Stress is something we all deal with in one form or another. Some stress can benefit your health and prevent depression and anti-social behavior. Stress can also make you more resilient in the future. By maintaining healthy habits and finding effective ways to relieve stress quickly when it hits, you can de-stress rapidly to regain a more balanced state of mind.
Sometimes the workplace can be stressful, or arguments are tough. Finding the right coping strategies to de-stress when stress is chronic, recurring, and negatively impacting your life is essential. Here’s how to relieve stress quickly.
Image Credit: Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio & Pexels/Monstera Production
Don’t Breathe Too Fast
Take a deep breath and exhale. Breathing helps your body relax more quickly than you think. In times of stress, your breathing becomes shallow and concentrated in the upper chest. Ernest Lira de la Rosa, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist, said, “Often, we take shallow breaths when we’re stressed, and this may cause our bodies to feel even tenser.” Lira de la Rosa recommends that you inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds.
Take Some Time To Relax Your Muscles
It is possible to de-stress through several muscle relaxation strategies. As Lira de la Rosa explains, progressive muscle relaxation activates the parasympathetic nervous system. There are two types of progressive muscle relaxation: guided imagery, focusing intently on calming images like seascapes, and refined imagery.
Image Credit: Pexels/RDNE Stock project
Exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to kick stress. Exercise is essential for overall health management, especially heart health, and can also help reduce stress. Physical activity is good for your health, whether you run, kickbox, or lift weights.
Enjoy Your Laugh
There has long been researching proving laughter has therapeutic benefits in mental health. Laughter can make you feel better quickly, especially from the belly. It decreases cortisol levels in the body and changes levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are critical for happiness and mood.