Relaxation Moments

Relaxation for The Mind and Body

How to Stay Calm in Stressful Situations

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Overcoming the stress in your life starts with noticing what your stressors are and working to reduce them, but you can’t prevent every situation that could potentially cause you stress. This is your body’s natural response, which leads to a fight or flight response. You still need to get out there and live your life, so it is more a matter of how you react to stressful situations when they arrive.

Keep reading to learn how you can remain more calm and relaxed even when incredibly stressful things are happening around you.

Stop Your Body and Thoughts

When a stressful situation hits you, you have the opportunity to choose how you are going to handle it. How you think, feel, and even how your body reacts is all up to you. If you react in the negative and immediately, it is going to increase your stress hormone, and make you feel a lot worse and much more overwhelmed.

Instead of reacting instantly, just take a step back. Freeze your body and your mind, and just let your thoughts calm down. Don’t try to reason through it, don’t think about the potential future or make assumptions, and don’t start letting all those regrets run through your head.

Just get into a calm place, whether you freeze your body, or try to meditate or use mindfulness practices. This can help you to get back to neutral, where you are able to think logically with whatever the stressful situations is.

Find Positivity

Being positive has a wonderful impact on your mind and emotional health, as well as helping you to handle stress. Being positive doesn’t mean constant sunshine and rainbows. You can understand that life isn’t always perfect, accept your flaws, and move past them. You even understand that stress is a normal part of life since unexpected things happen all the time.

However, instead of letting the stress affect you mentally and physically to an extreme level, you can remain calm by remaining positive. Just try to think of some type of positive element, whether you go through a list of pros and cons, or you simply try to find the one thing that could be good about the stressful situation. Trust me, there is at least one.

Stop with the Assumptions and ‘What If’ Questions

Stop asking what if, and making assumptions every time anything happens. This is going to lead to a lot of anxiety and stress, that otherwise might not have been that bad. If you feel that you have constant stress all day, every day, ask yourself where it comes from. Is it from things constantly happening around you, or is the way you perceive things?

Write down in your journal the next time you experience a stressful situation what actually happened. Not what could have happened or what you feared would happen, but the actual situation you dealt with. More often than not, your fears and what if scenarios were far worse than the reality.

When a stressful situation happens, the best thing you can do is just stand back, remain present, and be realistic with what has already happened. Don’t assume the worst case scenario or start creating all of these images in your head of what catastrophe might be in store for you. This is definitely adding to the amount of stress you experience on a daily basis.

Know What Your Stressors Are

You also need to understand more about what is causing you the most stress. By now, you likely have a good idea of where it is coming from, but using a journal can help you determine this with more details and clarity.

Keep a worry or stress journal that you use only to write about your stress. You want to include as many details as you can, such as what you were doing, where you were, what time and date it happened, who you were with, what the situation was, and anything else that is relevant.

Write down things like why it caused you stress, what your mind was doing at the time, and what the outcome was.

Do you notice any patterns? Are there certain things causing you more stress? Is it work or home life? Is there someone in your life that always seems to be around when you have the mot stress? These details will help you figure out your stressors, which in turn helps you know what you need to avoid in the future.

Small Daily Changes That Can Help You Manage Stress

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If you are trying your best to reduce your stress levels, it doesn’t mean you have to change your entire life. What helps you the most might be the smallest changes each day that lead up to a reduction in stress, worry, and anxiety. What you might find is that you have many other benefits as a result of these daily changes, from thinking more positively to being a more mindful person in general.

Keep reading to find out how you can make small, daily changes to help you manage your stress.

Try Guided Imagery

If you want to manage your stress, you can try a really simple meditation technique called guided imagery. This is simple to do and gets you used to meditation without having to put too much pressure on yourself. Plus, it is a wonderful way to be more optimistic and visualize your hopes and dreams. This helps a lot when you feel like you are being held behind with the amount of stress you are dealing with.

Guided imagery is typically provided by someone else, though you can use visualization techniques at any time when you want to relieve stress. What you want to do is have a scenario that puts you into a peaceful, calming environment. You might be at a beach, laying in the sand, walking through a mountainside, or in a garden of wildflowers.

The great thing about guided imagery is that it is easy to do and only takes a few minutes a day.

Have Healthy Daily Habits

Another daily change you can make to reduce your stress is to develop some healthy habits. Many of your current habits might be making stress worse, while others just simply aren’t improving it. Start thinking about your physical health and emotional health together, and find healthy daily habits that are sustainable for you, and can improve your health. You will notice that the result is a lower amount of stress.

Some healthy daily habits to consider are:

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. What you put into your body makes a big difference in how you feel, not just physically, but mentally as well. You can nourish your body and mind by eating a healthy diet.

Getting regular exercise. Exercise is wonderful for relieving stress, and is a healthy habit everyone should make a daily habit. It doesn’t have to be hitting the gym or spending hours working out. Walking every day, going on a hike, yoga, riding a bike, or dancing in your living room all count as daily exercise.

Avoiding unhealthy habits. There are also some unhealthy habits that might be making your stress worse. For example, if you drink large amounts of alcohol or participate in recreational drugs, they are covering up your stress in the short-term, but in the long-term are actually making it much worse. Excessive amounts of caffeine can also make your stress worse.

Making sleep a priority. Everyone needs sleep, so don’t feel like getting little sleep is doing you any good. You need high quality sleep, no matter how busy your schedule is. Don’t make light of only needing to sleep a couple hours a day, because this is NOT normal OR healthy for you.

Getting rest every day. Just like sleep, you also need rest every day! If you have a busy schedule, then make an appointment for rest and self-care if you have to. This is a priority to reducing stress!

Focusing on mindfulness. Mindfulness is regularly recommended for stress because it helps you live in the moment, and have a better understanding of your thoughts and worries. Practicing mindfulness every day, such as during your self-care routine, is a healthy habit you can start doing now.

Use a Stress Journal

Stress and worry journals are amazing for reducing your stress. These are going to provide many benefits for you, including seeing when your stress peaks, understanding more about what is causing your stress, and keeping track of any stress-relief methods you try out.

You will also see the other side effects of stress and worry, such as headaches, digestive issues, increased anxiety, problems sleeping, and work productivity issues.

Avoid Unnecessary Stress

There may be sources of stress in your life that are completely unnecessary and optional, even when it doesn’t feel that way. If you are already dealing with a lot of stress in your life, the last thing you need to do is encourage more of it.

To avoid unnecessary stress, start by learning how to say no to people. You do not have to yes to everything, from hosting parties to taking on extra projects at work. Manage your time and choose what are priorities for you.

You also want to look at your current sources of stress and make a list of anything that is from something optional – such as an extra responsibility you took on, that you could delegate to others.

Eliminating Morning Stress

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Eliminating Morning StressEveryone experiences a stressful morning occasionally. It might be that your alarm clock didn’t ring or your car wouldn’t start. Maybe you forgot the report you needed at the house or you left your grocery list on the kitchen counter.

If your mornings always feel stressful, then it’s a sign something needs to change. The good news is most morning stress can be eliminated by creating new habits. It can take a while for a habit to become routine but once it does, your morning will be so much smoother. Here’s how you can reclaim your mornings:

Prepare the night before.

A lot of morning stress can be eliminated by preparing for the morning in advance. Choose your clothes the night before so you already know what you’re going to wear. Pack your lunch and leave it in the fridge so you only have to grab it as you head out.

Skip the news.

Thanks to smartphones and tablets, you can now check the news without ever having to leave the comfort of your bed. But reading or viewing the latest new stories can cause you to experience anxiety and discouragement. Instead of looking forward to a new day, you feel overwhelmed and fearful.

This doesn’t mean you have to avoid the news all day. Staying connected to what’s happening around you is important. But pick and choose what types of news you really need to hear first thing in the morning. For example, you could look over the entertainment news or sport scores but choose to skip the main headlines until later.

Play positive tunes.

Create a morning playlist of music that makes you feel encouraged and play it as you’re starting your day. This will help you wake up and make it easier for you to focus on the positive. Music can also boost your productivity and creativity.

Don’t check your email or social media.

Most people experience their highest energy levels after waking up. Yet the first thing you may be tempted to do is check your email and social media networks. The problem with this is your inbox and networks are often filled with “urgent” messages. These urgent messages quickly crowd out the important tasks you need to get done today. The next thing you know it’s noon and all you’ve accomplished is answering your email and checking social media.

To prevent this, don’t check your email or social networks until later. After an hour or two of working, take a break to check your messages. Since you’ve already tackled the important tasks today, you can devote as much energy as needed to the urgent tasks you ignored earlier.

Morning stress can be a sign that it’s time to step back and evaluate your routines. Look at what’s causing you the most stress and seek simple solutions to fix them. By doing this, you can change your mornings from stressful to delightful!

 

 

 

How to Meditate to Help Relieve Stress

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Meditation

Meditation is one of the best ways to relax and relieve all that stress that can accumulate from your everyday life. It also has a variety of health benefits, and of course, reducing stress is always good for you.

If you haven’t done much meditation before, it doesn’t take long to learn how and to start using it to your benefit. Here’s how you can meditate for stress relief.

Get Rid of Any Distractions

A big part of meditation is clearing your mind and staying in the present moment. It’s much more difficult to do that, especially for a beginner, when you have the TV on in the background or your cell phone starts ringing a few minutes in.

Before you start meditating, find a place where you won’t be distracted. Silence any electronic devices, and if possible, ask anyone who’s around not to disturb you.

Make Yourself Comfortable

When most people think of meditation, they envision a monk or yogi sitting cross-legged or in a double-lotus position. If you’re flexible enough, you can meditate like that, but it’s certainly not required. The most important thing about your position when you meditate is that you’re comfortable, which means it’s actually better not to get into any tough positions that stretch you to your limits.

You could meditate while sitting in a chair in your office or lying down on the floor. It’s entirely up to you, and all that matters is how you feel.

Focus on Your Breathing

Breathing is a major focus when you meditate. We often don’t think about our breathing much since it happens naturally, but doing it properly can make a huge difference in our quality of life.

As you meditate, make sure that you’re taking deep breaths with your diaphragm. Inhale and exhale slowly. By doing this, you’ll breathe more efficiently, which is good for your health and really melts stress away. Look at it like this – when someone is extremely stressed, they’ll often hyperventilate. To calm people down, we tell them to breathe.

Let Your Thoughts Pass By

When you meditate, it’s good to stay in the present moment and stop thinking about anything else, including any worries you have. This is obviously easier said than done, and you may be amazed at how difficult it is to clear your head.

It’s fine to have thoughts come to mind while you meditate. The key is to let them pass by without focusing on them. Allow them to come and go and you’ll be able to stay in the present much better.

The more you meditate, the better you’ll get at it. Eventually, you’ll reach the point where you can do mini meditation sessions just about anywhere and anytime you need to rid yourself of stress.

 

Daily Methods for Relieving Stress

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Daily Methods For Relieving Stress

You need to practice daily methods for relieving stress. Constant stress can lead to physical problems and mental disorders, but there are several easy ways to prevent stress. Begin using these methods to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the stressful events that occur in your life.

Engage in Physical Activity

Not only can exercise maintain your weight, but also, it can relieve your stress. Rather than taking medications to reduce your anxiousness, find a physical activity that you enjoy. Experts recommend exercising at least three times a week, but if you want to eliminate the stress from work or school, then find a physical activity such as bicycling or jogging that you can enjoy each day.

Learn Specialized Breathing Techniques

If you are having a stressful day, then you can practice specialized breathing techniques anywhere to eliminate your anxious thoughts. One of the breathing techniques that you will find useful is taking a deep breath to fill your lungs and releasing the air slowly as you count to 20. While you are performing this breathing technique, you will notice that your blood pressure declines and your racing thoughts stop.

Consuming a Healthy Diet Each Day

When you consume a healthy diet, it is easier to cope with feelings of stress. A nutritious diet includes a lot of fruits and vegetables along with whole-grain foods, dairy products and lean protein. You should avoid eating sugar or refined flour, and it is also a good idea to moderate your consumption of caffeine. In addition, drink several glasses of water each day to remain hydrated.

Socialize with Family and Friends

By socializing each day, you can reduce your stress levels. You might think that the time spent with your friends and family is wasted, but it is important for your brain and body. When you are socializing, your brain releases serotonin to improve your overall mood, and when you have a happier mood, your stress is reduced.

Expose Your Skin to Sunlight

If you are inside a building all of the time, then you aren’t getting enough sunlight exposure. Scientists recommend exposing your skin to sunlight for 20 minutes each day to increase your body’s vitamin D levels. With more vitamin D in your body, you are able to cope with stress along with having additional physical energy and mental alertness.

Increase Your Mindfulness with Meditation

With daily meditation, you can increase your mindfulness. Today, many individuals aren’t living in the moment because they are thinking about yesterday or tomorrow instead. When you practice meditation each day, it helps you to focus on today by clearing the troubling thoughts from your mind.