There are times in our lives where we get overwhelmed and need some stress treatment techniques. Stressful moments can occur at anytime in our lives and gravely affect our mental health. Having a stress management plan you can reach for when you need it is essential.
You don’t want to be left scrambling and burying yourself in stress, anxiety and pain if you have the ability to manage it before it gets out of hand. Exercise, sleeping well and eating healthy are all important. However, you can go even further to take matters into your own hands with these stress treatments.
Stress Treatment Techniques
Everyone can benefit from taking care of their mental health by managing their stress level. Yoga, meditation, stretching, aromatherapy and counselling are all great ways to tackle stress and ensure it doesn’t get out of hand.
Practice Yoga
Yoga is one the most touted ways for managing stress. It’s a great activity for the mind. It has had positive effects for people dealing with severe anxiety, depression, and even PTSD. It’s easy and accessible. You don’t need a fancy club or LuLu Lemon wear (although it’s ok to if you prefer) to practice it.
One of the key elements of yoga is breathing, which is an important part of calming down. It helps move your body from using its sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to using the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), helping your body move into the ‘rest and digest’ mode. The heart slows down, and blood flows from the muscles into the stomach and intestines. This is the nervous system’s response to being in a safe place.
Poses
There are some poses to calm you and make you feel at ease. These are great to practice on a regular basis and repeat them to release stress.
- Child’s pose:
- Kneel on your yoga mat and bend forward
- Reach your arms out
- Bend all the way down until you are sitting on your knees and your forehead is touching the mat
- Stretch your arms out or put them to your sides
- Seated forward bend:
- Sit on your mat with legs straight in front of you
- Bend forward and reach towards your feet grabbing your toes or soles of your feet
- Place your forehead on your knees
- Downward-facing dog and upward-facing dog
- Upward salute:
- Stand up straight
- Raise your arms above your head
- Look forward
- Standing forward bend
- Bend forward at the waist
- Hold the back of your ankles
- Rest your head on your knees
- Tree pose:
- Raise your right leg while standing
- Place the sole of your foot on the side of your left knee
- Point your right knee out to the side
- Standing on your head:
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- Lean against a wall
- Invert yourself onto your head
- Lift your legs
- Lean them against the wall
Try Aromatherapy
For the best essential oils for stress treatment, it’s important to look at the type of stress. Is the aromatherapy meant to treat anxiety or inability to calm down?
Based on your needs, there are specific blends that give you a mix of oils pre-made and ready. You can also attempt to make your own mixes.
Essential Oils
If it’s anxiety you’re suffering from, consider an oils that have anti-anxiety properties, such as:
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- Black pepper
- Bergamot
- Geranium
- Jasmine
- Lavender
- Lemon balm
- Marjoram
- Roman chamomile
- Sandalwood
- Valerian
- Tangerine
- Orange
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If it’s an inability to calm down, try those with a calming effect, such as:
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- Bergamot
- Geranium
- Jasmine
- Lavender
- Mandarin
- Neroli
- Palmarosa
- Patchouli
- Petitgrain
- Sandalwood
- Ylang Ylang
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Incorporate Meditation
Stress has a physical effect on our bodies. Meditating a few times a week, even just 5 minutes at a time, can have a positive effect. Meditation has the power to completely transform your mood and stress level.
Breathing Technique Video
This is a 5-minutes guided meditation for stress relief for beginners from Yoga by Candace. This focuses on breath awareness as it is the control centre for our feelings.
Step by Step Breathing Technique
- Find a comfortable position in any place you feel safe.
- Take a few deep breaths.
- Observe what’s on your mind and how you feel in your mind and body.
- Think of one negative emotion, feeling or situation that you are experiencing at that moment and place it in a grey cloud you envision.
- Take another deep breath, eyes closed, visualize that grey cloud with your negative emotion slowly drifting away and disappearing.
- Take a deep breath and come back to centre.
- Notice the relaxation in your body.
- Imagine a big bright shining sun gently coming down into your heart.
- Breathe while visualizing the sun getting bigger and brighter.
- Feel the rays of the sun all over your body bringing you inner peace.
- Stay there as long as you need.
- Open your eyes when you’re done and thank yourself for this beautiful space.
Include Counselling
Counselling is a excellent resource to reach out to when stressed. However, not everyone feels that way. It is though a very effective way to cope with stress and some of our everyday problems as the counsellor provides objective advice that’s effective and actionable.
It is the skilled and principled use of relationship to facilitate self- knowledge, emotional acceptance and growth and the optimal development of personal resources. It aims at providing an opportunity to work towards living more satisfyingly and resourcefully, all while respecting the person’s values, personal resources and capacity for self-determination.
The Gist of it
Everyone can benefit from taking care of their mental health by incorporating a stress treatment plan into their life. As you’ve seen, yoga, meditation, stretching, aromatherapy and counselling can surely help. Couple that with regular exercise, sleeping well and healthy eating and you’re well on your way to ward stress away.
What do tips do you have for stress treatment?
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The Wardrobe Stylist says
If you’re struggling with stress, this is a great read.
Jodie says
We’ve been practicing yoga for the last three months, and it really is helpful. Especially because of the breathing aspect.
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
The Wardrobe Stylist says
It really is helpful to de-stress.
Kelsey Bang says
these are great tips! I LOVE essential oils and use them everyday!
kelseybang.com
4allthingsdisney.com
The Wardrobe Stylist says
Thank you! Essential oils are great for so many things, including aches and pains.
Amy Arnold says
I love these natural technique ideas!
Amy Ann
Straight A Style
The Wardrobe Stylist says
So glad you enjoyed them 🙂