We present 25 effective ways to quickly calm down: study them, choose the ones that are most suitable for you and live a happy life without stress and illness.
All people face a large number of stressful situations of varying degrees of intensity every day. However, if for some they pass without consequences, for others they become a cause of increased anxiety. It can be difficult for people who are highly emotional to calm down quickly without the use of sedatives.
The impact of a stressful situation on the nervous system can be so intense that a person experiences physical manifestations, incl. insomnia, increased irritability, etc. Emotional stress often becomes the basis for the development of depression and other mental disorders. In addition, stress can trigger the development of certain diseases of internal organs.
Deal with nervous tension or stress consciously
To do this, you need to learn more about the mechanism of stress.
The word “stress” itself entered our everyday life relatively recently. By this we usually mean increased psychological stress in response to the influence of unfavorable factors. It’s unlikely that any of us have thought about what happens in our body at moments when, for some reason, we begin to get very nervous.
Briefly, it can be described as follows: in response to a stress factor - a stressor, a small gland called the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain, activates the hormonal system. The thyroid gland releases increased amounts of a hormone called thyroxine - and we become irritable and stressed. The adrenal glands produce adrenaline, an anxiety hormone, which rapidly increases metabolism, activates the cardiovascular system, and increases the heartbeat. They also secrete the hormone norepinephrine, which prepares the brain and body to respond to stimuli and adapts the body to stress.
Thus, at a moment of strong nervous tension, a command is received from the brain to bring the whole body into tone, and this is ensured by the hormonal system. Thanks to hormones, physical activity increases, muscles tense, because in case of danger, which is signaled by stress, a person must either attack or run away.
That is why he cannot calm down quickly. The body first needs to “work off” stress hormones. Words from others like “Calm down immediately!” cause him even more indignation.
Why am I always tense
Tension can be spontaneous (an hour-long workout in the gym), followed by calm quickly enough, or cumulative. It is the last option that is most difficult for a person. It consists of:
- Physical fatigue - lack of sleep, working on your feet or at the computer, constant chores, due to which there is no time to sit down.
- Stress, psychological pressures, conflict situations - they appear everywhere when there is no harmony within and with the environment.
- Ecology and rhythm of life - the space around us is very depressing and provides a gloomy background.
If you only feel tension in the body that does not go away, then the reason is your inability to hear it.
Physical activity will help you use and “work off” stress hormones.
During physical activity, physical discharge occurs: stress hormones that have been produced in response to a stress factor are “burned” and at the same time, happiness hormones - endorphins - are produced. That's why, when you're feeling stressed, it's worth doing some intense physical exercise. If time permits, you should go to the gym (they say that strength exercises will be most effective in this case), the swimming pool, for a jog, or a walk. And even wash the windows or clean the apartment.
To relieve nervous and muscle tension, you can do several gymnastic exercises:
Reaching for the stars
Let's stand straight, place our feet shoulder-width apart. Taking a slow, deep breath, we stretch our arms up and stretch as if we want to reach the ceiling. As you exhale, lower your arms;
Stretch your shoulders
We take the same starting position as in the first exercise, only we put our hands on our shoulders. At the moment of inhalation, we raise our elbows as high as possible and throw our heads back. As you exhale, we return to the starting position;
We clasp our legs
We sit on a chair, pressing our legs towards ourselves. The toes are on the edge of the chair, the chin is between the knees. We wrap our arms around our legs and press them to our chest as tightly as possible. After 10 seconds, sharply loosen your grip;
These exercises need to be repeated several times. They relax the muscles of the shoulders, back, and neck.
A great way to relieve stress is sex. During intimacy, endorphins are released - hormones of happiness, which have a healing effect on the nervous system and contribute to emotional relief.
Physical activity not only allows you to calm down, but also develops resistance to stress. Nordic walking with poles, swimming, cycling, etc. are methods available to everyone for the prevention of neuroses and stress.
But what to do if you need to relax quickly?
Relaxation and Relaxation Techniques
If it is a skill, then it can be learned. Different techniques are required in different situations - some are appropriate at home after work, others can be used during a lunch break.
Quick ways
They are suitable for moments when you need to switch to something, throw off the burden of negative thoughts and experiences. For example, before going to a business meeting, you should temporarily disconnect from current work problems.
Quick relaxation techniques:
- Find the cause of stress and mentally push it aside. Awareness is the first and main step towards calm.
- Do some exercise. Many large companies have both a recreation area and a gym. Because sports activities relieve psychological fatigue.
- Several inhalations and exhalations, accompanied by raising and lowering your arms. Breathing is an excellent indicator of stress; with anxiety and nervous tension, it becomes more frequent; it is necessary to force it back to normal.
- Compression of the body in the fetal position. Press your head to your knees and clasp your legs with your hands, freeze for 10 minutes, experiencing conscious tension. Then, exhaling, open your palms and straighten up. This technique will allow you to get rid of internal locks.
How to relax your body and remove tensions
The muscles contract involuntarily and do not return to normal. This physical reaction of the body indicates psychological problems. You may not notice the “muscle shell” for a long time until the muscles begin to ache. If clamped:
- Mouth. Indicates a need for protection and resentment. You need to take the fetal position and make sucking movements.
- Neck. This means that there is fear, as well as control over speech. It is necessary to make several yawns in the morning and in the evening - large, into all the lungs.
- Breast. Speaks of restrained emotions. Try lying crosswise on the bed with your feet on the floor. Place a cushion under your back and take deep breaths.
- Diaphragm. Most likely, you are afraid of something. You can remove the clamp by making static turns of the body to the sides and holding them for a minute.
How to learn to completely relax your body from tension
You need to give small loads to each muscle group:
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- Bends – for the neck and shoulders, lower back, arms, calves and thighs.
- Pull up - for the back.
- Turns to the right and left - for the oblique abdominal muscles.
- Squats are for the legs.
It helps to relax energetic dance for 5-7 minutes. You can also sign up for swimming - water reduces resistance, so the muscles receive moderate, comprehensive development, but without overexertion. If you come home after training, a warm bath with aromatic oils or a contrast shower will work well.
Exercise for the brain
If you work mentally or study, you need to periodically clear your thoughts of worries. You can do it like this:
- using water procedures;
- through aromatherapy;
- drink tea with herbs - chamomile, thyme, linden;
- You can go for a massage or acupressure your body while applying milk or cream to the skin.
How to relax yourself after stress
First, you need to understand the cause of the condition, remove this factor from the environment along with secondary irritants - calls, noise from the street, the TV on. After this, you can do one of the following:
- take a walk in the forest/park, if the weather cooperates;
- play with your pet;
- watch a good movie or enjoy music;
- do yoga or stretching, Pilates - something slow, with elements of meditation;
- take a bath;
- meet good friends, lovers, share problems.
What to do if there is tension in your relationship with your spouse
Discord in the family always begins with misunderstanding, so the main trump card is a heart-to-heart conversation. Perhaps the problem lies in the presence of complexes - you are embarrassed by your appearance, afraid to express your opinion, or do not feel loved.
I recommend being together more often in places where you feel most comfortable - on joint walks, picnics, at your parents’ house. Even a room in an apartment matters, where it is easier and more free for you to speak, there are more ways to open up. A prerequisite is a conversation, gradually explain the problem to him, find a joint solution.
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Do breathing exercises
Breathing exercises will help restore emotional balance.
We do:
Slow inhalations and exhalations
We slowly inhale air for 4 seconds, hold our breath for 5-6 seconds and exhale slowly over the next 4 seconds. Repeat this exercise up to 10 times;
Breathe with your belly
We take a sitting position, slightly raise our chin and take a deep, slow breath, first filling the stomach with air, and then the chest. We hold the air for a few seconds and make a slow exit, first releasing the air from the chest, and then drawing in the stomach. Repeat 10–15 times;
Inhale and exhale alternately through the left and right nostrils
We take any relaxed position and close our eyes. Close the left nostril and inhale through the right, holding your breath. Then close the right one and exhale through the left one. Then we do the exercise in reverse. We repeat it several times.
If the first breathing exercise is recommended to be done before bedtime in order to calm down and fall asleep faster, then the last one should not be done before bedtime.
Breathe deeply
This is an old trick. But scientists didn't understand for a long time why deep breathing works. Only in 2017, the journal Science published a study The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults, which dotted all the i’s.
Its authors, biochemists at Stanford University School of Medicine, discovered Study shows how slow breathing induces tranquility deep in the brain stem, a tiny cluster of neurons that is thought to link the speed and depth of breathing and emotional state. The more active and shallow the breaths, the higher the level of excitement and nervousness. And on the contrary, the deeper we breathe, the more relaxed and calm we feel.
True, experiments proving the connection between breathing and relaxation have so far been carried out only on mice. But researchers are quite confident in extrapolating their results to humans.
Resort to aromatherapy
You can “escape stress” with the help of some essential oils. They are sold in pharmacies and can be kept just in case in your desk, purse and at home. If necessary, apply a few drops of anti-stress oil to your temples or wrists.
Oils of orange, lavender, mint, lemon balm, cedar, and bergamot relieve nervous and muscle tension, restore energy and improve mood.
To create a peaceful atmosphere in the apartment, a ceramic aroma lamp is useful, in the side hole of which a candle-tablet is inserted. You need to pour 5 - 10 ml of water into the upper part of the lamp, into which add a few drops of your favorite anti-stress essential oil (per 10 sq. m of room - 4 drops of oil).
Search for the meaning of life
Man is the only creature who thinks about why he came to this planet. With animals everything is very simple: they are born, reproduce and die, increasing their own population. Man made a grandiose leap in evolutionary development, building his own world on Earth. His psyche has also become more complex, and one of the consequences is precisely that a person cannot live without meaning in life. Have you noticed how the eyes of those who know why they live light up? For example, a young mother: she fusses with her son all day long, doesn’t get enough sleep, doesn’t eat enough, and at the same time feels absolutely happy. Or a doctor who helps people is absolutely calm, receiving a far from astronomical salary. Even in the most difficult circumstances, a person is able to maintain this inner light if he knows that this world needs it. However, losing this feeling, he instantly becomes depressed and unhappy.
Do meditation
People underestimate the importance of meditation in relaxing the mind and body. Some people think that this is not serious, while others think that this activity is exclusively for those who do yoga. And yet, its benefits for mental health are supported by numerous scientific studies.
Let's try to calm our nerves with the simplest meditation: just sit in a comfortable way, close our eyes and focus our attention on one thing for 10 minutes, for example, counting, on a candle flame, trying not to be distracted by any other thoughts. Over time, giving your nerves a short break in this way and calming your mind will become increasingly easier.
How to stop being nervous about anything?
For some people, even everyday events are stressful. A person who is nervous about anything cannot enjoy life. Even positive events cause a lot of emotions that he cannot cope with. In such situations, you should use several techniques at once to get rid of this habit forever and return to a positive perception of reality.
Shichko method - getting rid of any bad habit
This method allows a person to get rid of the bad habit of concentrating his attention only on unfavorable events that make him feel anxious and restless.
This method involves keeping a diary, notes in which should be left before going to bed. At the same time, you need to regularly write self-hypnosis texts that will motivate you to obtain the desired result.
In addition, you can insert your photos into your diary (or keep an Instagram), assessing the positive changes in your appearance that have occurred over a certain period.
Before going to bed, it is necessary to consolidate in writing guidelines aimed at eliminating feelings of anxiety from a person’s life. This method allows you to quickly change your approach to life and learn to enjoy every moment.
Involvement in an exciting, interesting business
In cases where it is not possible for a long time to detach yourself from the situation that has caused severe anxiety, you need to switch to a more exciting activity.
Reading an interesting book or playing a computer game will help you get distracted.
A trip to the forest, to a concert, or to another pleasant event will help you to detach yourself from the current unfavorable situation. After stress is relieved, a solution to the problem will be found faster.
Affirmation
Saying affirmation phrases is another technique that allows you to quickly calm down in a stressful situation. To do this, you need to create your own relaxed image in your mind.
You should repeat positive statements in your mind that can quickly improve your mood (I am rich, I am healthy, I am happy, I am famous, I am the best).
When using this method within a few minutes, the effect of reducing nervousness and restoring mental balance is achieved.
Regular laughter
Laughter will help you get rid of the habit of worrying about trifles. Some people lose the ability to laugh. To improve your mood, you can read jokes or watch a funny program. Laughing for a long time will help you get rid of unpleasant thoughts and feelings of anxiety. You should relax in this way as often as possible.
Walk
Walking in the fresh air allows you to quickly put your senses in order. It is best to choose a park area for a walk. The sight of trees and well-groomed flower beds helps to quickly get rid of unpleasant thoughts. During your walk, you should concentrate on breathing in fresh air and contemplating nature.
Relaxation massage course
If a person’s work involves solving many problems and the need to be in a state of stress, he should regularly undergo relaxing massage courses to reduce anxiety levels.
You need to tune in in advance to the fact that the professional movements of a massage therapist allow your body and thoughts to acquire the desired lightness.
Observing unpleasant thoughts
Often, intentionally fighting unpleasant thoughts does not give good results. In this case, it is recommended to step back and calmly observe your worries and fears. It is advisable to use this technique in a quiet place where you can relax and close your eyes. Such exercises will allow you to quickly get rid of unpleasant thoughts and see better solutions to problems that arise.
“Feed” your nerves correctly
During times of nervous tension, the body especially needs nutrients, and especially protein, vitamins E, A, C and B vitamins. For example, during severe stress, the body's need for vitamin C increases 75 times!
If they are deficient, stress resistance is significantly reduced, because they are necessary for the normal functioning of the pituitary gland. Thus, the ability to overcome nervous tension largely depends on how complete our nutrition is.
Listen to the sounds of nature
The IT'S TRUE - THE SOUND OF NATURE HELPS US RELA study, conducted in 2021 by scientists from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, proved that when people listen to the sounds of nature, their stress levels are noticeably reduced.
Researchers exposed volunteers to natural and artificial (man-made, social) noise. At the same time, MRI scans of the participants’ brains and heart rate monitoring were carried out. As it turns out, brain activity is highly dependent on the nature of sounds.
With a natural scale, the focus of our attention is directed outward: we listen, peer into the world around us, falling into a kind of calming trance. Artificial sound accompaniment shifts the focus of attention inward: we begin to actively delve into ourselves, worry, exaggerate our own shortcomings, which ultimately aggravates stress even more.
Ideally, there is a walking park near you where you can hear birds singing and the rustling of leaves. Or a running stream, on the banks of which you can sit. If there is nothing suitable, use entries from these sites and applications.
Take up drawing
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In recent years, not only children, but also adults have become interested in painting. True, there are special ones for adults - anti-stress ones. Psychologists say that color therapy is one of the most effective methods to achieve inner harmony and calm down. Isn't it time for you to get a set of good pencils and a sketchbook? After all, drawing is a safer method of relieving stress than sedative pills.
Go for a massage
A good massage relieves stress. Moreover, this does not necessarily mean a whole body massage; you can get by with light rubbing of the head and neck. Have you ever noticed that many people run their hands over their heads when they are nervous? They do everything right, albeit unconsciously. There are many nerve endings on the head and neck, stroking which helps to quickly calm down. So the next time you start to lose your temper, just rub lightly in a circular motion onto your skin from your forehead to the back of your head.
Reluctance to take responsibility
When you live according to other people's ideas, opinions and instructions, a feeling of anxiety can become your constant companion. This is not surprising, because the lack of control over your own life is a cause for anxiety: you cannot even try to predict what awaits you around the next turn in life. All the same can be said about a person who, in principle, takes a childish position in relation to his life. Remember how dangerous the world seemed when you were little? Something similar happens to infantile people: they constantly expect “adults” to come and save them. And they still don’t show up, which increases the tension, and the circle closes.
