With the ever-mounting workload and fast approaching deadline, it is normal to be occupied with excessive work all the time. And as a result of the same, having stress and tension is also understandable. However, what is not explicable is the untoward behavior that we often end up displaying in public, resulting in embarrassment and awkwardness. As such, calming down instantly is what you can best do to maintain your happy-go-lucky life and handle tension easily. While this is all fine when it comes to dealing with anger and irritation once-in-a-while, what about the circumstances wherein you are surrounded by consistent stress, anxiety, and pressure? When not handled at the right time with the right approach, you are bound to be gripped with heart diseases, health conditions, lots of medications, and constant worries. For, the kind of lifestyle we have started living in, comes with a price, and cannot be found free. In such a scenario, calming techniques are your best aid to reduce tension and mental stress. Listed in the following lines are some techniques that will help you calm down, over a period of time.
Calming Techniques
Breathe
Breathing is possibly the best and most effective technique for calming yourself. To begin of with, while breathing, focus only on the present, limiting your capacity to project the past or future. Furthermore, when you breathe deeply, your exhalation should be longer than your inhalation, as only then you would be able to shift yourself into a state of relaxation. Plus, deep breathing would carry more oxygen into your lungs, creating shorter, more restless brain waves which will make you relaxed and calm.
Visualize Mentally
By focusing your attention on anything that brings joy and happiness to you, without requiring the need of physical exertion, you can infuse peace and calmness to yourself. Mental visualization is just one of the many tools that can be employed for tracking your heart rate and helping you feel comfortable. At any point when you are angry or heated, start imagining scenes that are likely to give you contentment and peace, as this would lead to a drop in your heart rate, thereby helping you relax. In such a scenario, your body will assume those images to be real and let you focus on them; thus, subsiding anger and annoyance.
Meditate
Another valuable calming technique that can be of utmost use to focus attention and control your mind is meditation. The power of meditation for relaxing the human body and reducing the impact of stress has been indicated by several scientific studies. Put on comfortable, loose fitting clothes and sit on a comfy place. Close your eyes and loosen your body, allowing it to relax and flush out all your worldly problems. Focus your mind on a particular thing, anything that brings a smile to your face, for sometime. Though you may find it difficult to concentrate and meditate for a longer duration, you can conveniently take a 5-minute break in between and then resume, as this would help utilizing the technique to the maximum. Try it out!
Distract
Distraction is another highly significant calming technique effective for consoling a person boggled down with stress and tension. In fact, mental visualization and meditation, listed above, can be grouped under distraction techniques. Since you are being distracted from your current situation into a state of peace and harmony, you think less about the problem and thus are calmed instantly. Distraction helps widely in eliminating stress to a great extent. Next time, whenever you get angry, use a distracting technique by counting multiples of 23 backwards starting from 230, 207, 184, and so on.
Go Green!
In case you are a die-hard admirer of coffee, try giving it a break and go green instead. Consumption of coffee increases the levels of notorious stress hormone, cortisol, which can be subsequently reduced by green tea. Besides, green tea is one of the seven secrets behind good health and beauty. Amongst all the green teas, the chamomile flavor is a favorite for claming down the mind and lowering stress. Furthermore, black tea has also been proved to fight against stress and lessen the levels of cortisol.
Self-Massage
When you are stressed out and your muscles are all tensed, but have no time to pay a visit to a professional masseur, you can try some self-massage at home. Place both your hands on your shoulders and neck. Gently squeeze in with your fingers and palms. Apply force while squeezing, ensuring that your shoulders are relaxed. Now, wrap your one hand around the other forearm and squeeze the muscles with your thumb and fingers, moving gently up and down from your elbow to your fingertips. Relax and repeat with the other hand. Let out all your tension and stress, and allow yourself to calm down.
Let It Out
If all the above techniques fail to calm you down, then it is best to let your feelings out as holding onto them can cause even more stress and strain. Scream, cry, shout, or slam the door. Do anything and everything that will help you let out the pressure and ease you. However, make sure that in the process you do not cause harm to yourself, others and to the property.
With these calming techniques, you can surely flush out your tension, stress, anxiety, and anger, gifting yourself some mental peace. Way to lead a contented, satisfied, and fulfilling life!
