We’ve all heard that chronic stress is detrimental to our health. But how many of us actually take time out to fight this demonic disease? We are assuming that the only reason you have been avoiding stress-relieving activities is because you are always under a time crunch and not because you are generally a masochist who likes to feel like a frazzled mess all the time. If you are stuck in the nine to five loop and don’t know how to de-stress quickly, here are five ways to de-stress in just 5 minutes:
Stand up and stretch
Your body accumulates tension in areas like the neck and lower back, which can lead to aches and pains and basically mess your mood gloomy side up. People who have desk jobs should set a reminder and take short walking or stretching break after every 30 to 45 minutes to smooth out tensed muscles. This simple exercise will improve blood circulation and make you feel better in less than five minutes, according ihealthstudio.com
Get a foot massage
They’re quick, cheap and an extremely relaxing way to fight stress away. We are not saying you need to carry a masseuse in your back pack all the time because that would freak people out but you can just put your thumb on stress points such as the heels and toes. This will release a major chunk of stress. A lot of healing starts by just massaging the feet which is why the Japanese have an entire event dedicated to this skill, according to growingupeasier.org.
Make a cup of tea
A warm and flavourful cup of health-promoting antioxidants is the perfect way to step back from a hectic day and enjoy some ‘me time’. Keep a box of Green Tea bags in your drawer and pamper yourself with a five minute break with a cup of green tea.
Visualise and smile
Ever noticed how thinking about good times or just listening to the sound of the waves helps you feel better almost instantly? That’s because visualising and smiling actually causes a release of endorphins, which are natural stress relievers. From now on, whenever you feel tensed, just close your eyes and think of your favourite place, according to canadianliving.com.
Essential oils
Pleasant aromas have long been used in aromatherapy to improve mood and boost health. Some of the best scents for stress-relief are basil, chamomile, vanilla and lavender. Take a long deep breath of the oil or dab a little on your temples for a longer-lasting sensation or just put a few drops in the bath tub and soak the positive energy, according to canadianliving.com.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2012.
COMMENTS (3)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Gem: if it was useless then why did you read to the end..??? we, as a nation, have fallen prey to the very uncompromising habit of criticizing everything we see, hear or observe....without giving a sober thought to the fact that the person who said something might have good intentions of helping others....good intentions are not useless...remember stress is mother of death...so if someone gives tips to avoid it...then it is like sadqa-e-jariah... lastly to add to this column by the writer...namaz is the biggest stress reliever..... Well done writer...and I apologize to you for all the strange comments and the "recommenders"
you can't release stress what ever you do, until you are self-motivated. just like no one can quite smoking untill the are willing to do so, same is the case for stress.
Useless piece