Unsettled times and also ongoing strictures are causing more and more people to experience stress, anxiety, and also anger. These emotions are completely natural, but prolonged anxiety can significantly affect our well-being as well as health. Learn reliable relaxation techniques that can make everyday life easier.
You may think that shopping, whether in a stationary store or online, is ideal for your mood. However, this is a vicious circle – in times of crisis, it is important to save money. The momentary euphoria of shopping turns into guilt. Not everyone finds shopping a way to calm down, and it’s often an escape from the reality around us.
The same is true for social media scrolling – looking at over-colored photos and reading world news can create frustration and anxiety. When it comes to such entertainment, many people also feel a sense of guilt. They think their lives aren’t as great as those portrayed by famous influencers.
Everyday stress cannot be tamed so easily because it accompanies us every day. It is a gradual and long-term process. It’s also useful to know how to give your emotions an outlet.
First of all, it is worth finding an activity which will calm us down and occupy our thoughts. We can read a book or watch a good movie. Doing activities that you like will make everyday stress not so annoying
Conscious and deep breathing can greatly help you relax. An oxygenated brain is more efficient and we are calmer. Very often our breathing is unconscious and too shallow. Unfortunately, this way we don’t get enough oxygen into our body, and the more oxygen in our cells, the better we function – conscious inhalations and exhalations help us fall asleep faster
To relax, sit in a calm and quiet place. If you want to check if your breathing is deep and even, place your hands on your chest. When breathing, engage your diaphragm – this is what men do, who, according to researchers’ observations, are more likely to breathe through their diaphragm. Women, on the other hand, breathe more heavily through the chest. Breathing through the nose and slowly drawing in air will make more oxygen reach the brain. When inhaling, you can start counting to five to take in as much air as possible. With stretching exercises, on the other hand, the exhale should be twice as long as the inhale. With time, we will get used to this way of breathing and it will become much easier for us.
Drawing is not only an activity for small children. Coloring books for adults are becoming more and more popular. Thanks to coloring books we are able to calm down and relax. Repetitive activity like drawing or coloring can occupy our thoughts and helps to reduce stress level.
During physical activity our body produces endorphins, or happy hormones. Exercising outdoors is great for oxygenating the body, which makes us feel happier and full of energy. People who regularly exercise or work in the garden are calmer, sleep much better and have fewer intrusive thoughts. They can release their stress or anger through movement, which improves daily functioning.
During stressful remote work, visualization is a good way to soothe your nerves. Letting your imagination run wild and thinking about a pleasant trip you’ve taken, imagining a vacation or meeting up with friends will help you relax. Despite the difficult moments that we experience in the era of the pandemic, it is worth at least for a while to get away from everyday worries. In this way, it will be easier to endure difficult moments
Photo Mikhail Nilov/Pexels
