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Tricks to Keep You Calm

The world can be a stressful place for many individuals. Although quite a few people employ long-term techniques and are willing to undergo lifestyle changes to permanently reduce anxiety and invite calmness into their lives, sometimes a quick or short-term fix is necessary. Foods, activities and alternative medicine all have their place in a regimen to keep calm.

  1. Use the Power of Scent

    • Scent can have a powerful effect on emotions. Lavender is particularly calming. Purchase fabric sachets filled with the buds of this purple flowering plant and take a quick sniff when you feel stressed or anxious. Pure lavender essential oil is also effective and you can carry it with you in a small bottle. Place a few drops on a cloth and to experience the calming benefits. You can keep the cloth at home or on your desk at work.

    Enjoy Good Food

    • According to Health.com, the scent of mango can relieve stress, whether the fruit is enjoyed fresh or canned. Choose fresh mango to snack on when you are prone to emotions that keep you from feeling calm, and take a moment to enjoy the smell. Nonfat popcorn, plain yogurt with mixed nuts and unsweetened cherry juice all aid in relaxation and stress reduction.

    Pump It Up

    • A few minutes of intense exercise is an instant stress reliever. Do a few sets of push ups or lift a pair of hand weights. A full-length workout is not necessary; even sixty seconds of blood-pumping movement is enough to help your body restore calm by releasing stress and the anxiety that sometimes accompanies it.

    Activate Pressure Points

    • Press the soft, fleshy area of your palm between your forefinger and thumb for 30 seconds, which helps reduce upper body tension. Other acupressure techniques to relieve stress include holding the top half of your thumb between the finger and thumb of your opposite hand until you feel your body relax, as well as applying firm pressure between your eyebrows.

    Use Herbal Remedies and Vitamins

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, the herb valerian has a mild sedative effect and can be used to reduce anxiety. For a longer-term regimen, a diet that contains adequate vitamin B and folic acid can contribute to reduced anxiousness.

    Drink Herbal Tea

    • Choose a caffeine-free herbal tea blend and keep a stock handy for those moments when you need assistance to restore calm. You can create your own calm-inducing tea blend by mixing equal parts lavender flowers, rolled oats, linden flowers, catnip and lemon balm. All these ingredients can be found at natural markets and health food stores.

    Meditate

    • A study performed in 2007 by the University of Oregon's Institute of Cognitive and Decision Sciences demonstrated that focused meditation, practiced 20 minutes a day, reduced overall stress in participants even more than comparative relaxation techniques. Those comparative techniques shown to be less effective included progressive muscle relaxation, where the muscle groups are tensed and relaxed in sequence. Take a moment, and take a breather; whether you arrive a few moments early for work and breathe deeply behind your office door or clear your mind while sitting in your parked car, the time you take for yourself can go a long way to bring about calm.

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