While we all experience stress, not a lot of us are equipped with adequate stress relievers. The first step to feeling better if you are experiencing stress, whether it’s from work or anything else, is to figure out what’s causing it. The worst thing you can instead do is use unhealthy coping mechanisms like drinking or smoking to aid you. Moreover, doing nothing and not taking charge of the situation can make things worse.

Numerous methods exist to control stress. Exercise, yoga, and mindfulness meditation are just a few effective stress-relievers. However, these methods are not always ideal since you can’t just disappear for a long walk or meditate in the middle of a heated argument with your partner or a tense job interview. Instead, you will require more immediate and practical methods to cope in these circumstances.

Stress Relievers That Help You Feel Calmer

It can be challenging to complete seemingly simple chores because your thoughts and demanding to-do list have overwhelmed you. Here are some stress relievers that can help you feel less stressed and anxious in order to aid you.

1) Daily Chores

Participating in daily chores like doing dishes can act as stress relievers. Yes, you heard it right! According to experts, cleaning dishes can improve your health. With the assistance of 51 students as volunteers, researchers conducted a study in an effort to determine which daily activities reduce stress.

They discovered that the people who washed dishes mindfully experienced a 27% reduction in anxiety and a 25% boost in creative thinking. Contrarily, the control group did not experience any positive effects.

2) Identification of Triggers

Depending on the source of your stress—relationships, children, employment, a health issue—you may be able to lessen or even stop it. After giving the situation some serious thought, you can come up with workable solutions.

Even if altering the trigger is not an option, adjusting one’s viewpoint could assist in reducing stress. For instance, if a friend is annoying you, taking a step back and lowering your expectations may help you maintain a close relationship. Before you step in using other stress relievers, it is essential to understand where the stress is stemming from.

3) Physical Affection

Humans frequently experience an enhanced endorphin flow after giving a “love hug,” which is understood to be the cause of the loving feeling you experience when you hug, kiss or hold hands with someone.

Numerous studies have found that cuddling and hugging can act as stress relievers and enhance the release of feel-good chemical endorphins while decreasing the release of the stress-inducing chemical cortisol. So, when you get a chance to hug someone you care about next, be sure to do so. This simple gesture will make both of you feel happier. If you are not big on hugs, try holding a plushie, pillow or a soft toy.

4) Establish Good Posture

We are all guilty of slouching occasionally, but keeping good posture has significant advantages. An investigation found that maintaining an upright posture can benefit and lessen fatigue. According to the preliminary study’s findings, those with mild to moderate depression can adopt an upright posture to boost positive affect, decrease fatigue, and decrease self-focus.

So, what if you are feeling a little lethargic or unfocused? See how you feel after three minutes of keeping good posture. Still feeling worn out? Perhaps you should take a nap.

5) Practice Relaxation

While relaxation tools may seem boring and complicated, they have been shown to significantly reduce stress. For starters, try with belly or abdominal breathing. Take long, calm, deep breaths as you practice this simple, effective technique. Breathing helps you gradually detach your mind from bothersome ideas and sensations.

People with eating problems can benefit most from breathing concentration since it can help them focus on their body in a more positive way. People with breathing difficulties, such as those with respiratory conditions or heart failure, may not be able to use this procedure.

Building mental strength, taking charge of your circumstances, having a strong social network, and adopting a positive approach are some factors in effective stress management. The goal of these stress relievers is to assist in disabling the body’s fight-or-flight stress reaction, allowing you to deal with the situation at hand more calmly and preventing chronic stress.

Consider obtaining assistance from a mental health professional or your doctor if you experience frequent fight-or-flight reactions or if your moods are difficult for you to control. For persistent stress, stress relievers might not be the best option, and you may need expert assistance to cope and treat your condition.