Stress and anxiety are widespread problems that are hindering millions of people’s lives so we want to help you all put a stop to it. This blog will help you understand how to reduce stress through a variety of suggestions.

Most of our stress relief tips are easy and simple to complete, and will not cost you any money. We have tried to focus on natural stress relievers that can be tried straight after reading this blog. However, although these techniques may help, please do seek medical advice if you are suffering from severe stress, anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions as you may need medical assistance.

10 Stress Management Techniques

Create a jar of positivity
Concentrating on positive thoughts can really help dilute negativity, and help make you feel better. A great way to do this is to get a jar, this could simply be an empty coffee jar for example, and every time you achieve something, are proud of something, or get a happy feeling you don’t want to forget; write it on a post-it note, crumple it up and put it in your jar. When you are feeling stressed, anxious or sad, go to your jar and take a happy trip down memory lane. Begin your jar today by writing down happy memories you have previously had, then continue to add to this going forwards.

Keep a wellness diary to find the source of your stress
If you are unsure about why you are feeling so stressed then writing a wellness diary can really help. To do this simply document how you feel every day. Try to think of some key things that will help you spot patterns. Here is an example we created to get you started: download wellness diary template. By recording this every day, even if you cannot spot what is triggering your stress, you may be able to identify what you are doing on days that you are not feeling as stressed and increase these things.

Do something to help others
Helping others naturally makes us feel better about ourselves. It doesn’t have to be something extraordinary, but helping others can take the focus off you, and help increase your morale. Here are some suggestion of things you could do: call a relative you have not spoken to in a while, take your grandparents out for the day, visit a friend who could do with your support, help out at your local animal sanctuary or retirement home, organise a bake sale to help raise money for charity, sign up for a charity fun run, organise an event to raise awareness about something that is important to you.

Get some quality Zzzz’s
Sleeping is important as that is when your body recuperates itself. To ensure quality sleep, give yourself enough time to wind down before you go to bed. This means no caffeine or sugar, putting your phone and laptop down, and spending the time reading or chatting with low lighting to ease you into sleep mode. If you struggle to get to sleep then remember simply resting does help too, so do not get too stressed about it. If you haven’t already, then try pillow sprays and calming bedtime drinks. 'The Deep Sleep Pillow Spray' from This Works is particularly good; they also have one called 'Sleep Plus' for people who tend to wake up in the night.

Talk to someone
Talking about how you are feeling is an important part of the process in reducing stress. Find someone you trust, whether that is a partner, family member, friend, manager or medical professional. Be honest and explain exactly how you are feeling, what has been going on and how you are dealing with those things. Whilst doing this try not hold back your emotions, crying is normal and can aid healing.

Keep hydrated
This is an easy and simple way to help reduce stress. Our organs need water to stay hydrated and function to full potential. If they become dehydrated then the level of cortisol, our natural stress hormone, rises. Also, try to avoid sugary drinks and swap them for herbal tea. Camomile tea has a calming effect on our bodies which makes it a great option for moments of tension. If you are not so keen on the taste of camomile, then try Twinings Relaxing Camomile & Spearmint tea, this has a more refreshing taste.

Make your stress go running
Exercising regularly, and whilst you are feeling stressed, helps keep you healthy and reduces stress levels. This is because we release endorphin's which create a positive feeling, diluting our stress hormone. Exercising should be fun so if you do not enjoy exercising at the moment, then try different forms of exercise until you discover what works for you. Suggestions include: going for a run, a bike ride, to the gym, swimming, going for a walk, going to an exercise class, doing a YouTube class at home, walking the dog, doing some stretches, practising yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi. Look at what’s on in your local area and speak to friends and family to see if they will join you.

Try practising relaxation techniques
Once you recognise you are stressed, these techniques can help calm you down.

Deep controlled breathing; this exercise is very simple but effective. It is best completed if you can go outside into the fresh air but can be done anywhere. Simply breathe in through your nose, feeling the air filling up your belly like a balloon. Now slowly release, breathing out of your mouth. Complete this 10 times or until you feel calmer.

Progressive muscle relaxation; this is best completed in a dark or dimly lit room that is peaceful. For this exercise preferably lay flat on the floor, you are going to make the way through your body, starting at your feet tensing the muscles for 7 seconds, and then relaxing the muscle for 7 seconds. Move up your body doing this for each of your muscles individually. Once completed you should feel more relaxed and less tense.

Prioritise your workload
If you are suffering from work stress then learning how to prioritise your tasks can really help. To do this: Firstly write out a full task list; digital platforms such as Wunderlist are great for this. Re-order your list, putting the most important tasks at the top, and least important at the bottom. Now look at your task list again and re-evaluate the tasks that are towards the bottom of your list. Can you remove any of them that are not relevant anymore? Review your list again. Are there any tasks that you could complete quickly? If so, just get them done. Now your list should be smaller and more comprehensible so you can work through it top down. As you get new tasks slot them into place dependent upon their priority. Remember your list will always be long as tasks will always be added on; never expect to clear it.

Schedule time to do something you enjoy
It is important for our well-being to do things we enjoy and have some time out. We all have such busy lives today and sometimes forget to relax and enjoy ourselves. If you are a culprit of this then we have a solution for you; schedule things that you enjoy doing into your personal time. This way you have something positive to look forward to, plus you know you will not keep putting it off due to being busy. There will always be things to do and you will always be busy – take some time out no matter what.

We hope these techniques have given you some new ways to reduce stress. As you try them out we are sure you will find ways to personalise them to fit into your lifestyle, and before you know it you will be managing stress with ease – living a happier healthier life!

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We hope you have enjoyed reading our blog and that our tips help to relieve some stress.

We love to hear your comments so please do let us know which tips are your favourites, and if you have any others to share using the comments section below.

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat or prevent any health problems. Please consult your doctor for professional advice.