Stressed Out? Try Five Proven Techniques to Release Anxiety

Stress can be overwhelming and frustrating. Feel like you desperately need to pull out of nosedive and restore control over your mind and body? Breathe in, breathe out, and try these simple techniques to unwind and relax to the max. Chances are, with your zen, you will fast-track your personal and career growth. Oh well, let’s cut to the chase.

Mindful Breathing

Grounding yourself through mindful breathing can help you feel at ease during stressful times. A popular expert in mindfulness-based stress reduction, Jon Kabat-Zinn, advises using breathing as a way to anchor yourself in the here and now. This can help lower anxiety and enhance mental clarity. The technique was first tried on patients who did not respond efficiently to traditional treatment. And it did work! The trick is practicing awareness and stop taking your present moment too seriously. Too complicated? Broad strokes: inhale the fresh air, exhale the strain away.

Emotional Freedom Technique

Emotional freedom technique is a method that focuses on stressors while tapping on particular body points. The creator of EFT, Gary Craig, describes how combining physical touch with psychological processes can help release emotional blockages and reduce stress.

EFT works similarly to acupuncture; it activates energy hotspots located on your face and body to allegedly balance your energy flow. The roots of the technique grow from Chinese medicine.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Method

When your mind is hastily racing through different anxious thoughts, this simple five-step method will help you anchor yourself in the present moment. The exercise involves figuring out five things you can see ATM, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Allegedly, it helps to ground your anxiety and lower your stress.

Cognitive Restructuring Techniques

Emotional rollercoasters, shattered nerves, and constant stress can literally devour you. And who will be there to pick up the pieces? It’s best if you know how to help yourself. 

Cognitive restructuring is a bunch of therapeutic approaches used to figure out and — hopefully! — alter negative thought patterns. Mental health professionals can help you reroute such patterns and reframe them. It will be a matter of time, but these techniques will eventually add light and ease to your life.

Flow State Activities

Remember the last time you were so blown away by your activity that you lost track of time? This is a flow state! It can be gardening, painting, or binge-reading.

Finding activities that fully engage your mind and body can help divert attention from stress and foster a state of flow. It is a mental state where you are completely immersed and focused, which can boost both relaxation and productivity.

With the current level of stress in our lives, it is never a cakewalk to release anxiety. By incorporating the techniques described above into your routine, you can cope with stress and maintain a more balanced and relaxed mindset.