Many people struggle with stress and anxiety daily, constantly juggling work, family commitments, school, and personal obligations. It’s no wonder so many suffer from insomnia or chronic pain. But some simple habits can help you relax and feel peaceful in your everyday life. Below are six things to try today.
Diffuse essential oils
One of the primary things that stress and anxiety do is cause people to be on edge. It’s all too easy for one bad day to spiral into a week of sleepless nights. Diffusing essential oils can help you relax, regain your composure, and enjoy some peace throughout your day or evening. This is one of the best things that you can do for detoxing while you are relaxing as well. There are several oil diffusers available on the market, and many of them are very affordable.
For those who prefer not to diffuse oil at home or do not have a diffuser readily available, there is another option: essential oils can be applied directly under your nose as well. This will release their aroma quickly and last for several hours afterward, but it’s important to avoid your eyes and other sensitive areas. This is a good habit to practice if you’re feeling extremely stressed or anxious because it can help reduce those feelings quickly.
Take a few minutes to notice the sensations of your body
Another thing that you can do to help yourself relax is to take a few minutes and notice the sensations in your body. This can be done while you’re sitting, standing, or lying down. It doesn’t matter where you do this as long as it’s comfortable for you. You don’t need any special equipment: all that matters is that you pay attention to how things feel. Are you hot, cold, or somewhere in between? How are your feet positioned on the ground? What does it feel like to be breathing right now? These sensations will help reset your body’s equilibrium and can lead to a much calmer state of mind very quickly.
Go outside
One thing that causes stress is a lack of sunlight. When you are stressed, your body can produce more cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause you to become lethargic and even hibernate during the day. But getting outside for at least 20 minutes per day can help reduce stress levels by exposing you to natural light that your body needs to function properly. Natural light may also be able to get you out of your head and into the present moment, where it’s much easier to relax.
Spend time with pets or plants
Pets and plants can help you feel calm and relaxed almost instantly. These are great things to have around if you’re feeling extra anxious or stressed out because pets and plants don’t do a lot of talking, they just provide their sort of calm energy that can help ease your mind from the outside in. After spending time with these kinds of animals or even one plant, you’ll feel more relaxed for at least a few hours afterward.
Get more sleep at night if you can
If sleeping is difficult for you, consider investing in an eye mask and earplugs to help block out light and noise from your surroundings while you’re resting. Not only will this help with stress management since it’s easier to relax when there aren’t all these distractions going on around you, but it will also help with sleeping patterns so that you can more easily fall asleep and stay asleep at night. As much as possible, your body needs sleep to function properly, and if you aren’t getting enough of it then your cortisol levels will remain elevated.
Turn off all electronics for an hour each day
Finally, one of the best ways to relax is by turning off all electronics for an hour or two each day. This will prevent you from responding to messages, scrolling through social media feeds, and watching television shows while also giving your mind some time to rest without any distractions. It may seem counterintuitive at first because people’s brains are trained to seek out information constantly throughout the day, but you’ll be amazed at how much more relaxed you feel after turning off all electronics.
It doesn’t take much to relax your mind and body, just a few simple habits that can easily become daily routines. Try practicing these techniques every single day for two weeks so that they start to become second nature when dealing with stress or anxiety. You may not be able to fix all your issues at once, but with a little time and effort on your part, it is possible to regain control.
