We all feel stressed from time to time. Sometimes, we experience it when we have too much to achieve in very little time. Other times, it’s when we’ve been up and about for hours, with no time to rest. In whatever form it comes, one thing is certain –stress sucks.
Fortunately, as easily as stress comes, it can also be expelled! With just a few minutes dedicated to getting relief, you can relax, regain your energy, and pick up where you left off. Some ways to get stress relief in 5 minutes or less include:
Inhale essential oils
Inhaling essential oils is a great way to get relief from stress. This activity helps calm your mind whenever you feel stressed, anxious, or unable to sleep. To combat stress, inhale essential oils like lavender, frankincense, bergamot, sandalwood, orange bloom and rose. Apply a few drops of these oils on a cotton pad and inhale 10-15 times. To enhance their effect, choose scents that appeal to you!
Write down the cause of your stress
Studies show that journaling your thoughts and feelings can help you process them quickly. So take out 2-3 minutes to write down the cause of your stress. This could be an upcoming presentation, an insatiable client, a faulty computer, or even an annoying college. The sooner you can get them off your mind and into a journal, the sooner you can move on from it and focus on other things.
Chew gum
Chewing is another great way to reduce stress. You can purchase a packet of gum, especially scented gum, to carry around in your bag or pockets for stressful situations. To relieve stress, chew gum for about 2-3 minutes. Remember, don’t chew slowly but vigorously. Taking out pent-up energy on the chewing gum will boost its effects.
Play your favorite song
Music is a great stress reliever. When you start feeling stressed, take out your earphones and listen to your slowest and calmest songs. Loud and fast-paced music may enhance your stressed state so look up artists like Coldplay, Khalid, or Lana Del Rey for some soothing music. Playing the same soothing song on repeat is also a great way to enhance the stress-relieving effects of music.
Find something to laugh about
Laughing is a great way to rid yourself of stress. You can take a short break from your project to share jokes with your friends or colleagues, just to lessen the tension. And if you’re in no mood to make jokes, go on YouTube and watch funny videos. Spending 3 to 5 minutes laughing at funny videos will definitely take the tension off!
Other effective ways to reduce stress in less than five minutes include taking deep breaths, stretching, taking brief walks, making a to-do list, talking to yourself, and washing your face. With all of these tips, you can take full control of your day and achieve your goals.
Note that the best form of stress-relief is sleep. So make sure to get enough rest at the end of every day! If you need help falling asleep take a warm bath with our bath bombs. I like Lavender Vanilla for sleep, but you can also try Dream Time for sleep.