By: Dominica Morris

When I first started this blog, I was in grad school stressed out, anxious, and juggling three jobs. I was also not eating well, barely sleeping, and only getting by because I lived off of several cups of coffee a day. I knew I couldn’t go on like that, so I looked for the best relaxation techniques for stress relief. Since I was already short on time, I was looking for stress relieve techniques that I could easily incorporate into my busy life. Luckily for me I was able to turn things around for the better, after I found some amazing stress relief and relaxation techniques that helped put me in a much calmer state. I still incorporate them into my life now. They are honestly so easy to do that even as a working mom I can quickly do them without interrupting too much of my day. If you find yourself in the same boat I was in, you’ll have to try these stress relief activities for yourself.

Stress Relief Aromatherapy

I’ve been using essential oils for stress relief for a few years now and I absolutely love them. My favorite is lavender oil, but of course there are plenty of other oils that work just as well. I put a few drops in my essential oil diffuser and let it run for a few hours. It’s a great way to keep me relaxed while I’m having a stressful workday, or while I’m meditating. Other great stress relief essential oils are peppermint, orange, and eucalyptus. You can also blend oils. I like blending orange and lavender for a good night’s sleep.

Relaxing Music for Stress Relief

Music is such a powerful tool for relaxation and stress management. It can ease your mind and give you instant relaxation. For most people any favorite tune can put them in a good mood, but if you want to take things a step further you can play around with different frequencies. According to University of Nevada, Reno frequencies from 8-14 hertz or cycles per second can put your brain into a relaxed state. Luckily, you don’t have to look far to find such music. YouTube has a ton of songs at such frequencies. I listen to them every time I feel stressed and immediately get into a relaxed state. They are also great to sleep or meditate to.

Yoga for Stress Relief

You’ve most likely heard this before, that yoga can help relieve stress and anxiety, but you might not understand how. It is important to note that almost all types of exercises are great for stress relief. Getting your body moving can release endorphins which puts you in an instant better mood. Yoga doesn’t only get your body moving, but it also has the added benefit that you are also doing breathwork with your exercise. Breathing exercises are a great way to calm your body and mind. According to the University of Michigan School of Medicine, deep breathing exercises send your brain the message to calm down and relax. Don’t have the time to go to yoga class? No problem, YouTube has a ton of great short yoga videos. I also like doing the Yoga with Adrien yoga videos on Amazon. Each video is only 20 minutes, but I feel invigorated and relaxed after each class.

Mindfulness Meditation for Stress Relief

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the day to day moments of our lives. This includes focusing your awareness to all the physical sensations and emotions within our body. Often the source of our stress is worrying about the future or focusing on past mistakes. All of this elevates our stress levels and brings a sense of anxiety and dread. I often stress and worry about things without even noticing. By the time I realize it my anxiety is through the roof and I can’t even figure out why I’m feeling that way. Mindfulness meditation can help with this and will guide us to refocus our mind back into the present moment. With enough practice it can help us learn to become more aware of the sensations in our body before they get too overwhelming.

If you’re new to meditating, YouTube has a bunch of really great guided mindfulness meditations for beginners.

Warm Epsom Salt Baths for Stress and Anxiety Relief

I love taking warm baths to help me unwind. Soaking in the warm water instantly eases my mind and body. I love adding lavender scented Epsom salt in my baths. Epsom salt soaks have a slew of benefits and stress relief is one of them. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Epsom salt can alleviate depression, anxiety, and stress because it is magnesium which is known to increase serotonin levels. Lavender scent is known to relieve stress which is why I use Epsom salt with lavender.

Epsom salt is also great at relieving tension in the body and muscles. When I’m stressed, I often hold a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders which causes me to get headaches and feel stiff. Soaking in the tub with Epsom salt can relax my sore muscles and at times has even alleviated my tension headaches.

Journaling for Stress Relief

I cannot conclude this blog post without including journaling. If you’ve been following my blog for a while now you know that it’s the number one activity, I recommend for practicing mindful living. It’s also a wonderful tool to relieve stress and anxiety. There are many different ways to journal, you can do bullet journaling, use a journaling app, do a gratitude journal, or even do art journaling where you draw out your emotions. To use journaling for stress and anxiety relief, I suggest using journal prompts. There are a lot of great free journal prompts for stress relief on Pinterest. I like these:

Journal Prompts for Stress Relief:

On a scale from 1-10, with one being least and 10 being most, how would you rate your level of stress and anxiety right now?
What is your reoccurring negative thought and the reason for the thought?
Where do you feel the anxiety and stress in your body?
What do you think your anxiety is trying to tell you?
What can you learn from this situation?
Do you have any coping mechanisms to deal with the stress?
In the past how have you positively dealt with your anxiety or stressful situations?
Are there any positive people in your life you can turn to when you’re feeling this way?
What would happen if you stopped worrying about this?
List three things you’re grateful for.
List three things about yourself that you’re proud of.
List three things that make you happy.

Worry and stress can seriously impact our day to lives. It’s so important that we work on tackling these feelings. Whether you choose to try one of the activities that I’ve listed or do something else, always make sure to care for your mental and emotional wellbeing. Tell me in the comments what you like to do for stress relief. I would love to hear from you.

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