We can’t stress enough how often people feel stressed. Today’s modern lifestyle has taken stress to unimaginable levels. As per research, more than three-quarters of people have reported symptoms of stress. And if that wasn’t enough, the pandemic has further added to stress issues. About eight in ten people have reported that the pandemic was a source of stress.
So, how do you reduce or get rid of stress completely? Well, you don’t need to follow or practice some complicated procedures. In this blog, we have discussed seven activities you can easily slip into your daily routine that can help you wind down and relax.
Woodworking
This can be a relaxing activity for many individuals who are interested in the craft. When working on a project, you stretch your creative muscles, transforming wood into something interesting and aesthetically-pleasing. You are deeply engrossed and focused in the process, which helps you forget about any stress that you might have.
Various woodworking projects that you can work on to relax your mind are building a chair, workbench, or a table. You can also try renovating your home by replacing your walls with barnwood wallboards to give your house a completely new look. This can also lead to mindfulness as your mind stops wandering around while working on the project.
Smell a Cup of Coffee
Sounds weird, right? But it is not. Smelling coffee can actually help reduce stress as it works like aromatherapy. A team of researchers found that smelling roasted coffee increased the activity of stress-relieving genes in rodents, and they believe this might work for humans too. So, the next time you are feeling stressed, take a big whiff of your coffee before you drink it.
Eat Chocolate
Here’s another reason to have chocolates. But here, we are specifically talking about dark chocolate. Research has shown that consumption of dark chocolate (70% organic cacao) helps boost your brain, reduces stress, and enhances neuroplasticity for behavioral and brain health benefits.
Additionally, dark chocolate has a lower percentage of sugar than regular milk chocolates, which further proves beneficial to your physical health.
Test Your Brain
Complete a brainteaser such as Sudoku, crossword, puzzle, word searches, or other activity that requires a high level of thinking and concentration. Such activities help you to divert your mind from any issues that you might be facing. And there’s a science to back up this claim. Neuroscientist Daniel Bor’s research found that solving puzzles is fun and is beneficial for memory and relaxation.
So, why not give it a shot? You can solve such brainteasers and puzzles found in daily newspapers. Similarly, there are hundreds of mobile apps available today that can help you with the same.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a mind-relaxing technique that involves visualizing soothing images that evoke a positive, peaceful emotion such as a beautiful beach, snow-clad mountains, forest, or a peaceful meadow. It is a form of focused relaxation or meditation that has proven to help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, decrease pain, and reduce depression symptoms.
This technique can be practiced anywhere, whether you are at home or traveling in the subway. So, whenever you feel stressed out, close your eyes and visualize pleasant things to improve your mood instantly, feel calmer, and more at ease.
Try Acupressure
It is a form of self-massage therapy that helps stimulate the body’s natural healing processes by balancing your body’s circulation of fluids and energies. As per a study, acupressure helps reduce anxiety and stress. There are various acupressure exercises that you can try to get instant relief from stress.
For example, you can use the thumb and index finger of one hand to massage the area between the thumb and index finger of the other. Similarly, you can press firmly on the area where the neck muscles attach to the skull to relieve yourself of neck pain.
Spend Time with Your Pets
Spending time with your furry friends can help reduce stress, anxiety, ease loneliness, and boost self-esteem. They also help kids grow up more secure and active while also providing companionship to older adults. But most importantly, pets offer an unconditional love that is needed in today’s age.
We hope that the techniques mentioned in this blog will help you better manage your stress and help eliminate it. Rather than focusing on one method, you can try out various activities to get better results. Once you have decided on the techniques, make sure that you follow them more often and see greater results for a long period.
