Did you know? According to the WHO, generalized anxiety disorder affects 1 in 13 people worldwide. It manifests itself through chronic or severe symptoms that affect our health. Fortunately, there are treatments, medications, practices (such as sophrology), and relaxation methods to combat stress.
No matter where you fall on the stress scale, there are natural remedies and relaxation methods worth considering, either alone or in addition to traditional treatments (if you're already on treatment, see your doctor first).
What exactly is anxiety?
Anxiety can present itself as stomach aches, rapid heartbeat, or even a panic attack; the discomfort and distress it causes can be extremely difficult to manage on a daily basis. Feelings of stress—unease, terror, fear, or an inexplicable sense of impending doom—can be deeply unpleasant.
So-called clinical anxiety can be all-consuming and exhausting. When recognized as a disorder, anxiety is a persistent and excessive worry in which individuals consistently feel their worst, even when there is no apparent reason to worry.
Fortunately, there are many relaxation techniques you can learn to help you calm your stress.
Why do relaxation?
The best relaxation techniques for combating stress can range from lifestyle changes to regular meditation and physical activity, or increasing your time outdoors. Other techniques, such as deep breathing and distraction techniques, can provide quick and natural relief when you feel overwhelmed by stress. These practices can help us better regulate our emotions and train our brains to have a more balanced and less frightening outlook on life. Using these relaxation methods every day will lead to better health.
Relaxation Techniques: 5 Ways to Help You Under Stress
Relaxation technique 01. Do a breathing exercise.
When we're anxious, our breathing becomes rapid and shallow. Deep belly breathing helps reduce stress. It helps stimulate relaxation in the body, lowering our heart rate and blood pressure. Taking deep breaths is a powerful method that works. Indeed, we can't breathe deeply and be anxious at the same time. There are many variations of relaxation breathing exercises to try.
- Count your breaths. Inhale deeply for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 4. Exhale for a count of 4. Repeat several times.
- Focus on your diaphragm and stomach. As you inhale, expand your stomach and diaphragm to their maximum capacity, and as you exhale, lower them as much as possible. Repeat this several times.
- The Selective Nasal Breathing method for relaxation. With one finger, block one nostril, inhale deeply, unblock it, and block the opposite nostril, then exhale deeply. Repeat several times. To simply block your nostrils with your fingers, make a fist with your hand, then release only your little finger and thumb, which you will alternately place over your nostrils.
Remember to exercise regularly and as soon as you feel an attack coming on.
Relaxation Technique 02. Try a meditation session.
Today, whether it's on YouTube, playlists, or apps, you can easily start meditating or even find a super-quick 10-minute session.
No matter the cause or type of anxiety you have, meditation is THE relaxation method par excellence to calm your mind and body effectively and quickly.
Relaxation technique 03. Go for a walk outside.
Getting some fresh air is one of the best stress relievers, whether for immediate or long-term relief. Taking a walk distracts from worries and releases muscle tension.
In the long term, regular exercise triggers the release of serotonin in the brain, strengthening resistance to negative emotions. This boosts confidence and mood. And you don't have to run a marathon to feel the benefits. Washing the car, hiking, gardening—anything that gets us moving helps. Studies show that 30 minutes, 3 to 5 days a week, can help significantly reduce symptoms, but even 10 minutes can make a difference.
You can also take your headphones with you when you go out: studies show that listening to music also has its own calming effects.
Relaxation technique 04. Distract yourself.
Distractions work because the brain can't be in two places at once. Shifting your attention to any activity will interrupt a series of racing thoughts. Try anything that can distract you from your negative emotions: putting your hands under cold water, coloring or drawing on a piece of paper, reading an article, getting a hand massage... anything that can force you to focus on something else immediately and better regain control of your present.
Relaxation technique 05. Consider herbal teas or green tea.
Known as a sleep aid, chamomile contains a compound called Matricaria recutita, which binds to the same brain receptors as drugs like Valium. In one study, patients with stress disorders who took chamomile supplements for 8 weeks showed a significant reduction in stress symptoms compared to those taking a placebo.
Green tea, long used in Chinese medicine to treat depression, contains the amino acid L-theanine , which relieves stress and reduces blood pressure and muscle tension.
Relaxation technique 06. Try a yoga session.
Along with meditation, yoga is one of the most effective relaxation exercises.
The practice of yoga has many benefits:
- It increases the feeling of well-being of body and mind.
- Yoga allows us to find calm and relax.
- He makes us work on breathing.
- It helps us become more aware of our body.
- Like any sport, yoga is good for our overall health.
- It helps us better manage our negative emotions
There are different yoga practices to adopt depending on your level and your preferences.
Relaxation techniques: changing your lifestyle.
Enjoy nature.
Whenever you can, instead of staying indoors, go for a walk in a forest, a park, a field, around a lake… Indeed, the majority of us intuitively feel more relaxed and less anxious when we are outdoors. Spending time in any natural environment lowers our blood pressure, heart rate, and the body's production of the stress hormone cortisol. Research analyzing data from 10,000 people found that those who live near green spaces reported less mental distress and were therefore healthier. When you go for a walk, don't hesitate to use your five senses and become fully aware of the environment: absorbing the beauty, sounds, scents, and daylight. This good practice is a moment of pure relaxation, and helps us manage stress.
Sleep more.
It's been said and repeated, but ideally, you should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can be a major cause of irritability and latent stress that's brewing. There are many ways to improve your sleep . You can also consider supplementing your sleep with micro-naps .
Take a hot bath or a steam room or sauna.
The sensation of warmth is often associated with calm and well-being, much like sunbathing on the beach. Studies show that warming your body reduces muscle tension and stress. Sensations of warmth can alter the neural circuits that control mood, including those that affect the neurotransmitter serotonin. Try warming up by the fire with a cup of tea or hot chocolate—it works too!
Have a diet rich in vitamins and minerals.
B vitamins, in particular, have numerous health and quality of life benefits. One study found that people who ate foods rich in B vitamins experienced significant improvements in stress compared to those who did not.
