Some stress is good for you. It keeps you motivated and on your toes, and it can keep you feeling alive and excited about life. But long-term, or chronic, stress can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Chronic stress can lead to heart disease, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, obesity, depression, and anxiety, among numerous conditions.
When you do activities that are calming and relaxing, your stress hormone levels decline, and your heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and body temperature go down, leaving you with a greater sense of calm and wellbeing. Here are some free ways to reduce your stress on the spot.
4-7-8 Breathing
Developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, 4-7-8 breathing is recommended by the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine to achieve general relaxation. It’s quick, simple, and free, and you can do it anywhere: In the car, at the office, or in line at the DMV.
Place the tip of your tongue against the spot behind your upper teeth, and keep it there through the whole exercise. Make a whooshing sound as you exhale completely through your mouth. Close your mouth and inhale silently through your nose to a count of four. Hold the breath for a count of seven. Exhale completely through your mouth, making the whooshing sound, for a count of eight. Repeat three times.
Color a Mandala
The Cleveland Clinic explains that coloring takes us outside ourselves and brings us to the present moment, which is very meditative. It relaxes the brain, and it elicits a sense of satisfaction. It can even reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. While you probably don’t keep a coloring book and crayons on hand at all times, you do have your phone handy most of the time. Download this free mandala coloring app from Google Play. It lets you color anywhere and everywhere, and it offers 25 color palettes to choose from so that you can make beautiful creations that suit your mood.
Do Yoga with YouTube
Yoga has proven benefits for relaxation and stress relief. If promotes flexibility, balance, and strength of body, mind, and spirit. The combination of body postures and breathing reduces stress hormones immediately, and it leaves you feeling calm and relaxed. It promotes mindfulness and self-awareness, and it can help you keep stress at bay for the long-term. Yoga with Adriene is a YouTube channel with numerous yoga workouts for a wide range of ailments, from stress and pain to insomnia and weight loss.
Take a Whiff of Lavender
Lavender essential oil has proven stress-relief benefits, and a tiny bottle of this aromatic oil will last you a long time. Put a few drops in your bath or on the floor of the shower. Dab some onto a cotton ball and keep it in a tin that you can open and sniff whenever you’re feeling stressed. Put a drop on your pillow to help soothe your nerves before bed, and consider investing in a diffuser to keep the scent aloft in the air at home.
Stress relief isn’t rocket science. It’s a matter of bringing your mind to the present moment, breathing deeply to keep oxygen moving and stress hormones in check, and finding ways to calm your mind and body. These activities are surefire stress-busters and when you engage in them on a daily basis, they can go a long way toward keeping your mind and body healthy and improving your sense of wellbeing.
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