2023-10-25 16:11:39
For those who tend to let themselves be overwhelmed by stress, to feel anxious, to be under pressure and tension… Here are 5 tips and tricks to try to find serenity!
Visualize water to relieve stressful thoughts
“For the majority of us, the idea of water is very soothing, symbolically it “washes away” tensions”, indicates Sandrine Belmont, psychologist and hypnotherapist. We start by concentrating on the breath (as in the exercise proposed in 2), then we imagine ourselves in a turquoise sea, in the shower or in front of a beautiful waterfall. We visualize as many details as possible (water temperature and color, sensation on the skin, etc.) and we talk to each other mentally : “the water is beautiful”, “I feel good”, “I’m going to come out of the water calm”. Moreover the benefits of water on mental health have even been proven by Science… It also works with any other real or imaginary place in which you feel good, without forgetting to set an alarm following five or ten minutes so you can daydream without checking your watch.
Practice cardiac coherence 4/6 to calm down
The secret of cardiac coherence? Slow down your breathing is the best way to immediately calm the sympathetic nervous system which goes into overdrive when pressure increases. The right rhythm to calm down? Inhale for four seconds, then exhale for six, for five minutes. To let go more easily, we rely on an app that guides us with a sound or a bubble that rises and falls (RespiRelax+ or Respira). “The more regularly we practice this breathing, for example 3 times a day, the quicker calm returns when we need it”assures Sandrine Belmont.
Let off steam through writing…
To relieve stress, we write on a white sheet absolutely everything that comes to mind, without taboos: “I don’t feel up to it”, “I’m tired of not being able to do it”, “I hate my boss”etc. “The idea is not to keep a notebook but to unburden yourself, without censoring yourself, and then throw the sheet away. Once put down, the thoughts run around in your head much less and you can stop ruminating”, specifies Sandrine Belmont. A bit like a bullet journal that you keep carefully under lock and key…
Breathe in a relaxing scent
Several essential oils soothe the nervous system: lavender, bitter orange, sweet orange… On a handkerchief, 1 drop of one of them, or any other whose smell pleases us and reminds us a pleasant memory, to breathe for two to three minutes. “It strengthens sensory anchoring and calming because the brain immediately associates this smell with positive emotions”notes the psychologist.
The benefits of coloring to combat stress
An American study1 showed that coloring lowered the level of cortisol (stress hormone) in 75% of people, within the first five minutes. The repetitive movement and focusing on sliding the tip of the pencil across the paper has an almost hypnotic effect and helps to relax attention. No need for a coloring book: drawing lines, spirals or zigzags on a piece of paper works too.
1. Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making, Girjia Kaimal, Kendra Ray, Juan Muniz.
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