30 Tips for Reducing Stress

• Go for a short walk
  • Exercise can be a great stress reliever because it helps reduce stress and releases endorphins (the feel-good hormones). 
  • Going for a walk creates a diversion from worries and provides new perspectives.
• Use visualization techniques
  • Visualization and guided imagination can restore peace of mind, which can relax a person both mentally and physically.
• Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)
  • This is a technique where all the muscle groups are tensed and then relaxed, making the body feel calmer.
  • PMR can help a person handle anxiety and manage stress better.
• Aromatherapy
  • Sniffing relaxing fragrances is another easy tool that can be used quickly. 
  • Lighting a candle or diffuser with a calming essential oil, such as lavender, decreases anxiety and stress levels.
• Hydrate
  • Not drinking enough water can cause heart palpitations and make anxiety symptoms worse, so drinking a large glass of water will relieve stress.
• Breathe deeply
  • Focusing on breathing exercises is one of the most effective ways to slow a fast heart rate and feel calmer right away.
  • Slow, deep breathing techniques lead to feelings of comfort and relaxation and reduce symptoms of anxiety.
• Use logic to challenge fears
  • Intense feelings of anxiety and stress often stem from irrational thoughts and our deepest fears. Thinking more positively and using logic to challenge these fears can reduce anxiety.
• Move the body
  • Anything that gets one moving, such as washing the car, gardening or playing a game, removes negative thoughts and encourages the body to release endorphins that boost mood and make one feel good.
• Chew gum
  • Chewing gum helps reduce stress, improves mood and reduces anxiety.
• Take a bath
  • People who bathe in hot water have better emotional and mental health.
  • Warm water eases sore and aching muscles, which can help relieve anxiety and feel calm.
• Go outdoors
  • Getting some sun can increase the release of serotonin in the brain, which improves mood and relaxes the mind.
  • Being surrounded by nature is calming even on a cloudy day.
• Write it down
  • Writing about anxious and worried thoughts can make one feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.
  • Journal writing helps healthily process emotions and confront fears, reducing feelings of anxiety.
• Sit up straight
  • Sitting up straight can boost confidence, improve energy levels, help relieve anxiety and calm down.
• Listen to music
  • Listening to music helps control anxiety and stress levels, even in tough situations.
  • Calming music or soothing sounds keep cortisol levels down and relaxes the mind, giving instant stress relief.
• Be thankful
  • Being grateful can help you feel less anxious and depressed almost immediately. 
  • Writing down a list of things that you are thankful for helps focus on the positive aspects of life, thus reducing anxiety.
• Close your eyes
  • Closing your eyes and focusing on relaxing facial muscles can eliminate anxiety and bring one back to a state of calm.
• Play with a pet
  • Playing with a pet can lead to a significant reduction in the stress hormone, cortisol, which improves one’s mood and reduces anxiety.
• Watch something funny
  • Laughter is the best medicine that can relieve anxiety and boost positive feelings. 
  • Watching a clip of a favorite comedian or blooper reel will help you stop feeling overwhelmed and anxious.
• Focus on a mantra
  • Silently repeating a mantra or self-assertive phrase quietens the brain and helps one calm down.
• Meditate
  • Meditation can significantly lower levels of anxiety and stress, as well as release positive endorphins.
• Sip herbal tea
  • Chamomile or green tea decreases anxiety symptoms and depression. In fact, brewing a cup of tea provides a much-needed break to step away from stress.
• Distract yourself
  • Redirect attention away from distressing thoughts or emotions, such as shifting attention to any activity that will interrupt your racing thoughts.
• Avoid alcohol
  • Alcohol impacts the levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain, making anxiety symptoms worse.
  • A person may feel more anxious after the effects of alcohol wear off.
• Avoid caffeine
  • Caffeine is an anxiety inducer that releases stress hormones.
  • Coffee, chocolate and some pain medications contain caffeine. When you’re experiencing anxiety, caffeine intake should be reduced. 
• Eat something healthy
  • Low blood sugar can make one feel nervous, irritable and anxious. Have a healthy snack, such as fruit, oatmeal or nuts.
• Relieve high blood pressure
• Practice yoga
  • Practicing yoga decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety since it reduces levels of cytokines, which are released during stress in blood.
• Accept anxiety
  • Accepting anxiety instead of feeling ashamed or frustrated will help feel less anxious.
• Stretch to release tension
  • This is extremely effective at relieving tension in different parts of the body, as well as releasing positive endorphins.
• Talk to someone understanding or seek therapy
  • If feeling overwhelmed makes it too hard to function, talking to an understanding friend or therapist can help you relieve anxiety.