Stress Relief Techniques and Ideas:
Exams are coming up and we all know how stressful they are so I decided to spread some tips for dealing with it and looking after yourself.
Avoid unhealthy habits. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Swap these for water, herbal teas, or diluted fruit juices.
Indulge in physical activity. Stress is often related to the release of hormones for the âfight or flightâ system. Modern stressors are rarely solved using the fight or flight response but by engaging in some physical activity you can metabolise the excess hormones and start to feel better.
Get some sleep. A lack of sleep is a significant cause of stress, so itâs important to try to get some sleep. Stress can interfere with sleep and make the situation worse. Make sure that your room is dark and quiet. Try to stay away from tablets, computers, and televisions before going to bed. Make sure that youâre comfortable in your clothes and that your room is the ideal temperature for you.
Donât Worry, Be Happy. Try not to worry so much, often easier said than done. Sometimes you can distract your mind from worry by engaging in other activities to keep you busy. Even just smiling can lift your mood, and release tension. Do something that will make you laugh, such as watching a comedy show or going out with a friend.Â
Have Realistic Expectations. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Learn to use your strengths and accept your weaknesses. Â If you do set yourself unrealistic goals, youâll become disappointed when you donât achieve it and it can make you feel worse.Â
Donât live in the Past. Learning from past mistakes is important. Â Holding onto past mistakes and letting them dominate the present is stressful. Â Live life in the present.Â
Learn to Say âNoâ. Donât let people push you to exhaustion and donât overstretch yourself. Â Learn to say ânoâ when you feel you do not have the capacity to do something as well as you would like. Â Donât feel obliged to do something just because you have been asked to do it.Â
Have some me time. Itâs important to spend time looking after yourself and doing the things that you enjoy. Even if this is just spending a night in and watching a film.
Organise your time. Work out what time of day is your most active and attend to difficult tasks at this time. Make a list of everything that you have to do and rank them in order of importance and urgency. Try not to do too much at once.
Exercise your mind. Stress can be caused by boredom or under-stimulation. Learn a new skill or take up a new hobby.
Be Positive and appreciate even the small accomplishments. Look for the positives in life. You think you look cute today? Hella. You did some washing up? Brilliant. You made lunch? Great.
Help Other People. Engage in some voluntary or community work. If you donât have the time to volunteer try doing a good deed or a favour every day.Â
Talk to someone. Get everything out and youâll be able to consider your problems from a new light. Plus the person that youâre talking to might be able to offer some advice or insight into your problems. You can talk to your family, your friends, a school counselor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a religious figure.
Keep a stress diary. Note when you feel stressed and see if anything is a consistent trigger of stress for you. Give each episode a stress rating. Over time you can compare your stress ratings and see if you are getting better or worse. If you find a trigger then you can start to deal with why it triggers you. You could consider: issues that come up regularly, and that you worry about, for example attending an appointment, one-off events that are on your mind a lot, such as taking an exam, and ongoing stressful events, like being a carer. Do what you can to minimise these stressors or reduce the amount of stress that they cause.Â
See your doctor. Depending on  the severity of the stress that youâre experiencing and the kind of impact that itâs having on your life, your doctor might prescribe some medications to deal with the symptoms of your stress.
Make yourself comfortable. Wear loose clothes, and ensure that youâre at a comfortable temperature. Lie down and relax your muscles. If you need to, use pillows and blankets to adjust your position so that youâre comfortable.
Breathe deeply and try to let your mind go blank. Let go of any worries. Relax your arms and legs. Unclench your teeth and close your eyes.
Work around your body, muscle by muscle doing the following. Clench the muscle for a few seconds and then relax completely. Repeat. Feel the muscle warm. Repeat this for each muscle, working from the bottom to the top.
After youâve finished the exercises spend 10-15 minutes lying down and resting.
If you donât want to lie down to relax, there is an alternative that involves standing up. While standing let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Push yourself up onto your tiptoes. Hold the position and count to five. Breathe out and slowly return to your normal standing position. Repeat 3-5 times.
12 ways to reduce stress with music. Includes tips like:
âTry waking to a familiar piece of music that eases you into the day.â
âSinging is one of the best ways to shift the vibrations of our thoughts and the very cells of our body, helping slow and regulate breathing and promote relaxation.â
âActive Listeningâ engages more areas of the human brain and resonates more deeply in the cells of our bodies. This makes it a more powerful process for transforming our thoughts and emotions.Â
Relax through Breathing:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise.
Exhale through your mouth. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
Body Scan Relaxation: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Lie on your back, legs uncrossed, arms relaxed at your sides, eyes open or closed. Focus on your breathing, allowing your stomach to rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale.   Â
Turn your focus to the toes of your right foot. Notice any sensations you feel while continuing to also focus on your breathing. Imagine each deep breath flowing to your toes. Remain focused on this area for one to two minutes.     Â
Move your focus to the sole of your right foot. Tune in to any sensations you feel in that part of your body and imagine each breath flowing from the sole of your foot. After one or two minutes, move your focus to your right ankle and repeat.
Move through each part of your body, paying attention to any area of the body that causes you pain or discomfort.  Â
When you reach the very top of your head, let your breath reach out beyond your body and imagine yourself hovering above yourself.    Â
After completing the body scan, relax. Then open your eyes slowly. Take a moment to stretch.
The 10 Best Yoga Poses for Stress Relief
Relaxing Yoga Poses for Beginners
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Three Guided Relaxation Videos
MindBody Lab â Audio  Relaxation Tracks â A selection of audio relaxation exercises from the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Centre.
Deep Breathing Exercise â Free sampling of a 7-minute deep breathing audio meditation exercise. (UT Counseling and Mental Health Centre)
Muscle Relaxation Exercise â 18-minute progressive muscle relaxation audio exercise. (UT Counseling and Mental Health Centre)
Forest Imagery Visualization  Exercise â 19-minute visualization audio exercise that guides you through forest imagery. (UT Counseling and Mental Health Centre)
Cruise Imagery Visualization  Exercise â 12-minute visualization audio exercise that guides you through the imagery of a relaxing cruise. (UT Counseling and Mental Health Centre)
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