1. Breathing - breathe in deeply. Inflate your lungs fully then exhale slowly. Do this for five minutes. What actually happens physically is that more oxygen will be sent to your blood and this will reduce the effects of stress.
2. Go outside - Research from the University of Essex has stated that five minutes in a green space relieves depression, stress and low self-esteem. The National Trust have backed this up saying people who spend a lot of time outdoors are in general happier people. Combine this with step one and you should really chill.
3. Foot massage - If you can't get outside, with the aid of a tennis ball you can give yourself a simple foot massage. Slip off your shoe and roll your foot gently over the ball. Use the full length of your foot including the toes and apply a little more pressure on the ball when you reach the middle of your sole.
4. Head massage - Place your thumbs behind your ears and spread your fingers over your scalp. For 15-20 seconds move your scalp back and forth with your fingertips in a circular motion.
5. Hold hands - Yes, just hold hands with someone. This relaxes muscles and slows a racing heart thus reducing heightened blood pressure and also levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Other ways can be achieved through eating or drinking the right things. For instance crunching on an apple or stick of celery helps to combat stress, according to psychologists, by the noise and crunching action. Tea - herbal or otherwise - also helps reduce cortisol.
No comments:
Post a Comment