Ever find yourself spiraling into a stress episode? Although some of the common ways to relieve stress are good – exercise, rest, and socializing – there are other ways to quickly switch from stressed to baseline.
Check out these 6 scientifically-based methods to calm yourself quickly.
- Cold submersion. Fill a large bowl with ice water and submerge your face into it while holding your breath. This slows the heart rate and redirects the blood to the heart and other vital organs.
- Reset with strong physical sensations or mental games. Listen to loud music, chew on a hot pepper or something spicy or hold ice cubes in the palm of your hands to shift your attention away from the stress. You can also mentally come up with a top-10 list of your favorite songs, movies, or places.
- Gaze at nature. Research shows that nature or even computer-simulated nature images can relax the mind.
- Talk to yourself in the third person. When stressed, it’s common to think negatively about ourselves. Experts say that talking to yourself in the third person can diffuse stress quickly.
- Chew gum. The act of chewing gum has been long-proven to relieve tension and increase alertness.
- If you are stressed and angry, change your body position to the opposite of what you’re feeling. Relax your posture, change your scowl to a smile and speak softly.
