In the hustle and bustle of our modern lives, finding moments to calm ourselves down is a precious gift. We all experience stress, but the key lies in how we manage it. Do you know how to calm yourself down?
This is why it’s crucial you know a few methods that can help you relax your mind. Using these techniques in your day-to-day life could help keep your mind relaxed when facing difficult situations.
Join us on this journey to discover the art of inner peace and self-care.
14 Tips To Calm Yourself Down.
Feel free to try these tips to help you the next time you feel your mental state is in chaos.
1. Breathing Exercises
These relaxing breathing techniques for stress, tension, and anxiety take only a few minutes and can easily be done anywhere. To get the best results, try doing it regularly as part of your daily routine.
You can do it standing, sitting in a chair, lying on a bed or a yoga mat on the floor, or even lying down. Make yourself as comfy as possible. Loosen any clothing that restricts your breathing. If lying down, put your arms at your side, with your hand’s palm up.
If sitting, put your arms on the armrests of the chair. Put your feet flat on the floor. If standing, put your arms on top of the desk or table. Place your feet roughly hip-wide apart.
Let your breaths flow as deeply into your belly as possible without forcing them. Counting from 1 to 5 bits of help. You may not be able to reach 5 at first, then let it flow out gently. Do this for at least five minutes.
Read more about: 10 Effective Breathing Techniques for Stress Relief
2. Acknowledge Your Anxiety
Stress can be recognized very easily by listening to your body. In order to reduce the negative effects of stress, you must determine what causes your stress and how you cope with it.
Being mindful is a way to become more aware of what’s happening in your body, mind, and environment.
By focusing on the present, rather than running back to habitual patterns of avoiding or obsessing, mindfulness allows you to choose the best response to the present moment.
Read more about: 5 Ways to Manage Your Social Anxiety While at Work
3. Let Out The Stress
We become impatient due to the demands and pressures at work. We are impatient, impulsive, and hasty, which causes us to miss or overlook obvious things.
Exercise that is strenuous is a terrific way to unwind. Being able to get up and move around, will help remain calm by distracting you for a moment.
It’s difficult to concentrate on tedious things when your body is busy being physical. This is why stepping away from a stressful environment and going for a walk is a great technique for staying clam.
Utilizing your body and exercising your body in some way seems to quiet the noise inside your head. You should refrain from engaging in physical expressions of rage, such as yelling or pounding walls.
Read more about: 8 Benefits of Daily Walks
4. Think Of A Better You
You can use your imagination and envision a more peaceful version of yourself. Thinking positively can help you manage your stress and possibly enhance your health.
By shifting your mindset to a more positive one, you aren’t ignoring your stress but viewing them from a different perspective. When you can approach ideas with a confident mindset, it makes the entire process more enjoyable.
5. Relax For A Moment
It can feel like every muscle in your body is tense when you’re anxious or irritated (and they probably are). Practicing muscle relaxation exercises might assist you in calming down and finding your inner peace.
Lay on the ground and spread your arms at your sides to perform this. Ensure your hands are not in a fist and your feet are not crossed.
Begin by telling yourself to release your tension starting from the bottom to the top of your head. As you slowly ascend your body, tell yourself to let go of each body part until you reach your head.
Read more about: How to Meditate Mindfully to Relieve Stress
6. Hand Massage
A simple hand massage is one of the easiest ways to distract your mind and calm down when you are feeling stressed. You can either perform this on yourself or ask a partner or friend to help out. Focus on the points where you are feeling the most tension.
The space between your thumb and finger can help to relieve headaches, so make sure you give a little extra attention to this area. Of course, if you have the time and money, a full body massage is one of the best treats for anyone feeling stressed.
7. Close Your Eyes
Sometimes all we need to relieve stress is to take ourselves out of the space we are in for a few moments.
Whether you are in a busy office or surrounded by your screaming kids at home, closing your eyes and immersing yourself in the darkness can do wonders for your mind.
Use this moment to take a few deep breaths and steady yourself before returning to the space you are physically in.
8. Yoga
Yoga is one of the best tools for anyone who is dealing with long-term stress. However, you don’t need to leave your home or office to go to a yoga class in order to see the immediate benefits of this practice.
Look up simple yoga videos on YouTube, which will offer you guidance if you are a beginner. There are some great chair yoga videos too, which you perform in the middle of your working day without even leaving your desk.
Yoga classes can help you to escape reality for an hour or so on a busy day, so they are well worth looking into if you can find one in your local area. Yin yoga is ideal for anyone looking for a more relaxing class, but a physically challenging class such as Ashtanga can take your mind off stress.
Read more about: 10 Minute Full-Body Yoga for Stress Relief
9. Aromatherapy
Keeping some aromatherapy oils in your office on your desk could be a little thing that makes a huge difference to your stress levels. Work to find a scent that really helps to calm you, such as lavender or rose.
You could just store little rollerballs of oil in your desk drawer or invest in an aromatherapy diffuser for a more immersive experience in your room. No matter the time of day or night, there are oils to help wake you up, relax you, or transport you to another place and time.
Aromatherapy Diffuser with 8 Essential Oils
Let the soothing scents of essential oils transform your space, offering a peaceful retreat that beckons you to unwind and recharge.
Read more about: All About Aromatherapy: What Is It & Does It Work?
10. Listen to Music
Music is so healing to many of us, and it’s a great way to relieve stress when your mind is feeling busy. We all have our favorite musical genres and artists, so create a playlist on your phone which will appeal to your musical tastes.
Typically, it’s best to go for slower and more instrumental tunes when you are feeling stressed, but some people prefer getting their stress out and listening to heavy metal or rock.
Use your playlist to have a mini dance party when you are feeling stressed, which can help to release positive endorphins and ease off your stress levels.
11. Be Creative
Creativity allows us to escape the mundane and immerse ourselves in a different activity other than our work or everyday lives. Being creative might look different for everyone, but it could involve painting, writing, coloring, or crafts.
Think back to when you were a child and what activities you most enjoyed doing in your free time. This will give you a good idea about the type of creative activities that could help with your stress.
You might want to consider signing up for a class in your local area to learn a new skill, such as pottery or knitting.
12. Guided Meditation
One of the best tools for anyone who is feeling stressed on a regular basis is meditation. This practice has become increasingly popular in mainstream media in recent years, and it’s now more accessible than ever for anyone to try.
We recommend downloading a meditation app such as Calm if it’s your first time trying to meditate. You’ll find endless guided mediations online today, which will help to take you through the practice step by step.
One thing to keep in mind with meditation is that you don’t need to sit in silence for hours for it to be effective. Even just a minute or two of peace and quiet when you are feeling stressed can completely turn your day around.
13. Spend Time in Nature
In this modern day and age, many of us spend our whole day indoors and don’t get to see the sunlight at all during a long working day.
Nature is one of the best healers available to us, and it’s completely free for us to experience. If you are feeling stressed, head out for a walk during your lunch break. You can visit a local park or just sit on the grass near your home.
Grounding ourselves in nature can help to reduce stress levels and bring us back to a more centered place to deal with whatever comes our way for the rest of the day.
14. Reach Out to a Friend
You don’t have to go through the toughest days alone, so don’t be afraid to reach out to a friend when you are struggling. A quick text or phone call could make a huge difference to your day, as you’ll know someone is there to support you no matter what happens.
It’s so easy to cut ourselves off from the world when we are feeling stressed, but the more you lean on your support system, the easier it will be to deal with anything that happens in the future.
They’ll also appreciate knowing you are there to support them in return, so make sure you open up your heart to others when they are struggling too.
Read more about: 8 ways to Exercise Mindfulness When Venting to a friend
Signs Your Mind Needs To Rest.
Do you ever feel like your mind has been completely drained of energy?
Being overwhelmed can make some feel as if their mind has stopped working. For others, it seems their mind can not stop working and is going 200 miles per hour.
When the mind has been given a chance to recuperate from a previously stressful situation, it will have a problem trying to regulate their emotion. This can often lead to harmful decisions to cope with feeling overwhelmed.
Lack of concentration
It’s already challenging enough to focus on work or school without stress. When the mind isn’t in a peaceful state, it can become easily distracted.
Problems with concentration can look different for each person. Some have issues focusing on work or school-related tasks, while others have difficulties focusing on everyday activities.
Here are a few examples of what poor concentration looks like:
- Restlessness
- Brain fog
- Can’t remember what just happened
- Careless mistakes
- Missing deadlines, or appointments
- Misplacing things
Unpredictable mood changes
Mood swings can be commonly seen when someone is suffering from anxiety. Having an overly anxious mind will make someone feel very tired.
Then there comes a point when that feeling becomes too much to deal with. The stress begins to pile on, soon becoming unbearable, leading to an explosion of emotion.
When the mind gets to this stage, it’s called “mental fatigue.” Some may even experience panic attacks or become depressed from sudden changes in emotions.
A constant need for isolation
Needing alone when feeling overwhelmed is perfectly fine. It’s even recommended you take a moment to be by yourself to get your thoughts together.
But when a person begins to withdraw socially, this can become dangerous. The pressure of having to face others can be too stressful for some, which will lead them to stay away from others.
Thinking that the only way for you to keep your life peaceful is by isolating will only add more harm. When you run away from friends and family, you’ve basically left your support system. Being self-reliant isn’t always best, especially for your mental state.
Negative thinking and talking
We all know that not much good can come from feeling so stressed. We can even start to believe that we are also no good when feeling stressed.
Your perspective on the world and those in it can turn negative when life gets tough. The feeling of defeat can make you feel belittled, and you start to believe this is what you are.
Having the narrative that your life is meaningless is something you need to let go of. Hyper self-criticism does nothing but lower your confidence and keep you in a dark place without the motivation to look for the light.
Procrastination
We’ve already covered how a stressed mind has a problem concentrating on important information. But it can also lead to procrastination by leading them to do things that don’t require too much focus.
One of the main ways people find themselves procrastinating is by browsing social media. Doing mindless activities like scrolling through social media is how many people allow their minds to turn off for a moment. This becomes an issue when you are doing it for several hours instead of being productive.
Procrastinating allows you to postpone your feeling of stress which can be good for you. But ultimately putting off important tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed will only create more severe problems.
Sleeping problems
When the mind can’t rest neither can the body. Stress can overstimulate the mind causing it to have trouble shutting off for sleep.
Anxiety can cause racing thoughts due to a variety of factors, such as stress at home or at work. Those dealing with large amounts of stress find themselves suffering from insomnia.
A number of different factors can contribute to insomnia or sleep difficulty. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, other causes can include chronic pain, depression, hormonal changes, medications, or medical conditions such as thyroid disease, acid reflux, or asthma.
Everyday Ways To Relax & Unwind
The last thing you want to hear someone say when you’re feeling pressured, anxious, terrified, or nervous — or when you have the want to lash out is, “Just calm down”.
Try these 5 self-soothing techniques that can really be helpful, and done quickly.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath: Count to ten, then open them again. You’ll feel much better. If you can’t stop thinking about what you’re stressing out about, try writing down everything you’re worried about. Then write down how you’d like things to go instead.
Chewing a piece of gum can help you stay calm and focused: A study shows that the slow, methodical chewing of gum can increase blood flow to your brain, helping you focus and remain calm under stress. It also helps you avoid reaching for unhealthy options, like a pint of chocolate ice cream or a cocktail.
Call a close friend: Touch base with someone you love. Laughter releases endorphins, the feel good chemicals in your brain that lift your spirits and make you happy.
Snuggle up with your fur baby: A little cuddling goes a long way towards reducing stress hormones and promoting feelings of calmness.
Listen to soothing music: Cue up your favorite tune, but nothing with an upbeat tempo or sad lyrics. Then sit back and relax. Close your eyes and focus on the words and the melody. Sing along if you wish. Research shows singing helps relieve stress and depression.
How To Calm Down A Friend
As long as their anger or anxiety doesn’t escalate into violence toward you, you can attempt to help anyone calm down.
If they have a tendency to lose control when upset, it’s better to avoid them, but if they can still interact in a productive and good way, you can give them a lifeline when they need it.
Try these methods of de-escalation with someone that you believe needs support emotionally or mentally.
Take a deep breath with them: A deep breath can be helpful during an anxiety attack. Practice deep breathing with the other person if they agree.
If their throat feels dry, you can grab a glass of water for them. In order to deal with tension, lead them through a progressive muscle relaxation technique routine – clenching and releasing various parts of their body as they go.
Just listen: Don’t try to fix what you can’t understand. Give the upset person space to express themselves. Let them vent their emotions without trying to offer advice.
When you do respond, keep your tone neutral. If they start blaming you for their state, then it’s probably time to step back and let them go through whatever process they need to.
Be available: Instead of advising the distressed individual to manage their stress or telling them they overreacted, try providing validation. Ask open-ended questions to learn more about their needs and feelings.
Leave, when it’s necessary: Whether you are attempting to assist a stranger, coworker, friend, or member of your family, you should only remain by their side to calm them down if they interact with you in a positive way.
Tell them their actions are unacceptable in any scenario if they begin gaslighting you or treating you cruelly, and then leave the scene.
Keep your own emotions in check: You need to be cautious and control your own emotions because a distressed person’s emotions can spread to you. If you suffer from panic attacks yourself, be open and honest with the person if you feel you are struggling to maintain positive emotions.
Saying that you need to take a break is acceptable. Balance your own well-being so that you can assist others in balancing theirs more effectively.
In conclusion
Try to be compassionate and kind to yourself. The second year of this unparalleled pandemic has passed. It says a lot about you that you’re even somewhat interested in learning how to better control your emotions and handle stress.
There are numerous techniques for calming your self down, including diaphragmatic breathing, note-taking, and even chewing gum.
It is common for people to experience difficult times in their lives. These, though, ought to be brief. If the symptoms are severe or if this is not the case, the person should consult a doctor for guidance and care.
