How To Reduce Stress in Under 5 Minutes
It’s no secret that stress is one of the leading causes of chronic diseases. Stress weakens the immune system, often leads to obesity, hypertension, and depression, and promotes inflammation within the body. While it isn’t possible or even desirable to completely eradicate stress, it is crucial to keep it under control.
Here are a few techniques that can easily reduce your stress in under 5 minutes:
4 - 7 - 8 Breathing
“Breathe in with your nose for 4-3-2-1… Hold for 7-6-5-4-3-2-1… Exhale out of your mouth for 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1….”
How did that feel??
Now, imagine doing an entire minute of that.
As you can see, when we take deep breaths we are able to instantly shift from the sympathetic nervous system of “fight or flight” to the parasympathetic nervous system of “rest and digest.”
Slowing our breathing slows our thoughts. And bringing attention to our breath helps us return to the present moment.
Try placing one palm on your belly and one on your heart and notice how you feel in your body. Or simply places both palms face up in your lap - I have heard a rumor that it is impossible to feel angry with your hands in this position and I think it could be true!
Soothing Self-Talk
On average, every human will have around 60,000 thoughts per day, but get this…
On average 80% of those thoughts are negative and 95% of those negative thoughts are the same repetitive thought.
This can either be perceived as horrible news or empowering information. What you tell yourself becomes your reality, so it is imperative that we speak nicely to ourselves.
For some reason, it is easy to say nice things to other people, but we tend to be very critical of ourselves. Would you say the things to others that you tell yourself? If the answer is “no,” it’s time to be more kind to yourself. When you notice negative self-talk, it helps to talk back. Counter your negative thought with a positive alternative or respond as you would to a close friend you were trying to comfort. In doing this, we are capable of effectively re-training our brains and increasing our baseline level of happiness - now that’s powerful.
Music and Movement
Music sets the mood. Have you ever noticed that certain songs energize you, certain songs make you feel sad, and certain songs make you feel relaxed? When I want to uplift my mood, I like to put on something upbeat and dance around - instant stress reducer! When I want to relax, I put on some Ludovico Einaudi classical piano and make up a brief yoga flow to the rhythm of his music. In order to reduce stress, sometimes you physically need to move the energy within you to shift your mental state, which is why yoga and dance can be so therapeutic!
Hot Tea
The oldest trick in the book. Why does life seem to slow down when you drink a cup of tea? That internal warmth of the hot tea traveling down your throat and warming your gut is comforting, to say the least. You start to feel your tension melting away with every soothing sip. Try a tea that has chamomile, peppermint, valerian root, or lavender for extra relaxation benefits.
Gain Perspective
When we look at the vastness of the ocean or the sky, the height of a redwood that has been around for hundreds of years, the stars that are billions of years old, we are quickly reminded of how small our problems are in comparison. We are reminded that our lives are relatively short, so why waste time stressing about things that won’t matter in a few years. Volunteering is also a great way to gain perspective and reduce stress, but a 5-minute alternative to volunteering is giving something small to someone in need.
Get Outside
Have you ever noticed how the sunlight hits the leaves on the tree or watched the singing birds flying from branch to branch? Even 5 minutes spent in nature can calm the nervous system and help you slow your thoughts. Laying on the grass, taking a short walk outside, or watching the sunset for even 5 minutes can calm the nervous system and reduce stress.
Gratitude
Write down 10 things you are grateful for. I’ll give you 5 minutes - ready go!
…………………..
When we shift our mindset to gratitude, we distance ourselves from stress and other negative states of mind. Take it a step further and reach out to a friend, whether by text, phone call, or a handwritten letter, to tell them you are grateful for them. It is a foolproof way to get rid of stress!
And Last, But Not Least… Make An Appointment with Wise & Well!
It only takes 5 minutes to set up and start you on the path to improved health and happiness and decreased stress.
