16 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are one of the most commonly experienced things. They affect you not just mentally but also physically. There can be numerous causes related to stress and anxiety. It results in lack of peace in your mind and you should get rid of it before it grows.

16 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

There are several ways in which you calm your mind in such situations. They are present below.

1. Exercise

Studies show that people who exercise on a daily basis experience less stress and anxiety. Exercise and workout act as an escape from everything. It is the time when your mind focuses only on you. This makes it one of the best ways to fight stress and anxiety.

Exercise can help improve your sleep patterns because it causes the body to use energy and for recovery proper rest is important. This lessens the tension in your mind and body.

Exercise is a way to lower the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol in your body and stimulate the release of endorphins which are called happy hormones.

You will also experience a change in your mindset when you start working out. You start feeling good about yourself and focus more on yourself. This promotes mental health due to change of psychology.

For a sustainable routine, you must choose to do a workout that you actually enjoy rather than just pushing yourself too hard.

2. Consider Supplements

There are some supplements that are known to decrease stress and anxiety. A few examples are-

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids- These can be obtained through diet but are also available in supplementary form and help in stress reduction.

2. Green Tea- It is rich in antioxidants which can be used to fight stress and lighten the mood. Chemical called theanine in green tea helps calm your mind.

3. Kava Kava- It was once used in South Pacific as a sedative and now being increasingly used in certain areas of Europe and United States to deal with stress. It helps in treatment of symptoms related to anxiety disorders.

4. Lemon Balm- This belongs to mint family and used to treat anxiety. It improves memory and alertness in adults.

5. Ashwagandha- It is an Ayurvedic herbal medicine which has been shown to be effective in treating stress and anxiety.

6. Valerian- It has a tranquilizing effect and contains valerenic acid which changes to sensitivity of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors. Dosage should be taken care of.

These supplements should be taken only after consultation with your doctor to avoid any sort of interference with medication already going on or side effects.

3. Light a Candle

   Aromatherapy reduces the levels of stress hormones and gives a feeling of contentment. Use of essential oils or scented candles can produce a calming effect to your mind. There are various types of scents that can be used give a soothing effect and remove the stress to some level. These include-

1. Rosemary

2. Jasmine

3. Lavender

4. Vanilla

5. Lime

6. Sea breeze

7. Sandalwood

8. Chamomile

9. Ylang Ylang

10. Holy or Sweet basil

This therapy can be done from time to time because they can also help in improving sleep and create a sense of calm inside you.

4. Reduce your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine is a substance used to increase alertness and activity of mind but different people have different senstivity to caffeine. Once your body gets adapted to a certain amount of caffeine, it asks for more which causes anxiety.

Coffee is not an unhealthy option. In fact if taken in moderation, it is good but you should be aware of when to cut down depending upon your threshold.

5. Write it Down

Putting your thoughts into words is like talking out your feelings. When you let them out, it helps in reducing the negative feelings inside you.

Even better way is to write about the things you are thankful for and practice gratitude. This will help you focus on the positive things and have a better outlook.

You can start writing your journal in a personal diary. You can also write down poems that potray your story and emotions.

6. Chew Gum

Chewing gum is known to reduce stress and anxiety. It increases the blood flow to brain. It causes brainwaves that depict a relaxed and content mind.

Chewing strongly is considered one of the best ways to get rid of stress, probably because it deviates your mind and causes you to be in present moment.

7. Spend Time with Friends and Family

Having somebody to support you at the time of need is a blessing. When you are stressed, it is important to have somebody being there for you to listen to you and encourage you to be stronger.

According to HealthLine, studies have shown that spending time with family and friends causes the release of oxytocin in women which is a stress relieving hormone. This effect is called ‘tend and befriend’ which is the opposite of flight or fight response.

Spending time with children can also create such delightful moments that anything related to stress is almost forgotten and you start to think positively.

It is at such times that you realize that it is important to have connections, even if they are few, they should be strong enough to make you feel loved.

8. Laugh

Laughter is a sign of happiness and contentment. When something makes you laugh, you forget about all other things and celebrate the moment.

Not only psychological therapy, but laughing is also a remedy to increase blood flow in the body and improve immune system. It relaxes your tensed muscles.

Studies have found that laughter therapy can help relieving stress and anxiety. You can watch funny videos or comedy movies and stuff to make yourself laugh.

9. Learn to Say No

Taking up tons of responsibilities upon your shoulders just because you can’t say no causes unessacery stress in your mind. This is related to the fear that other person may turn hostile if you refuse.

This gives you too much to think about which ultimately results in stress. To take the load off your mind to some level, you can refuse to do what you think will cause unwanted pressure and stress.

10. Learn to Avoid Procrastination

Procrastination means delaying of a task or a number of tasks. It prevents you from performing on time. This causes you to cluster up thoughts in your brain and you begin to stress about how to complete it without actually performing it. Thinking that much about something or the worry of not being able to it causes anxiety.

You should make a proper schedule and set deadlines that you can follow strictly. Having to do a number of tasks at once can be quite confusing and frustrating. You must avoid it in order to achieve a sense of satisfaction after completion of work.

11. Take a Yoga Class

Practising yoga is very powerful to develop a mind body connection as well as it improves breathing. It promotes the opposite of stress which is relaxation for the mind and gives a sense of peace.

A three month study in women showed reduced levels of cortisol after adding yoga to their routine. It helps you focus more on breathing and less on the voices in your hand, which means, you act with mindfulness. Mindfulness relieves the stress created by thoughts in your head

It also lowers blood pressure and heart rate and increases gamma aminobutyric acid levels. Yoga is also an effective way to lift up mood. It has variois health benefits as well.

Making yoga a part of your routine can help you achieve reduction in mental stress and anxiety.

12. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness basically means that you act in the present moment without letting the noises in your head, that is, thoughts swallowing you up.

There are a number of ways with which it can be achieved. First of all, you need realize that all you have is now and you must cherish every second.

There are various books related to it and you can also use practices such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, meditation, yoga, and more.

The more you are in the moment, the deeper is the calm in you. It also helps in healing other issues such as overthinking, depression, and self-love issues.

13. Cuddle

Intimacy and romance are known to decrease the levels of cortisol as well as heart rate and blood pressure.Hu gging, kissing, cuddling and having sex can make you feel loved and positive.

It releases oxytocin and endorphins which are happy hormones. It helps in relieving stress from your mind and body.

14. Listen to a Soothing Music

There are certain types of relaxing sounds and music that produce a very calming effect on your mind.

Simply listening to your favourite type of music is also enjoyable but music such as Tibetan, Indian, native or classical healing sounds take your mind into a meditative state.

Even nature sounds are quite peaceful to listen.

They release the tension from your body and also help in achieving a sleepy relaxed state in which there is no thought disturbing you.

Sometimes instead of music, you can also listen to affirmations that are used to change the frame of your mind over a period of time.

Such ways can be used to cut down the stress and make anxiety go away.

15. Deep Breathing

When you experience stress, your cortisol levels increase and sympathetic nervous system is activated which turns on the emergency fight or flight mode. It causes certain symptoms such as faster heart rate, increased blood pressure and shorter, quicker breathing.

When you start practising deep breathing through your nose, it shifts your focus towards that. This helps you to alter your breathing technique to long deep breaths. This in turn activates parasympathetic nervous system and makes your body go in relaxed mode.

Besides that, it causes you to be in the present moment and away from your thoughts resulting in stress.

Belly breathing, abdominal breathing and diagphragmatic breathing a few examples of deep breathing exercises. These can be practiced in order to achieve long deep breaths associated with a peaceful mind.

16. Spend Time with Your Pet

Your pet can also be a great companion to you. The one that provides you comfort and peace. Spending time with your pet can make your every moment joyful.

It causes the release of oxytocin, a hormone known for positive mood. Taking care of your pet also causes you to engage in activities daily which keeps your mind active and stress free.

Pets can be stress relievers and help you get through bad times.

Conclusion

Stress can arise from any small to big reason anywhere. You need to learn ways in which it can be healed and you can be free from disturbing thoughts.

Stress can also grow and form into a habit. Constantly experiencing stress and anxiety can also affect your lifestyle in a negative manner. This is why going through a healing process is very important to deal with any sort of negative emotions that keep you from being yourself.

You might need to make a few changes in your attitude and outlook towards life. It might take time, but what you see and experience beyond it,  is worth the wait.