If you’re looking for ways to shut off your brain and unwind without leaving your house or apartment, then look no further. Below you will find eight easy tips on how to de-stress in the comfort of your own home.
Set the stage for inner calm with these simple steps that will help keep stress and anxiety at bay with relatively little effort, courtesy of Social lifestyle magazine and Better Living.
Build A Sanctuary
Create a personal relaxation space that is just for you and can serve as a sanctuary when you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed.
Anything can be turned into a private relaxation den: a home office, guest room, media room, even a closet. Pick a place that’s not used frequently by others and make it your own with decorations and plants. Choose objects that are important to you and use relaxing, soothing colors.
Go here for more tips on how to make your home feel more relaxing.
Do Breathing Exercises
One quick way to relieve stress and anxiety is deep breathing. Taking deep breaths promotes relaxation both on a physical and emotional level, setting off a chemical response in your brain that tells your body to lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
Among the various breathing exercises that you can try is diaphragmatic breathing.
"Place one hand on your lower abdomen and the other on your chest. Breathe deeply in through your nose pushing the air into your diaphragm feeling your hand on your belly rise as your chest remains still," Better Living explains the technique. "Then breathe out slowly through your mouth. Repeat five to 10 more times."
Give Aromatherapy A Go
"Aromatherapy is one of the easiest and most pleasurable ways to provide stress relief, reduce anxiety, and even help manage pain," notes Better Living.
Some of the best essential oils to use when you’re feeling stressed out and frazzled are lavender, frankincense, lemon, eucalyptus, bergamot, and lemongrass. Put them in a diffuser or inhaler, or add them to your body moisturizer or bathwater.
Try Meditation
Meditation has been used for over two millennia to promote relaxation and inner calm. Studies have shown that it lowers blood pressure, reduces anxiety, increases attention span, improves sleep, boosts immunity, and raises self-esteem.
Five or 10 minutes of meditation a day are enough to reap the benefits. Start by finding a quiet, comfortable place to sit and focus on your breathing while letting your thoughts pass in and out.
Listen To Music
Listening to music can have a powerful stress-reducing effect, according to a 2013 study published in the journal PLOS One. While research has shown that instrumental music works best to lower heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones, feel free to go for your favorite tunes or even nature sounds.
"Try putting a few themed playlists together of your favorite songs to evoke how you want to feel at any given time, whether you’re looking to be calm or focused, energized, motivated, or even high-spirited," advises Better Living.
Try Journaling
Take a cue from Julianne Hough and try journaling, either in the morning or before bed. This mindfulness practice helps relieve stress and anxiety by releasing your emotions. Commit your thoughts and feelings to paper with the “stream of consciousness” technique and clear your mind as you let the words flow onto the page.
Drink Plenty Of water
Proper hydration does wonders not only for your skin but your state of mind as well.
"If you’re not drinking enough water throughout the day your body can start to feel stressed and begin to release cortisol," explains Better Living. "Symptoms like increased heart rate, nausea, fatigue, headache can be indicative of both dehydration and stress so it’s best to just drink up to give your body the fluids it needs."
If you don’t know how much water is enough, try drinking 10 percent of your body weight in ounces every day.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential in stress management. A good night’s rest will give your body sufficient time to replenish and restore — you need at least seven or eight hours of good quality sleep. Wind down with a cup of tea before bed, eat healthy carbs for dinner, and turn off screens an hour before bedtime to give your mind a chance to relax.
