11 Easy Ways To Relax When Stressed

Stressful week?? I hear ya! We all know the feeling when life takes over. Work, family, friends, social commitments, financial pressure, …you name it. Time to take a break and take a deep breath with these 11 easy ways to relax when stressed. I got ya!

>>> Bonus: Free sloth-inspired yoga flow helping you to embrace slow <<<

Wednesday, 4 pm: approx. 25 unread emails in your inbox, at least 7 of them are urgent, the last presentation of the day is about to start in 5 mins, need to quickly update the project timings, a text message from your friend popping up on your mobile phone asking if you can pick up the birthday cake on the way to tonights birthday drinks, after work yoga session….yes, better cancel that, dry cleaning….let’s make this tomorrow’s problem…

Do you feel your stress levels rising just by reading this? Yes, same here!

Stress happens to all of us. On some days or weeks more than others. But when stress becomes excessive, over time, especially when stress becomes chronic, all this stress can impact your mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, an increased heart rate, possible heart disease, a weakened immune system, muscle tension, headaches, depression, a lack of sleep, decreased performance, etc.

Throughout life, we learn how to get things done, we are conditioned to be in a constant go-go-go mode. But what we don’t learn is stress management and how to reduce stress.

But, here is a fun fact for you: did you know that relaxation can actually make you more productive?

Yep, that’s right, knowing how to relax is key when you are looking to be more productive.

But there are certainly more benefits to relaxing. So before we look at 11 ways to relax when stressed, let’s look at all the beautiful benefits of relaxing first.

Benefits of relaxing

When you are relaxed…

• your thoughts are clear
• you are more aware of your life goals and you find yourself making better decisions for yourself
• you become more productive
• you are present
• life feels happier and more meaningful
• your body becomes stronger and healthier
• you can help reduce the risk of mental health issues

So many great benefits, right?!

If you are ready for some relaxation techniques check out the stress relief activities below, learn how to relieve stress quickly, and treat yourself to some serious self-care time.

11 ways to relax when stressed

Below are 11 stress relief techniques helping you to reduce stress instantly. These are great stress relievers for adults as well as stress relieving exercises for students.

Some of these de-stress techniques might resonate more with you than others, hence I recommend you pick the ones that you feel drawn to, give them a try first, and take it from there.

You can always come back to this blog post at a later stage and add to your relaxation techniques to reduce stress over time.

Ways to relax when stressed #1: Yoga

Of course, as a yoga teacher, I have to start with yoga, you got me! And yes, I can easily write a 10-page love letter to yoga but yoga is a powerful way to relax the body and mind from stress.

The yoga postures are designed to help you open your body and as you open your body, you create space within, allowing the energy to flow, releasing any stagnant energies and muscle tension out of your body.

In addition to this, yoga also helps you to become more present spending more time in the here and now.

If you are ready to join me on the mat, check out my YouTube classes with YogaTX or check my weekly schedule for my online and in-person classes as well as workshops.

Ways to relax when stressed #2: Digital detox

Mobile phones seem to have become an extension of our physical bodies. And whilst these digital devices bring a lot of benefits into our lives, they can also add a lot of pressure and hence increase our stress levels.

Mobile phones make us available 24/7, via text messages, emails, social media channels, etc.

Just imagine that constant stream of information that your brain has to process and go through all the time. This adds additional pressure and stress in so many ways to your day-to-day life.

Have you ever tried a digital detox? A digital detox can be a perfect way for stress reduction.

It might feel uncomfortable in the first place as most of us (me included) are so stuck to our mobile devices, but give it a try and see for yourself.

Put your digital devices aside for a couple of hours, or maybe even half a day, or for the full weekend. Start small, and see what you feel comfortable with.

Give yourself the gift to be present for yourself and breathe in some well-deserved freedom.

And most importantly, welcome to real life!

Ways to relax when stressed #3: Make space for self-care time

Have you noticed that whenever life gets stressful, the first thing we tend to cut back on is ourselves?

I know, it is certainly not easy to make yourself a priority, but let me put it that way: you are the most important asset that you have and it is your job to look after yourself.

Understand that you are important, value your needs and desires, set healthy boundaries, and make space for yourself to simply be and most importantly to create a life that you desire for yourself.

If you are looking to step up your self-care game, I have a full series of self-care activities and treat yourself ideas, enjoy!

• The Ultimate 12 Self-Care Ideas for Spring
• Splish, Splash – 12 Fun & Exciting Self-Care Ideas for Summer
• 12 Feel-Good Self-Care Ideas for Autumn
• 12 Self-Care Ideas for Winter
• Sweet Escapes: The Best 17 Treat Yourself Ideas

Ways to relax when stressed #4: Learn to say ‘No’

Saying ‘no’ is never easy, especially in a work environment or to people who matter to us.

But when life gets stressful, at some point you have to say ‘No’ if you wanna keep your own sanity.

Understand and accept that saying ‘No’ is totally ok. It shows that you are aware of your boundaries and that you protect your energy in a healthy way.

It shows self-respect. And how you treat yourself shows the people around you how you want to be treated.

Ways to relax when stressed #5: Deep breathing

Your breath is a real superpower. Breathing exercises are a great way to relax your body and mind from stress.

Try this: find a comfortable seat, close your eyes, take an inhale through the nose to 1, 2, 3, 4, pause and exhale through the nose to 4, 3, 2, 1, pause. Repeat this 3 – 4 times. Or even more and notice how with each cycle of breath your nervous system starts to relax more and more.

You can return to your breath any time you face a stressful or difficult situation e.g. a job interview, a big presentation, an uncomfortable conversation with another person, etc.

Your breath will help you to support muscle relaxation and this in turn helps you to recenter and relax.

Ways to relax when stressed #6: Meditate

Meditation is a wonderful way to support muscle relaxation, destress and calm your mind. And with everything that you do for yourself, the more you do it, the more effective it becomes.

There are a lot of free meditation apps such as Calm, Insight Timer, Headspace, etc. that you can check out for this, and yes, YouTube too.

Pick a meditation practice that speaks to you. Create an ambient, maybe light a few candles, burn some incense sticks, and make yourself comfortable to slowly ease into your meditation.

Make sure to switch off your phone to avoid any distractions.

Maybe you wanna combine this with a digital detox for a double effect and enjoy some quiet time after your meditation.

Ways to relax when stressed #7: Reconnect with nature

Take a time out and reconnect with mother nature. Put on your walking shoes, wrap up warm, and head out for a walk in the park, forest, along the beach, river, etc. whatever you are feeling drawn to.

Fill up your lungs with fresh oxygen and bring awareness to your senses:

• see – and appreciate all the beauty that surrounds you
• hear – be open to all the noises along the way
• smell – the grass, trees, flowers, etc.
• feel – hug a tree, feel the grass, etc.
• taste – maybe bring a nice fluffy coffee along or some snacks

If you cannot connect with nature in the 3D world for any reason, calming nature sounds such as rain in the rainforest, ocean waves, bird sounds, etc. are also a great way to relax when stressed. Or guided imagery.

Put on your headphones, make yourself comfortable, close your eyes, and let the nature sounds and visualization do their magic.

Ways to relax when stressed #8: Journal exercise

Journaling can be a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. When you feel stressed or anxious, grab your journal and let your thoughts flow. Write them down as they come up.

Alternatively, feel free to use the journal prompts below and let them guide you through the process:

Journal prompts:

• How do you feel at this moment? Sad? Angry? Exhausted?
• Did anything happen that threw you off?
• Why do you feel this way?
• What can you do for yourself right now to make yourself feel better?

Once your thoughts are written down, you will start to feel clarity and peace in your mind, and at the same time, your body will start to relax too.

If you are new to journaling, check out my blog post on How to Start Journaling – The Ultimate Guide for Beginners.

Ways to relax when stressed #9: Make a to-do list

Personally, I love to-do lists. It’s a great way to take back control of your life when things get stressful and overwhelming.

Grab a piece of paper and a pen and let’s do this!

List your to-do’s in priority order. Think about delegating to-dos to other people too, especially when you live in a bigger household.

Once everything is written down and structured in a way so that you feel confident that you can approach things, you will feel the stress drop off your shoulders.

Ways to relax when stressed #10: Do something creative

Nurture your creative side. Get out your guitar, play the piano, find your drawing books, crochet needles, etc. anything that feeds your soul, and indulge in a creative activity.

Being creative allows the mind to focus on something fun, and spark inspiration, and stress will ease and melt away within seconds.

Ways to relax when stressed #11: Practice gratitude

Practicing gratitude can bring more happiness into your life, it can help you to live more in the present moment, which in turn will make your life feel richer and more purposeful.

Get a piece of paper and write down three things you are grateful for. Be precise and to the point when writing down the things you are grateful for.

What/who are you grateful for? Why are you grateful? How did that person/situation make you feel? Etc.

Be aware of the words that you are using. Connect with grateful words such as ‘gifts’, ‘blessing’, ‘feeling of abundance’ etc.

If you would like to learn more about how to practice gratitude, check out my blog posts 5 Ways to Practice Gratitude Daily and How to Start a Gratitude Journal.

Bonus: Free Sloth-inspired yoga flow helping you to embrace slow

Let’s celebrate slowing down – join me for this sloth-inspired yoga flow in beautiful Costa Rica. There is so much power in being slow. Unroll your mat, let’s breathe, and let’s flow together in this beginner-friendly full-body yoga flow.

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Thanks so much for your time and your space warrior. I hope you enjoyed these relaxation techniques for stress and could add a couple of ways to relax when stressed to your de-stress toolkit. Maybe even a few more.

Feel free to leave me a comment below in case there are any questions about how to relax the mind and how to relax your body.

I always love hearing from you guys and should you have any other relaxation techniques that you would like to add or share, feel free to share them below too. 

Stay wild,

Nicolle

Featured image Photo by Radek Grzybowski on Unsplash