7 Simple Tools & Techniques to Help Relieve Mental & Emotional Stress
When you're overwhelmed by mental and emotional stress, it can take over your entire life. You lose focus and motivation, your self-confidence is shot, and sometimes it is hard to just get out of bed.
That's why it's important that you take care of your mental health just as much as your physical health.
Need to find immediate relief? These tools, products, and techniques can help.
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1Step into the Shower for a Dose of Extreme Temps
Meditation is a calming strategy for stress relief for some. But if you can't focus for more than a few minutes, consider taking a shower.
By standing under a stream of extra-steamy or super-cold water, you can quiet your mind with the distraction of running water and the uncomfortable temps. And the physical relief that comes for the water will shift your mind into a calmer state too.
2Learn a New Stress & Anger-Reducing Skill: Adopt the Willing Hands Position
When you are experiencing stress or anger, one of the first reactions in the body that you may experience is a tightening of –either the muscles of the shoulders, arms, neck, hands or tightening of the face or jaw. This physical response to stress is the fight or flight response.
To relieve this stress, try Dr. Marsha Linehan's “Willing Hands” position to relieve your tightened muscles and reduce the body's sympathetic nerve response. (Dr. Linehan is most well-known as the inventor of dialectical behavior therapy.)
To try this stress-relieving position, sit comfortably on a chair or couch with your palms face up. Relax your shoulders and place your feet flat on the floor. This position helps you focus on mindfulness and sends a safety signal to your brain that you are not in danger. Sit in this position for as long as you need to quiet the urge to be kinder to yourself and not react in a way you might regret later.
3Free your Mind with Aromatherapy Oils and Diffusers
Aromatherapy is the practice of using the aroma from essential oils and plant extracts to heal your mind and body. It is an excellent way to find relief from all types of stress, whether you have stress from work and finances, or personal relationships and self-improvement goals.
There are many ways to use aromatherapy oils, including adding a diffuser to your bedroom to enjoy the aromas for relaxation, putting a few drops in the bathtub, or simply opening the bottle and taking a whiff.
Some good aromatherapy oils to consider are:
- Rose for reducing stress
- Frankincense for relaxation
- Eucalyptus shower products work well for relaxation and stress relief
- Marjoram for emotional pain
- Bergamot to relieve anxiety
- Chamomile to calm the body
- Lemon for its refreshing qualities
- Geranium for a boost in mood
4Use Adult Coloring Books to Boost Your Mood
Another tool to consider for reducing your emotional or mental stress is with coloring books. Adult coloring books are becoming popular, not just for the fun of them, but because of the various benefits they provide you.
When you color, you focus on the colors you want to use, your coloring technique, and the different shapes or designs in the book.
This allows you to do something tangible to relieve panic attacks and focus on something aside from what you are stressed about. There are coloring books specifically for stress and anxiety that can help tremendously.
5Strike a Match and Light a Scented Candle or Incense
The simplest mental pick me up is only one matchstick away. When you need to feel a sense of comfort after a rough day at work or need help with small-time annoyances, light a candle or use smokeless incense sticks.
You'll not only change the aroma in your abode, but if you burn a scent like lavender, it will help increase relaxation and extinguish small-time annoyances.
6Slip-on a Few Acupressure Wrist Bands
While acupressure is often done to improve physical stress, it can help aid mental stress as well. If you are going on a trip where you know nausea is sure to follow, such as due to being afraid of flying, then the emotional toll it takes on you can make you feel a lot worse.
With an acupressure wrist band, you will experience some relief mentally and physically. These are great for reducing headaches and nausea, motion sickness, and general illness while traveling.
7Talk to a Mental Help Professional to Help Free Your Mind
Yes, stress is inevitable. But you don't have to let it get to your head or face your anxiety alone. When the methods listed above aren't enough to relieve stress, there are other healthy options — like distance therapy–that can help.
Whether you need to decrease mental stress at work or unpack feelings of depression and despair, you're only one phone call away from professional help.
BetterHelp offers telephone counseling, therapy via secure video chat, and counseling via their secure messaging service anytime and anywhere.
In fact, BetterHelp's services are quite inexpensive ( and in some cases may be free.)
