Take 5 minutes and relax with these 15 things.

Do these 15 things to feel more relaxed

Despite trying to avoid it at all costs, we all feel stressed sometimes. We might have a lot of deadlines in a certain period, or we get blindsided by a personal emergency or crisis, and our stress level skyrockets. Making sure you relax is necessary to keep your cool, but it’s so hard to take your mind off things and destress. We have some great tips for you. Do these 15 things and you’ll feel a lot better. I promise.

1. Make a cup of tea

Not only is drinking the tea good for relaxing, but the process of making a good cuppa’ will take your mind off things for a minute. Carefully choose a blend you like and enjoy the ritual of getting your favorite cup, steeping the tea and smelling the scent. A herbal tea works best.

2. Eat chocolate

No, we don’t mean binge an entire bar – however tempting – but just a couple pieces. It’s a good way to treat yourself and take a little break. Besides being delicious, research has shown that chocolate decreases the stress hormone cortisol.

3. Meditate

Yes, I know, everyone is telling you to meditate and it’s getting annoying. But just try it! Just 5 minutes of sitting still and being aware of your breathing is enough to kick start the advantages of meditation in your body.

4. Close your eyes

Closing your eyes is a way to literally close yourself off from a situation and refocus. It relaxes your eye muscles and can ease headaches or tension in the face. Try to also relax the forehead, and if you have the time, combine this with the five-minute meditation from the last tip.

5. Give yourself a hand massage

You could have someone else do this (even better) but the main message I want you to take away is that a hand massage is super relaxing, even if you do it to yourself. Use a handcreme with a nice scent and massage the palm of your hand and fingers with the thumb of your opposite hand. Don’t forget the wrist! 

6. Go outside

Just a walk around the block is enough. Getting some fresh air and standing up straight help with foggy brain and it’s a better way to take a break than just scrolling through your phone for fifteen minutes.

7. Look out the window

Along those same lines: look out of a window every now and again. We mostly spend our time looking at screens up close, so give your eyes a break and stare off in to the distance for a while.

8. Stretch

Nod your head and roll your shoulders: stretching helps ease tension in your body. You can find a lot of at-your-desk stretch routines on YouTube that will help you unclench your muscles so you can feel more relaxed.

9. Dance

Turn up your music really loud and shake your hips! Not only is there scientific research that indicates that dancing can reduce stress, it will also get the blood pumping through your body, making your feel more energized and alert. Don’t be afraid of looking silly.

10. Write it down

Having a lot of stressful thoughts? Write them all down. With pen and paper or digitally, it doesn’t matter as long as you get everything out of your head and onto the page.

11. Smell something nice

Yes, take a good whiff. Some scents are good for your general state of mind. Lavender is known for being relaxing and the scent of citrus (lemon, orange) is good for our general mood, as well as feeling more alert. Pepermint also has that effect.

12. Play a game

This is the excuse you need to get out your Nintendo switch. Play a quick game and get all of the stress out of your brain. To make sure you don’t fall into a game-hole you’ll never get out of, set a timer.

13. Laugh

There’s a reason laugh-therapy is a thing. Laughing, even if you don’t feel like it, produces happy-making hormones in your body. So fake it until you make it!

14. Talk to a friend

Having a quick rant to a friend always helps. Get on the phone and just talk to someone for a while. Chances are you’ll feel much better after.

15. Clean up

Tidy space, tidy mind. Do a quick sweep around the room and clear any clutter that might be around you. Having a clean (or at least clear) space around you will make you feel less stressed and distracted.