Life can get stressful at times, even for the most chilled out and laid back individuals. Whether it’s due to friends, family, ill health, money, work or anything else- we all come up against difficult situations every now and again. It’s never the most pleasant experience, but unfortunately it’s all part of the human experience. The trick is to know how to deal with these feelings and emotions, and have some fail- safe stress busters for when the going gets tough. Here are some simple ways you can calm your mind and relax your body during times of stress.

Take a Hot Bath

Never underestimate the power of a hot bath! It can reduce blood pressure and promote feelings of calm, as well as ease tense muscles. When you’re stressed, you can tense and pull muscles in your body without even realising. A long soak with some bath oils, salts or bubble bath can help you to clear your mind and relax your body, so it’s a win- win situation. Treat yourself with care, apply a face mask and a hair mask, and slather yourself with moisturising lotion once you’re out of the bath. You will feel fresh and revitalised, and it’s a small thing you can do for yourself that could be very effective.

Practice Meditation

The effects of meditation have been well proven, and it’s something that anyone can do. You don’t need any special equipment, it’s free, easy and it works. Simply lie back on your bed in a comfortable chair and clear your mind. Focus on your breathing, this can put your mind into a very relaxed state. It means you’re not stressing about the past or worrying about the future. It can promote feelings of positivity and boost mood, and can also lower blood pressure too.

Exercise

When you’re stressed out and exhausted, the last thing you probably feel like doing is hitting the gym. However, it’s so worth pushing yourself to go as you really will thank yourself for it later on. Exercise is a natural mood booster, and a hit from your brain’s happy chemicals is just what you need when you’re not feeling great. You will feel productive, and it will help you sleep better too. Everything is always much worse when you’re tired, getting some replenishing sleep will allow you to feel calmer and have a much better mindset about any situation.

Busy Your Mind

Is your stress due to an upcoming event? Perhaps you have exams, a driving test, an operation or some other stressful thing on the horizon. While you should of course do as much preparation, if you find yourself overthinking and worrying sometimes, it can be helpful just busy your mind with something for a while. Something that takes your attention away from it, this will allow you to relax and things like your blood pressure to go back to normal. Why not get lost in a good movie, start a new series, read a book or play a computer game? There are tons of customizable gaming laptops and desktops out there if this is something you enjoy doing. Burying your head in the sand and avoiding responsibilities will get you nowhere, but if it’s a case of you’re overthinking and just need a break something like this can be really effective.

Keep a Journal

When you’re stressed, does it feel like your thoughts are swirling around, going at a hundred miles an hour and you can’t make sense of anything? Talking this out with a loved one will often help you to make sense of these thoughts, but if you don’t feel like sharing, then journalling is a good option. Putting your thoughts down on paper can help you to process them. Write everything down honestly, and in as much detail as you can, it can be a cathartic process and feel as though you’re getting stressed and confused thoughts out of your head and onto the paper.

Speak To a Doctor If Needed

All of us face stress and feelings of anxiety at times, this is completely normal. You will find that the feelings resolve when the stressful situation has passed. However, if you’re in a constant state of stress, are very nervous, panicky or anxious constantly then this is a sign that you need to see a doctor. Chronic anxiety can be incredibly damaging to the body (and hold you back in your life) and so isn’t something you should just try and live with. Counselling sessions or medication can help tremendously.