6 effective ways to relieve stress

6 effective ways to relieve stress

May 08, 2021Claire Kelly

Stress is almost impossible to avoid, work stress, home life stress, self-induced stress, it can feel like it’s everywhere, am I right?

Having just a few simple strategies to help you relieve stress can go a long way in shifting your mindset for long-term improvements.

Here, we discuss 5 of the most effective ways to relieve your stress instantly and progressively.

 

Introduction

When we hit a stressful period in our life it can be easy to just hope it passes and wait until it does so, but how about this time we try a different approach? The more practice you give to something, the better you get at it, stress management is no different to any other skill. Practice makes perfect.

3 golden rules for stress management:

  • Shift your perspective: Much of our stresses come from how we perceive situations. Two people can have an identical physical experience but have two completely different emotional responses. Slow down and consider what lenses you wear when experiencing the world in every given moment, your power lies in your perspective.

 

  • Release tension: When we experience stress, our cortisol hormone starts to rise and cause all kinds of problems in our body. Over time, having elevated cortisol levels can impact our metabolism, cause inflammation, mess with our blood sugars, blood pressure and even our memory! Exercising, walking, sweating or any kind is a great way to get rid of excess tension in the body. Stress is not something to resent or fear, stress is merely showing you that something in your life is just not working. Appreciate your body’s guidance system, and work to ease it.

 

  • Get organized: Plan ahead, having a schedule for your day, a place for your keys and essentials can go a long way in making sure you start, and end your day on a high note. If you know there is going to be a stressful period coming up in your life, don’t just wait until it hits you before you start scrambling for relief, plan ahead, you know yourself better than anyone, you know what you’ll need, so make space for it.

 

Short-term relief

Progressive muscle relaxation: Progressive muscle relaxation involves relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group. Starting with deep breaths, then moving to tightening and releasing each muscle group, start with your forehead and move down to your toes. By the end of it you should feel a wave of relaxation and release across your entire body. Over time, with practice you will learn to be able to identify tension in your body and release it effectively.



Breathing techniques: Just focusing on your breath or changing the way you breathe can make a big difference to your overall stress level. Breathing techniques can calm your body and your brain in just a few minutes. The best thing of all? No one has to even know your doing it, you can do it on the train, waiting in line, anywhere.

  • Breath in slowly through your nose, breath deeply into your belly, not just your chest, hold this breath for 2 seconds and release.
  • Focus only on your breath
  • As you breath in, visualise you breathing in a calming white light, and as you breath out visualise you breathing out all your tension and stress.
  • Repeat until you feel all the stress has been removed & your mind is still.

 

Meditation & mindfulness: Meditation can bring instant stress relief and calm to your mind, body & soul. There are many different types of meditations you can do. Guided meditations, such as visualising yourself walking through a calming location i.e. beach, breathing in the sea air, feeling the breeze, the sand, the calmness can help re-centre you.

Mindfulness involves bringing your awareness to your 5 senses and out of your head, what can you see? What can you hear? What can you smell? What can you taste? What can you touch? Focus intently on each of those senses and ground yourself in the here and now.

 

 

Recommended Products

 Sona Stress B 30 Capsules
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Ogam Pure Essential Oil Lavender 10ml
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Check out our wide range of vitamins & minerals HERE

Read the HSE guidelines on stress HERE

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