12 Strategies to calm and relax you

If we’re not careful, it’s easy to get carried away with stressful events and be in an almost permanent state of tension and anxiety,
which can cause several issues to your health, especially with the buildup of cortisol.
So here is a list of ways to calm and relax.

1. Dance to your favourite song or songs.
2. Hold your pet.
3. Lay down and take a very quiet and slow breath through your nose. Try to make the inhale as small as possible, i.e. don’t take in too much air. Repeat this a few times.
4. Write down a stream of consciousness in a diary. Don’t give it any thought and don’t edit yourself, for spelling mistakes, grammar etc. Just write down any thoughts you have, even if it’s just on a piece of paper.
5. Do some slow and relaxing stretches and combine it with gentle breathing.
6. Give someone a long hug.
7. Doodle on a piece of paper.
8. Look through some old photos.
9. Find a funny movie you love and watch it again.
10. Sit down in a quiet space and make yourself start laughing. Yes, it will seem strange at first and may not be genuine, but continue doing it, and soon it will be genuine, and for some people is difficult to stop!
11. Take a long relaxing bath, and as you lay there take long, slow and deep breaths.
12. Go for a walk in nature and breathe gently as you consciously take in all that is around you.