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Mental Health
Stress relief: 5 expert-recommended techniques for relieving tension in the moment
By Lauren Geall
3 years ago
Feeling overwhelmed? We’ve got you covered. Check out these videos for some simple stress-relieving techniques.
While regular self-care is a great way to monitor your stress levels day-to-day, it’s completely normal to have moments when you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and in need of a break.
As such, it’s a good idea to have a collection of stress-relieving techniques you can turn to when you need to relieve some tension in the middle of a busy day.
Forget the days when you had to trawl the internet for expert advice, however. These days, TikTok is awash with brilliant, expert-approved pieces of advice designed to help you calm down and de-stress in mere minutes, so you’re sure to find something that works for you.
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To help you get started, we’ve put together this guide to five of the best quick and easy techniques to help you take a step back and relax. Keep reading to check them out.
1. Progressive muscle relaxation
We’ve waxed lyrical about the benefits of progressive muscle relaxation before on Stylist, and this brilliant video from mental health counsellor Regina Boyd gives you a quick tutorial on how to practise this simple and effective technique.
2. Release your jaw
Our bodies are interconnected in ways we don’t even realise – as this video from anxiety relief specialist Dan Candell shows. As he explains in the video, simply dropping your jaw can stimulate your vagus nerve and help you feel more relaxed.
3. Finger breathing
Search the term “breathing exercises” on TikTok and you’ll find loads of helpful videos – but we love how this one combines deep breathing with physical movement using the fingers.
4. Four step relaxation
Stress doesn’t just affect you mentally – it can affect you physically, too. This video from a meditation teacher is a powerful reminder of the simple steps we can take to unpick some of the tension stress brings out in our body.
5. Nervous system regulation
The vagus nerve controls our parasympathetic nervous system (aka the thing that controls our fight or flight response), so stimulating the nerve can help you to feel calmer. This helpful video from physical therapist Dr Lauren DeCicco teaches you how to get started with a series of simple movements.
Images: Getty
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