You naturally want to avoid and prevent stress as much as possible. Doesn’t work? Then here are 11 ways to reduce stress right now. Read it !! Breathe In, Breathe Out…… Remember we are living in a world where you can not avoid getting stressed. Everyone is struggling even me, but don’t give up the stress fight.
This is how you reduce stress
Stress makes no one happier. Among other things, stress causes you to become irritated quickly, sleep badly and enjoy yourself less. Due to increasing fatigue, the frustrations continue to rise and your stress level continues to rise .
The solution is of course obvious: tackling the cause or causes of the stress you are experiencing. Sometimes, however, that does not work one-two-three. For example, financial problems are not easily solved, it takes time to process a breakup and caring for a sick family member can cause a lot of worries.
However, there are also ways to directly reduce stress in those situations. This way you can relax better, you are less likely to become overstimulated and you make yourself more resilient.
1. Write down what you are grateful for
Especially when you experience a lot of negative stress, it is sometimes difficult to think positively. You soon end up in a negative spiral, which only causes you more stress.
Looking for positivity can help you get out of that negative spiral. After all, there is always something to be thankful for. Think about it and write it down – make a gratitude list.
To reduce stress, I write down three things in a book every night that I am grateful for that day. The sun that unexpectedly broke through, for example; A nice offer in the supermarket that saved you some money can also do something.
It’s the little things that do it. And by writing them down, you become aware that there is quite a lot to be thankful for. That makes you happier and that in turn has a positive effect on your stress level.
2. Move more
When you are stressed, you tend to worry a lot. At least I do. Grind, grind and grind again. What helps? Clearing my head by moving.
Exercise has of course many benefits, including reducing stress. Movement inhibits the production of cortisol (the stress hormone) and promotes the production of endorphins (the happiness hormone). No wonder I feel reborn after a run.
3. Go outside
However, the latter is also due to the fresh air outside. Not only because fresh air gives you a boost, but also because nature has a relaxing effect. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind, the warmth of the sun on your face, and even the feeling of raindrops falling in your hair can help ease your stress.
4. Wash off the stress
Walking in the rain is probably nobody’s biggest hobby, but washing your worries away can be healing.
A nice shower or a relaxing bath can therefore also help to reduce stress. Especially when you close your eyes and visualize that all your worries disappear down the shower drain.
5. Reducing Stress By Meditating
There are many more visualizations and meditations that produce the same effect. My favorite is a body scan, in which I consciously tense and relax every part of my body with my eyes closed. On the Internet you will find a number of nice meditations that will immediately help you to reduce stress.
Just close your eyes for a few minutes and follow your breathing – this is often enough to feel more relaxed. Slow down and do nothing but be.
6. Do something creative
Is meditation not for you? Perhaps you can lose yourself in a creative activity. For example, crocheting, crafting or assembling something can be very relaxing.
An adult coloring book helps me personally: for a while all I have to worry about is coloring within the lines. It can be that simple.
7. Cleaning up your house
Cleaning up works a bit the same for me: it’s simple, it yields something and I hardly have to think about it.
An additional advantage is that a tidy house helps to reduce stress. After all, your head is already full and chaotic enough when you’re stressed, so a cluttered environment is counterproductive. When you tidy up, you create peace in your environment and therefore also in your head.
8. Do something you’ve been dreading for a long time
There are even more ways to immediately create more space in your head. Those tasks that you keep putting off because you don’t like them so much take up space in your head. Check one off and you have one less thing to worry about.
9. Write off you
You can write off all those other things. Get the worrying thoughts out of your head and put them on paper. This way you don’t have to store them all mentally and you create space in your head again.
Just writing off everything you want to lose can sometimes be a huge relief. However, it also ensures that you have a clear overview of what is going on. By writing down everything you worry about, you may get helpful insights that you can use to move on.
10. Reducing Stress By Sleeping Well
If not, at least you’ve vented your heart and cleared your head. This often helps, especially when you can’t sleep because you keep worrying. Still, a good night’s sleep is very important to reduce stress. Without sleep you cannot recover and the tensions only increase.
So also use something like writing down all your worrying thoughts or a meditation to calm yourself before going to sleep. And go to bed on time.
No matter how busy you are, always make time for enough sleep. Without a good night’s sleep, you are much more susceptible to stress and you soon end up in a vicious circle of stress, lack of sleep and even more stress.
11. Make physical contact
Whether you sleep alone or with a partner: physical contact also helps to reduce stress. For example, if you give your partner or a friend a hug, your body produces the hormone oxytocin. This so-called cuddle hormone gives you a sense of trust and connection and reduces your stress level. Are you both stressed out? A firm hug does wonders.
Reduce stress step by step
Stress sucks the happiness out of your day. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to quickly experience less stress.
