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Relaxation methods: from moving to coloring
One goes for a run, the other hangs on the couch and stares at the TV. Everyone has their own way of recovering from tension and stress. But have you ever tried these relaxation methods?
1. Imagine what
Find some peace and quiet, close your eyes, focus your attention on your breathing and imagine that you are in a beautiful and pleasant place. And it doesn’t matter if you project yourself onto the beach of a tropical island or into a clearing in a forest – choose the place that feels most soothing to you. Do this visualization exercise for a few minutes every day. Research from the University of California showed that your body produces less of the stress hormone cortisol as a result.
2. Write it off you
You can put all your thoughts and feelings in a diary, because you don’t have to keep up appearances or make things more beautiful than they are. And that alone turns out to be quite relaxing. Writing is just a great outlet. Not only that, it also helps you organize your thoughts about certain situations, which can help you see things in a different light.
Another reason why “writing it off” according to psychologists might help you relax: You feel more in control of your emotions, which allows you to regulate them better. And finally: when you describe a traumatic event, you create some distance from the event, so that it has less of an impact on you. Research shows that keeping a diary can help reduce the symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
3. Fill your house with plants
Researchers looked at subjects’ blood pressure and emotions while performing a simple task on the computer. They did that in a room without plants. Plants were then placed in that space. As a result, the subjects became not only more productive (they completed their task faster), but also less stressed. Their blood pressure appeared to have dropped.
4. Count and listen to the ticking of the needles
Actress Meryl Streep is said to be knitting when she’s not in action on the film set. It would calm her down. Not surprising when you consider that you move rhythmically and repetitively, which brings peace to the amygdala, the part of your brain that is involved in emotions. In addition, counting the stitches keeps your attention captive, leaving little room for other thoughts. You are really in the here and now, which is why knitting (just like crocheting) is a perfect mindfulness practice. In 2013, a survey was conducted among more than 3,500 knitters. And guess what: the more people knit, the calmer and happier the women felt.
5. Keep moving
Exercise is one of the best ways to combat stress. It has long been thought that it is the endorphins that do it. When you exercise intensively, this feel-good substance is produced in large quantities in the brain. But some scientists now think that a completely different substance is responsible for the anti-stress effect of exercise: the lesser-known noradrenaline (not to be confused with adrenaline). As early as the late 1980s, animal studies showed that exercise results in higher amounts of this substance in the locus caeruleus. This brain region connects other parts of the brain involved in the stress response. Noradrenaline could therefore regulate the functioning of the substances responsible for the stress response. Other researchers do not believe that it is a matter of more or less noradrenaline. They believe that exercise makes the body respond more effectively to stress. From a biological point of view that would make sense: intensive exercise gives the body the opportunity to practice how to deal with stress; it forces all kinds of systems to communicate well with each other. In any case, the fact is that people who exercise little experience more negative effects of stress.
6. Run up the stairs, do yoga
When you’re angry and frustrated, don’t reach for that chocolate bar, glass of wine, or cigarette. A better way to relieve stress is to take physical action. At work: take the stairs to the next floor. At home: go outside, walk around the block and take a firm step. If you have the time: any form of meditative movement, such as yoga and tai chi, will help you de-stress and recharge.
7. Break Your Routine
Have you had a bad time? Leave it behind. And the best way to do that is to break out of the daily grind. How? That does not matter. Discover a city you’ve never been to. Eat something you’ve never eaten. Start a new hobby. Go for a walk in a nature reserve that you don’t know yet. Your brain is then fully occupied with processing new impressions and performing new tasks – so you have less time to think about the stressful events. It can also help you put them into perspective. In addition, research shows that prolonged stress induces changes in the brain and that changing environment and behavior stimulates recovery.
8. Listen to your favorite music
Do you want to fully enjoy the relaxing effect of exercise? Put in your ‘ears’ and listen to your favorite music! Research has shown that music affects the parasympathetic nervous system. And that is precisely the part of the autonomic nervous system that brings the body into a state of rest and recovery. In other words: with music you let go of all stress faster.
9. Let yourself be carried away by a story
Stress moment? Just 6 minutes of reading can be enough to lower your stress level by 68 percent! Reading works even better and faster than, for example, walking or listening to music, according to research by neuropsychologist David Lewis of the British University of Sussex. Losing yourself in a story is the ultimate way to relax, according to the researcher. Reading helps you to escape reality in a healthy way, bringing you to a different level of consciousness. In addition, the relaxing effect of reading helps you sleep well, making you more resistant to stressful situations the next day. Did you know that you need at least 7 hours of sleep to recover from a stressful day?
10. Color within the lines
Toddlers enjoy it and it is also good for their development; they learn to concentrate and think logically. But as an adult you can also relax with colored pencils. According to various studies, coloring counteracts stress, improves your concentration and reduces anxiety. It works like a meditation: it relaxes you and (negative) thoughts fade because you focus on coloring within the lines.
Moreover, when coloring you move your hand repetitively, which – just like with knitting and crochet – brings peace to the part of your brain that is involved in emotions. There are wonderful adult coloring books on the market today, so you don’t have to worry about coloring toy bears and fairytale characters. Those coloring pages are so beautiful that you can frame them when you’re done coloring them.
11. Eat anti-stress foods
Certain nutrients support your brain in stressful situations. Therefore, choose food that is rich in:
- B vitamins: whole grains, dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry, green leafy vegetables and legumes.
- magnesium: leafy vegetables, broccoli, pumpkin and sesame seeds, legumes, oily fish, whole grain products and quinoa.
- proteins: meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy • healthy fats: fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil.
- fiber: whole grains, leafy vegetables, legumes and fruit.
There are also foods that you should avoid to keep your stress level low: refined foods, sugar, alcohol, coffee, refined vegetable oils and saturated fats.
12. Get poked
Scientific research has been done on it. Subjects underwent six acupuncture treatments and were then given a questionnaire to see if they were less tense, less anxious, or less depressed. And as it turned out, that was indeed the case. Another (double-blind) study showed that patients with heart failure also benefit from acupuncture treatments that reduce stress. They have a beneficial effect on blood pressure and blood circulation, among other things.
13. Be Thankful
Several studies have shown the positive effects of gratitude. For example, researchers from the American National Institutes of Health studied the brain activity of test subjects. Of the people who were most grateful, the hypothalamus was much more active. This part of the brain has a major impact on our stress levels. Feelings of gratitude also activated areas of the brain associated with dopamine, one of the neurotransmitters that make you calm and feel good. Every night write down five things for which you are grateful.
Sources):
- Plus Healthy