5 immediate stress reduction techniques

Do you feel stressed? Try one of the ten-minute activities listed below to relieve your stress.

1. Workout

Exercise actually does cause your body to release feel-good hormones like endorphins, which can help you feel less stressed. It's a cliché for a reason. Exercise may aid in releasing any subconscious muscle tension brought on by stress.

Walking around the block, performing 20 jumping jacks, going for a short run, or finding a 10-minute yoga sequence on YouTube all count as workouts.

2. Prepare

When you feel overburdened by the quantity of tasks at hand or the impending deadlines, stress might start to build up. Creating a to-do list or time management plan might aid in keeping you focused on completing each activity.

Write down everything you need to accomplish, including the steps you must follow to carry out each assignment. Decide what needs to be done first, what can wait till later, and what you might be able to delegate to someone else. Be honest with yourself about how long it will take you to finish each assignment, and make time in your calendar for rewards when you finish.

3. Inhale

Your breathing can be impacted by stress and worry, which then has an impact on how your body and mind feel. You may lower your heart rate, relax your muscles, and quiet your mind by taking a few deep breaths.

You can either go to xhalr.com, which provides a visual breathing tool to assist you effortlessly relax your breath, or follow Anxiety Australia's instructions for slowing down agitated breathing.

4. Take a break.

Even if you are not a toddler, taking a time out when you are stressed is still appropriate.

Stress can impact our emotions, behaviour, and physical and mental health, just like it can in kids. You may get irritated, easily disturbed, or short-tempered as a result of stress.

When you start to notice that stress is having an impact on your mood or behaviour, it might be time to take a break and spend some time by yourself. Find a buddy or coworker you can chat to about your feelings, or do something you enjoy, like reading a book or listening to music.

Time outs don't have to be only reactive; instead, create some "you time" in advance.

5. Reflection

There is no better moment to start practising mindfulness, meditation, or relaxation techniques if you haven't already. These methods, which have been scientifically shown to aid in reducing and managing stress and promoting mental wellbeing, are helpful both while you're under stress and as preventative measures when you're feeling good.

You can practise these exercises with the help of a variety of books, websites, apps, and tools, including some that are available for free.

Why it's important to reduce stress

Even while a little bit of stress is acceptable and may even improve your performance under pressure, sustained stress is bad for your body and mind. There are various reasons why health experts are expressing concern about the negative consequences the current "epidemic of stress" is having on the general populace's health, from headaches and sleep loss to affects on hormonal function, blood pressure, and relationships.

Although avoiding all stress is not a realistic aim, doing the above steps in a proactive manner can assist you do so and help you deal with stress more effectively when it does occur.

When to seek assistance

Regular stress has an impact on your mental health and may warrant a visit to the doctor. If you've been feeling ill or "not yourself" for more than two weeks, you should visit your doctor. Keep in mind that you don't need to wait until you're in a crisis to get mental health care.

Call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance if you believe that the situation is an emergency or that you or another person's life is in danger.