Tips to relax
Many people report stress in their daily lives. When we feel tired and stressed, a good weekend at the seaside could be the solution to calm our nerves. But it's a luxury we can't afford every weekend!
Fortunately, there are other ways to relax. From "sipping" tea to advanced relaxation techniques: we take stock for you with these 40 ways to relax and relieve stress in just five minutes or less.
Stress-relieving through food
Beware, it is not a question of "eating your stress" and accumulating pounds related to your anxiety, but on the contrary, eating foods that can help you reduce your stress level thanks to their virtues.
1. Drink green tea
Green tea is a source of L-Theanine, a chemical that helps relieve anger. To see its effects, you should take at least five cups of tea a day! However, taking the time to sip a cup of tea will help you relax. You take a moment for yourself, away from your anxieties, to relax.
2. Eat chocolate
A square of chocolate can help calm your nerves. But beware, only dark chocolate! Thanks to its magnesium content, dark chocolate regulates the levels of plasma cortisol, the stress hormone, and stabilizes the metabolism.
3. Eat some honey
Replace stress with sweetness by taking a spoonful of honey!
In addition to being a natural skin moisturizer and antibiotic, honey also contains compounds that help reduce inflammation in the brain. Honey helps fight depression and anxiety. It never ceases to surprise us!
4. Chew gum
Mentholated, fruity or bubble-gum flavor, chewing gum is a surprisingly quick and easy way to combat stress. Only a few minutes of chewing can actually reduce anxiety and levels of the stress-causing cortisol.
It's a little bit like kneading a stress ball, but here it's your jaws that are kneading!
5. Chew crunchy ingredients
As with chewing gum, the simple act of chewing will help you relax!
A study conducted by Dr. Harry Levi Hollingworth in 1939 shows that chewing soothes and helps you relax more easily at work. Probably by relaxing the jaw. And the sounds of crispy ingredients in the mouth are quite satisfying, don't you think?
6. Opt for a balanced diet
In general, having a balanced diet is better for your health and will help you avoid the inconveniences of stress. Here are other foods considered the most anti-stress:
- Salmon, rich in omega 3,
- Eggs for B vitamins,
- Whole grains: slow sugars and B vitamins,
- Spinach, rich in vitamin B9 which promotes the production of dopamine (the happiness hormone),
- Garlic, for the proper functioning of the nervous system,
- The lawyer, for his potassium,
- Dried fruits and small berries, rich in fiber and vitamins.
Habits that can help you relax
How about adding new positive habits to your daily life? Did you know that it only takes 5 to 10 minutes to significantly reduce your stress level? Take the time in your day to establish a stress relief wellness ritual.
7. Meditate
No need to retreat to the mountains to benefit from the effects of meditation! Five minutes of concentration are enough to reap the benefits of meditation.
Find a comfortable and quiet place. If you are at the office, close the door and sit in your suit on your chair. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing for 5 minutes.
Can't stay calm for 5 minutes? Are you familiar with the Petit Bambou application? It offers ten guided meditations to allow you to gently start taking care of yourself.
8. Put your head on a cushion or pillow
There are days when all we really need is a nice long nap. But it's not always possible to start snoring in the middle of the office.
If you have a pillow, you are already on the road to relaxation. Try this visualization technique. Put your head against the pillow for a few minutes and imagine it as a sponge absorbing all your worries.
Even 5 to 10 minutes of micro-naps can give you a break from a stressful day.
9. Don't forget to breathe
Is there an easier way to relax? Slow, deep breaths can help lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Try nadi shoddhana, a yogic method that involves breathing through one nostril at a time to relieve anxiety. The technique in yoga is supposed to work the same way as acupuncture, balancing mind and body.
The other technique sometimes used in yoga is Samavritti pranayama, square breathing. Inhale on 4 beats, hold your breath on 4 beats, exhale on 4 beats and hold your breath on 4 beats. Repeat for 5 minutes.
You can also do cardiac coherence exercises. You can find videos on YouTube, allowing you to breathe to the rhythm of an icon that goes up and down. This technique allows you to calm your anxiety by harmonizing your heart rate.
10. Try progressive relaxation
Anxious? Try progressive relaxation. Lying on the floor, it consists of putting all the muscles of your body under tension on one breath in, keeping the tension for a few seconds by holding your breath, then releasing all your muscles on one breath out.
The method (also used by the actors) is an excellent way to help you fall asleep.
11. Count
No, it's not an IQ test, but a way to relax. When worries and anxieties haunt you, try counting slowly to 10, and repeat this as many times as necessary. This is an adult version of counting sheep to fall asleep as a child.
12. Use creative visualization
The doorbell rings. It's Ryan Gosling (or Natalie Portman), and he/she wants to know if you want to marry him/her. You say yes, I do! And then you wake up. It could be a dream or a creative visualization.
These little daydreams involve thinking about a situation, a place, a person that makes you happy. An instant good mood shot that will help you de-stress!
13. Close your eyes
It is an easy way to regain calm and concentration. It may seem useless... But it is a very good remedy to fight against stress and relax. Moreover, it is rather easy to do ;)
14. Massage yourself
The temples, the nape of the neck, the shoulders, the hands, the feet?
Massages can be particularly useful for people who spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer. Tension builds up in the shoulders, neck and hands.
By massaging your hands or feet, according to the precepts of reflexology, you will relieve other tensions in your body. Take five minutes in your day to knead the base of the muscle under the thumb to relieve stress in the shoulders, neck and scalp.
15. Try acupressure
Acupressure is a kind of tactile therapy that works by balancing the flow of fluids and energies in the body. It is rooted in the fundamental theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Use the thumb and forefinger to massage the soft area between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand. Soak your fingers with lavender oil for optimal relaxation.
16. Scrub your feet with a golf ball
No matter if you play golf or not, you can buy a ball to relieve tension on the same principles as acupressure and reflexology massages.
This allows a little moment of relaxation and above all to soothe the tensions accumulated in muscles and joints.
17. Squeeze a stress ball
On days when you feel like strangling a co-worker or the motorist who gave you a fishtail, squeeze a stress ball instead! This will save you from ending up in jail by relieving the tension immediately.
18. Pour cold water on your wrists
When stress strikes, run to the bathroom and put cold water on your wrists, behind your ears and on the back of your neck. In these areas, major arteries are located just under the skin. Cooling them can help calm your entire body.
19. Brush your hair
Brushing your hair helps to bring more blood to your scalp. The gesture is pleasant and allows you to relax. Do it upside down, you will feel even better.
Daily anti-stress tips
Everyday life can be stressful, but there are various things you can do to relax and unwind.
20. Isolate yourself
In today's world, we are extremely busy. At work by our hierarchy and our colleagues, at home by our children and our spouse, in the street with the advertisements and even in transportation or in the toilets because of our smartphones that intrude everywhere, all the time, as soon as we wake up.
Even very sociable people need time just for themselves. Take five minutes for yourself every day, without distractions. Put on a mask, lie down, or do nothing at all but keep this time isolated and quiet.
21. Create a Zen space
When stress is felt, find your ritual soothing. In the office, it's not always easy to get away from stress. But you can get up from your chair, walk the halls or light incense.
Create a soothing, Zen physical or mental space for yourself, just long enough to let go of the tension for a few minutes. Creating a meditation space.
22. Enjoy the sun
Light can be an effective treatment for people who suffer from anxiety. Vitamin D is essential for the proper functioning of our body and mind. A deficiency of vitamin D as winter approaches causes a little winter blues.
In addition, sunlight plays a role in the production of a hormone, melatonin, which affects our biological rhythm and our morale. So as soon as possible, expose your face and arms to the sun for about ten minutes, that's the time needed to harvest enough vitamin D every day.
23. Look through the window or open a window
No, we do not advise you to spy on your neighbor but to look at trees, nature or birds rather than a screen. Opening the window allows you to renew the indoor air and bring a breath of fresh air to cleanse your stress.
24. Go for a walk
Well, okay, it may take more than five minutes, but when a situation becomes untenable, get out and get some fresh air. Breathe deeply, especially if you're lucky enough to have a park or forest near your office or home.
25. Put away
Take a few minutes to reorganize your office or the room you're in, leaving just what you need. Putting order around you helps focus your attention on a task and lower your stress level. It also works with washing dishes, cleaning or hanging out the laundry.
Move around to avoid stress!
Being active allows you to release the tensions present in your body. Then stop remaining fixed, inert and mole.
26. Do Yoga
All practitioners will tell you: "I feel good and relaxed after a yoga session"! This is a bit the basis of the practice: a healthy mind in a healthy body. Not only does yoga stretch your body to keep you mobile but it also helps to create peace of mind. 5 to 10 minutes of yoga a day can be enough to feel the effects.
27. Stretch Yourself
Sitting at your desk all day is not good for your body and mind. Don't hesitate to get up to oxygenate your muscles. Stretch quickly to relieve muscle tension and help your muscles relax during the day.
Sometimes you don't even have to get up! Handy if your boss is a bully! Why not try a shoulder stretch or a chest opening stretch directly from your office chair?
28. Run on the spot
Running on the spot makes it possible to produce endorphins in the short term. Of course, this does not replace a good jogging session but it has the advantage of being faster.
Besides, you can do this exercise anywhere as long as you are not afraid of ridicule!
Entertain yourself to fight against stress!
Entertainment is good for morale.You can share moments with friends to forget your problems, to get negative thoughts out of your epsrit.
29. Write your emotions in a journal
"Dear Diary: Today I feel stressed, depressed, good for nothing..." Putting our emotions in black and white can make them seem less intimidating. Above all, you're taking something out of your body that can eat away at you and prevent you from living your life to the fullest.
30. Listen to your favorite song
Listening to music can be a quick solution to chase away a bad mood, a moment of stress or anger. Classical music can be especially relaxing before bedtime. Several scientific studies confirm this.
Extensive research on the physiological effects of music shows us that it acts on our parasympathetic nervous system, which acts as a natural protector of our organism by preventing our sympathetic nervous system from getting carried away.
But if you don't like classical music, go for your favorite piece! You should feel better soon!
31. Dance
Once the music is on, all you have to do is dance!
Dance, like physical exercise, is a great stress reliever. And you don't have to be a ballerina or a famous sports dancer. Lock yourself in a room alone, put on some music and dance and let yourself go. No one will judge you!
32. Do a crossword puzzle
Crosswords, sudoku, Candy Crush... Choose your drug! Playing games requires concentration and allows us to forget about everything else (and therefore our anxiety)!
Smells to relieve stress
Many smells have soothing and relaxing effects.
33. The flowers
Do you come across flowers on your way home? Stop to smell them.
Some smells can change your mood. One study found that flowers have an immediate impact on good mood, reducing depression. For example, it has been found that people eat more slowly when flowers are on the table. And eating slowly also helps to regulate your stress level... You see the link?
34. Aromatherapy
Do you know Bach Flowers? They are blends of essential oils that can soothe you. Put a few drops on your wrist and breathe them in. How to manage stress and anxiety with aromatherapy
Some noises allow you to relax
Many people don't know this, but some noises can relax you.
35. White noise
White noise is a constant and monotonous noise, which masks all other environmental noises. The vacuum cleaner, the hair dryer, the washing machine, the car, the purr of a cat, the sound of water... They all diffuse white noise, which immediately soothes and helps you to fall asleep.
According to statistics in 1990, an English study concluded that 80 out of 100 newborns fall asleep more quickly when listening to white noise (in the car for example).
36. Listen to ASMR videos
Not everyone is receptive to white noise, it's the same with ASMR videos. The ASMR for "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response" or "automatic response of sensory meridians" are videos focused on sound.
Whispers, crumpled paper, tapping, ice cubes tinkle in a glass... There are many processes and the method would have soothing virtues on a lot of people. It doesn't cost you anything to try!
Opening up to others and having fun to relax
37. Spend time with a pet
Pets can boost self-esteem and even avoid the impression of social rejection. The effects of a cat's purr on relaxation are well established.
38. Laugh!
Laughter is one of the most effective ways to overcome stress. It has the effect of increasing blood flow. So, don't hesitate to watch a video of a comedian making you laugh during your break to relieve some stress or to tell a good joke to your colleagues.
39. Tell a Friend
When something is really bothering you, sharing your feelings with a friend can help. Much like writing, you release some of your tension by putting it into words.
40. Start planning a vacation
Breaking waves, warm sand, a gentle breeze that caresses your hair. Vacations and yoga always have a positive effect on our morale! Sometimes the simple planning is just as exciting as the actual departure itself.
The importance of relaxing
Relaxation is very important for your mental health and well-being. Everyone needs time in their daily life to relax and have fun.
People who are able to relax are more likely to bounce back after difficult times. And they tend to be happier and express positive ideas.
Beyond the issue of well-being, these techniques help people sleep better, reduce stress at work and discover how to let go! The idea is to refocus on oneself with exercises and quick relaxation techniques.
Other techniques to clear your head in more than five minutes :
• Take a nice hot bath,
• Read a good book or article,
• Don't think about work,
• Be confident! Don't give up. Continue your relaxation techniques.
Choose the options you prefer from this list and test them now!
