People who are often worried and stressed can practice yoga, meditate, use essential oils, listen to music, and take a warm bath to relax their mind.
Chronic stress can lead to fatigue, lack of concentration, insomnia, high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety disorders. Reducing stress can improve sleep and lower the risk of chronic disease. Here are some helpful techniques.
Practice breathing
When stressed, hormones in the body cause breathing and heart rate to become faster. Breathing slowly and deeply slows the heart rate and stabilizes blood pressure, thereby reducing stress and anxiety.
Practice: Sit comfortably, close your eyes, focus on your breathing. Slowly inhale through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4, then exhale through your mouth for a count of 4. Repeat a few times.
Meditation
Meditating for 5 minutes can also reduce psychological stress and anxiety. To practice meditation, sit quietly and breathe deeply. When thoughts arise, you try to let them go and get back to focusing on the present.
Imagine
This technique uses the mind to imagine a relaxing environment, thereby creating a feeling of comfort and relaxation. To practice, close your eyes and visualize objects, scenes, or events associated with relaxation such as the ocean, mountains, favorite places, pleasant scents.
Yoga
Yoga is a form of physical and mental exercise that helps improve health, control stress, and enhance positive emotions. There are many different forms of yoga practice, from gentle breathing and meditation to physical positions called asanas.
Exercise
Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise can fight stress and improve sleep. Simple exercises like a brisk walk around the block or dancing in the living room.
Muscle relaxants
Stress causes muscle tension, which is why stressed people often feel tension in their head, neck, shoulders or back. Muscle relaxation reduces stress, anxiety, and improves mental health.
Practice: Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Then choose a muscle group like your lower legs, inhale and contract those muscles for 5-10 seconds. Next, exhale to relax your legs and stretch your muscles for 10 seconds or more. Continue until all parts of the body feel relaxed.
Massage
Massage is a technique that affects soft tissues to relieve pain and reduce muscle tension in the neck, back and shoulders due to stress. There are many different massage techniques that people who are constantly tired and anxious can apply.
Aromatherapy
Diffusing essential oils such as lavender and sandalwood improves mood and promotes better sleep. It may also be effective in reducing cognitive stress.
Art therapy
Art therapy is the practice of using crayons, watercolors, clay or other materials to create works of art. Through this process, you experience new ways of expressing your thoughts, your abilities, and your ability to cope with difficulties.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is the use of water, hot steam, varying pressures, durations and positions to promote health. Hydrotherapy such as warm baths, saunas or cold water, swimming relieves stress and improves physical and mental health.
Music therapy
Music therapy includes listening, using musical instruments, and singing to improve physical and mental health. Listening to music 30 minutes a day helps the mind relax and become more joyful.
Participating in recreational activities, going to green spaces like parks, connecting with friends, and thinking positively also support faster recovery from stress. People who are often stressed should have a healthy diet, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, avoid drinking too much alcohol and coffee, and quit smoking. Talk to a psychologist or mental health professional if you have tried many changes but they do not help, or the stress persists.