waist.  Tension tends to accumulate in tissues when we are not moving.  If you follow these tips, you will get the blood flowing around your body once more.

Blinking - and winking

If you can gently squeeze and release your eyes five times and then add winking (going from one eye to the other alternately) before slowly looking from side to side five times, this can signal to the brain that you are no longer following your usual pattern of scrolling up and down (your phone)!

Taking a walk

We all know the many benefits of walking but now try taking a walk minus those headphones so you can listen to the sounds of life around you.

You can connect with nature by feeling the sun on your skin or watching the trees moving in the wind. 

Such activity will reduce stress by stimulating both sides of the brain bilaterally while calming your mind and grounding you in the present.

Kicking off those shoes

Going barefoot or "earthing" is known as a type of mindfulness, helping to lower stress because it brings you into the present moment and connects you with nature.

In addition, the sensations on the soles of your bare feet will create a calming effect while the electrical charge from the surface of Earth is said to neutralise dangerous free radicals and lower systemic inflammation.  Two excellent reasons for following this habit.

And there is more!  Being barefoot brings your skin into contact with bacteria such as Mycobacterium vaccae to be taken up into the body - with extra mental health benefits.

 

Trying body drumming

This is an instant stress reliever, waking the energetic body and cultivating movement of any stagnant energy.  Stress leads to feeling tense but make a gentle fist with the hand and then start drumming all over the body (taking care to do this lightly at first) to create a sense of release and freedom.

Embracing fragrance

If you can carry a small container with a calming essential oil such as Lavender which you can open and inhale whenever you feel stressful, your sense of smell will connect directly to your brain's emotional processing and memory centers.  This in turn can rapidly trigger the relaxation response you need - and provide stress relief.  

 

No one is likely to take all these suggestions on board but if you can just include one or two in your daily routine, you could well help to lower any stress levels that might be causing a problem...

 

SOURCES:

Secondary headaches. American Headache Society Committee for Headache Education. http://www.achenet.org/resources/secondary_headaches/. (Accessed,July 13, 2021)

Stroke - Symptoms - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Emotions Can Trigger Asthma Symptoms | AAFA.org