“Stop a minute, right where you are. Relax your shoulders, shake your head and spine like a dog shaking off cold water. Tell that imperious voice in your head to be still.”
– Barbara Kingsolver
When do you know that you are stressed? I mean, everyone identifies a sign that tells them they are stressed, like, a sped up heart rate, or, a feeling of sickness, or the fact that you just cannot stay still because the anxiousness is sort of killing you! Now no matter when you feel this way, it could be because of a remark from your boss, or something not going right on the home front, whatever be the reason, you have the power in you to resist the trigger.
Suggested read: 12 tips on how to calm your overactive and stressed mind that actually work
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
-William James
Whenever we stress about something, our system gets flooded with hormones, such as, cortisol. This produces, what is popularly called, the fight or flight response, because of which the heart rate accelerates, we start gasping for breath, and our blood vessels shrink. Before civilization took root, this increase in flow of blood to the heart lent us a hand, when escaping from wild animals and other life-threatening situations. But today, we are in an absolutely different position, right? And despite that, since our reflexes cannot tell the difference between a ferocious tiger approaching us, or, a spouse who wants to give us a talking, or, a traffic that is getting us late for a presentation; for all these triggers the system gives out a similar response: PANIC MODE ON!
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive–to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
-Marcus Aurelius
The panic mode does not help us in any way, and can cause serious health conditions, such as, hypertension, headaches, depression, mental illness, and anxiety disorders. And it does not end there! Getting stressed can also cause asthma and insomnia!!
Now, don’t get stressed about that! We are here today to help you with 8 scientific and mindful techniques that have proven to be best ways to de-stress.
Evil stress response has an angel of a doppelganger: The Relaxation Response! During this response, one can breathe deeply and slowly, the blood pressure stabilizes, and your heart rate comes down to normal, according to the reports of the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
But do we have a choice when the triggers suddenly set our alarm bells off? Well, no! But the good news is that you can undo the effects! Now, keeping that in mind, let us look at the 8 ways, supported by research, that help in keeping stress in check.
1. Go for a 10-minute walk
Image source: Shutterstock
“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”
-Henry David Thoreau
A walk helps clear your mind of thoughts, mostly negative thoughts. It boosts happy hormones or endorphins, which help reduce stress. So make an attempt to walk in a park or any other space that has a hefty dose of green and fresh air. Walking can actually help you place your body and mind into a state of meditation. This happens because of a phenomenon that experts call, ‘Involuntary Attention’. While in this state, only happy thoughts flow into your system, automatically de-stressing you. Worth a shot, no?
2. Try breathing deeply
Image source: Pinterest
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh, Stepping into Freedom: Rules of Monastic Practice for Novices
Breathing, or Pranayama, plays a vital role in nurturing the body, mind and the spirit. No wonder it is called the “life force”! But this is not only something yogis swear by. It is medically proven that breathing properly nourishes the system.
According to a recent research report,
“Breathing exercises can help you relax, because they make your body feel like it does when you are already relaxed.”
Just taking out a minute or two from your hectic schedule to take a few deep breaths can really work wonders. Breathing exercises help reduce tension and anxiety by boosting the oxygen intake. Shallow breathing is not only a symptom of stress, but stops the parasympathetic reaction, which further stops us from calming down.
According to Herbert Benson, a researcher at Howard University, breathing exercises can help cure clinical conditions that are caused by stress, like, high blood pressure, and might also change the expression of some genes.
3. Create with your mind’s eye
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
The easiest way to realign your mind is to visualize a happy place. Also called “Guided Imagery”, even the National Institute for Health recognizes the power of visualization to elicit a relaxation response that we talked about earlier in this post.
Wherever you are, try to make yourself a little comfortable, and then, visualize you are somewhere peaceful. You could be on a beach, or mountain peak, or at your home, drinking a hot cup of chocolate.
According to the Women’s Health mag,
“Picture yourself in an elevator, happily sandwiched between two hot actors of your choice.”
Now we are talkin’, right?! 😉
Suggested read: 11 effective ways to reduce relationship stress that actually work
4. Mindfully binge on a snack!
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
“There is no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap.”
-Kevin James
No, I did not do an oxymoron there! Stress eating isn’t always bad. Dr. Drew Ramsey, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Columbia says,
“The connection between the gut and brain is huge — called the ‘gut-brain axis’ — and lots of interesting data supports the idea that the gut is a major mediator of the stress response.”
Dr. Ramsey is also the author of, “The Happiness Diet”, and speaking about stress-snacking he further says,
“After all, stress is a brain and immune system mediated phenomena, and your gut is the largest organ in your immune system.”
Whenever you feel stressed, indulge in a snack that won’t fill you up. Some options that I can think of are, half an avocado, or an apple, or a mouthful of nuts, or a half-boiled egg. When snacking, don’t sit in front of your TV or computer or mobile screen. Try to move away to a relatively peaceful place, and treat yourself to a snack and focus on it: Try to feel its texture with your lips, smell the flavor, take notice of how you feel when snacking. This way you will be turning your evening snack routine into meditation.
5. Get home a plant
Image source: Pinterest
I grow plants for many reasons: to please my eye or to please my soul, to challenge the elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty or for nostalgia, but mostly for the joy in seeing them grow.
-David Hobson
Plants not only beautify our houses, but are also one of the best ways to de-stress. According to a bunch of researchers, when we are around plants, our system induces relaxation response. A study conducted by the Washington State University demonstrated that a group of students who were stressed out had a four-point drop in their blood pressure after entering a room full of plants. If you spend most of your hours at work, try keeping a small money plant on your work desk. They grow in water also, by the way! 
6. Kiss more than often
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
“Kissing – and I mean like, yummy, smacking kissing – is the most delicious, most beautiful and passionate thing that two people can do, bar none. Better than sex, hands down.”
-Drew Barrymore
Kissing induces endorphins, everyone knows that! But did you know, it can cure some serious illnesses? According to a study conducted by Northwestern University on 2000 couples, it was observed that couples who wo kiss more often were 10 times more likely to be de-stressed and happy.
Try it IMMEDIATELY, will you?! 😉
7. Naam yoga hand trick
Image source: Pinterest
“When you catch yourself slipping into a pool of negativity, notice how it derives from nothing other than resistance to the current situation.”
-Donna Quesada, Buddha in the Classroom: Zen Wisdom to Inspire Teachers
Applying pressure in the area between your second and third knuckles helps create a feeling of calm and tranquility, says Sharon Melnick, writer of, “Success Under Stress”.
In an interview to Business Insider, Sharon said,
“It activates a nerve that loosens the area around the heart, so any of that fluttery feeling you feel when you’re nervous will end up going away.”
8. Entertain yourself by watching a viral video
Image source: Flickr
“Laugh whenever you can. Keeps you from killing yourself when things are bad. That and vodka.”
-Jim Butcher, Changes
I am not kidding! I will let Mayo Clinic explain, on my behalf:
“Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.”
Sometimes just the anticipation of watching a funny video can help release endorphin!
Suggested read: 4 key stress management techniques you MUST master for a healthy life
Now if you are still wondering why in the world should one de-stress coz stress is oh-so-good (!), read what Susan Sarandon has to say:
“Ladies, stress shows on your face. Happiness is the true beauty weapon.”
–Susan Sarandon, As quoted in The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets ( Kym Douglas / Cindy Pearlman, 2006)
You know what else is one of the best ways to de-stress? Reading our articles! 😉 For a hefty dose of happiness and joy, sign up for our daily newsletter today! So long!
Featured image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
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