Most people don’t know that we can benefit from our bodies’ innate ability to calm ourselves, and prevent symptoms of stress before they occur, by controlling emotions during times of stress.
Most of the time, we feel an accelerated heartbeat, or stomach upset, which are feelings that lead to an increase in our negative feelings…but according to… “Washington Post” The body’s innate ability to calm the soul within minutes can be utilized in these ways:
Relax the face with a half smile
Studies have shown that Botox, which erases eyebrow lines and wrinkles on the forehead, reduces tension headaches and helps relieve negative emotions.
Alternatively, you can try a technique known as a half smile, which is used in dialectical behavioral therapy.
All you have to do is raise the upper corners of your lips, which automatically releases tension in the eyebrows.
Touch
Touch is a source of comfort and reassurance, so you can place your right hand over your heart and your left hand on your stomach, as this reduces cortisol levels, the main stress hormone in the body.
In one study, participants who used this technique after giving a short speech showed a faster decrease in cortisol than those who did not use this strategy.
Expand your scope of view
When the body responds to stress, the pupil dilates, narrowing the field of vision. But you can adopt a more panoramic view, looking at things that are relatively far away from you to free yourself from your surroundings.
One study found that brief visual distractions, such as looking at color slides, can free people from annoying mental loops.
Breathing through the nose
Nasal breathing reduces high blood pressure and improves heart rate variability. When you breathe through the nose, your lungs extract oxygen better, immunity improves, as well as improved sleep and breathing quality.
Practice welcoming panic
You can prepare for difficult situations in advance instead of succumbing to symptoms fueled by stress.
Take a few minutes to brainstorm the feelings you feel when you’re stressed, and then try to recreate some of those feelings when you’re in a safe environment. Let yourself feel the feelings for a few minutes, then repeat the next day for several days in a row.
By intentionally recreating your body’s habitual stress response, you’ll notice that the uncomfortable sensations are temporary.
This technique is known as internal exposure. If creating ways to reenact your panic is daunting, try working with an expert in cognitive behavioral therapy.
2024-02-24 09:41:00
#ways #reduce #stress..
