My go-to strategies for reducing stress in your life that you may have never considered before! Unique tips for staying cool and calm no matter what is happening day to day.
This post is sponsored by Vital Scout in partnership with BlogMeetsBrand. All opinions are my own.
Stress is a fact of life. Just like the fact the sun rises in the morning, you have to pay taxes, and someone is guaranteed to cut you off in traffic….stress happens. There can be good stress (the motivating kind that keeps you on time and mindful of deadlines) and the bad stress (the anxiety and physical symptom causing kind). Learning how to manage stress is a lifelong learning process and we all come up with different ways to cope.
What if I told you there was now a way to get daily insights on how your everyday routines affect your stress levels and recovery?
It’s not too good to be true people….the Vital Scout Wellness Monitor is a REAL thing.
So what is it?
Vital Scout is a small, wearable patch that uses medical-grade ECG sensors to accurately measure your stress levels all day long. This innovative piece of wellness technology gives you the most comprehensive view available how various activities (exercise, work, social gatherings, etc.) affect your well-being.
As you all know, KNOWLEDGE is power. The more we KNOW about what raises (or lowers!) our stress levels, the better able we’ll be to make adjustments in our daily lives and stay stress-free.
Vital Scout comes with an awesome app (very much like FitBit!) that is free to download and gives you REAL TIME updates on how your body is responding to daily stressors, how far you’re pushing your body, and how your choices are affecting your health. The app also Vital scout provides historical trends with data correlations across heart and respiratory rates that connect daily activities with physiological data to understand how your habits effect your health long-term. After getting a baseline reading and wearing the patch for a few days, you’re able to see how stress-reducing activities such as exercise, meditation, and sleep contributes to your recovery, as well.
The Vital Scout is all about finding learning more about your own body and finding what works for YOU in terms of stress reduction.
For years we’ve been given advice by the media and the medical community about the importance of reducing stress in our lives. In my experience however, the only one that can really find what works for you when it comes to stressing less, is YOU. We’re all different and what works for some may not work for others. I think it’s time we break out of these cookie cutter cure-alls for stress. We need to reinvigorate and reimagine the old go-to stress relieving techniques! Sure we could exercise more, deep breath, or (attempt) to meditate, but what about being a little more creative and taking a new approach to calming our nerves and our minds?
Today I’ve compiled 10 UNIQUE tips for relieving stress. Now I haven’t tried all of these myself, but I am willing to give them a go to see what works best for me. When you find that you’re usual method of reducing your stress levels is no longer working, you’ll have this handy list of other potential remedies that you may never have thought of before!
- Phone a friend
No, this isn’t Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, but reaching out when you’re stressed can be just as helpful as on the show! Who doesn’t like to vent? Sometimes, relieving stress is as easy as finding a listening ear. When you talk out your feelings and emotions, say your worries out loud, and acknowledge the things that are causing you anxiety, you’re allowing them to be released from your brain and relinquishing their power over you.
- Color therapy
Have you ever heard of Colorology? Well it’s the theory that color and light can be used to balance energy wherever a person’s body is lacking, whether it’s mental, emotional, physical or spiritual. If you are feeling overly stressed, you can use color as a stress management tool. Different colors have different effects on the brain, so envisioning certain shades or even carrying a little patch of a certain color with you throughout the day can make you feel better and more in control. For example, painting one of your finger nails a color that calms you can remind you to relax and take a deep breath whenever you catch a glimpse of it during your day. Pink, yellow, blue, and green are considered to be particularly calming!
- Snack on something crunchy
Munching on foods like apples, carrots, and almonds relieves physical tension from your jaw and face. The added effort it takes to make your way through a crunchy snack distracts you from intrusive thoughts. In addition, the rhythmic chewing and sound that is created can sort of lull you into a state of calm.
- Cuddle a furry friend
You can’t help but smile when you’re around a pet! They are so carefree and cheerful that you automatically start to take on their disposition. Their unconditional love is reassuring and reminds you that no matter what, you matter and have value for just being you.
Don’t have a pet? No problem! Local animal shelters are always looking for volunteers. Alternatively, I’m sure your busy neighbor or friend wouldn’t mind a little extra help with their pooch. Offer to dog walk or pet sit! You could also take a drive to your local pet store…there are sure to be some cute creatures on display!
- Massage your earlobes
A tenant of reflexology, rubbing pressure points, like those in your earlobes, can bring a sense of physical calm and relaxation to your entire body. Most people go for their heads in a moment of stress, but rubbing there can actually increase tension! Instead, rub the inside of your earlobes and slowly move to the outside. You’ll notice a renewed state of peace in less than 10 minutes! For bonus stress relieving points, try to get someone else to rub for you! 😉
- Practice a little aromatherapy
Light a candle, bake cookies, or open up your favorite spice jar! Scents have a way of reminding us of certain memories and bringing a sense of calm over our brainwaves. In fact, our sense of smell bypasses our cognitive brain functions, meaning it has the power to distract the parts of us that are subject to worry.
- Grab some breakfast
More specifically a glass of orange juice and some oatmeal! OJ is super high in Vitamin C, which means it has cortisol lowering properties. Drinking a glass or two a day could make you feel less anxious! Oatmeal on the other hand is full of magnesium and potassium so it can actually lower blood pressure, making you feel more relaxed. In addition, regular oatmeal consumption boosts your serotonin levels, which contributes to an overall increase in happiness.
- Channel your inner pirate
That’s right…SWEAR! According to a few research studies, dropping a few F-bombs now and then (even in the comfort of your own home or alone) serves as a great mechanism for stress relief. Swearing taps into the emotional part of our brain and helps us release pent up feelings. It also is proven to increase pain tolerance and reduce perceived pain levels! So don’t be afraid to let a few choice words fly next time you’re getting a shot or plucking your eyebrows. 😉
- Dance it out
Listening to your favorite song can automatically enhance your mood. Add a little unplanned, spastic movement to that and you’re golden! Taking a short break from work to just move your body can refresh your mind, refocus you, and inadvertently sneak in a little exercise…which we all know is one of those traditional stress relievers.
- Learn your stress patterns
That’s where the Vital Scout Wellness Monitor comes in! As I mentioned above, the key to decreasing stress in your life is learning more about yourself and what personally causes your stress levels to spike. Learn more about the Vital Scout Monitor and how to get one for yourself here. The best way to combat stress is to learn what aspects of life cause you stress and how to help your body recover from those stressful episodes. Vital Scout is the only technology on the market DESIGNED to help you do this.
What’s your go-to way to relieve stress?
Have you considered trying any of these techniques before?
What’s your favorite crunchy food to munch? I LOVE crunching on carrots and raw nuts!
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36 responses to “Ten Unique Ways to Reduce Stress”
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Ha! Number 8 on this list cracked me up, but I can see how it does help. No shame! I definitely use that stress reliever occasionally. And the Rescue tablets sound interesting, I think I’d like black currant!
That’s the flavor I bought and I LOVED them!
Lately? Lots and lots of intricate, meditative coloring
Oh Carla, you’re my soul sister on that one! I call them SCRIBBLES! I do them all the time just to let some frustration out. Something about getting it out on paper with some random lines just helps!
this is very interesting list.
Thanks Dixya!
i was just learning about Stress & Health in my psychology class, it’s absolutely crazy how much it can affect our bodies! love all these ways to help de-stress <3
Thanks Julianna!
I’m currently a little too obsessed with Grey’s Anatomy, and they definitely dance it out whenever necessary! 😉 I tend to fall back on really unhealthy coping mechanisms when I’m stressed, so I will most definitely be giving these a try – hopefully not before finals season though!
Yes these are great alternatives to our less healthy stress reducing tactics! 🙂
Massage my own earlobes?!?!? I sure do love getting massages though 😀 Great tips!
It sounds weird but it actually works!! 🙂
Number 8 cracks me up! (Although, I’m not surprised…)
Haha! Love that one too!
Bachs is one of my all time favorite brands because during my time off of xanax I used the chews and the spray and it made me get through a tough time in my life and helped me to calm down! Thanks for sharing with everyone xo C
So good to hear their products were able to give you some relief! I really like them too!
Love this post! My favorites are #s 2, 4, 6, and 9!
I hadn’t thought about eating something crunchy, but that totally makes sense!
I love crunching to release tension!
I am going to have to try the color therapy; I’m intrigued. I’d also never heard the tip about chewing on crunchy foods. Nice one. Thanks for this!
Thanks for stopping by!
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Thank you for this post, I am going to study with relaxing pen colours today! <3
I’m glad you liked it!! 🙂
great tips! i discovered Rescue and it is great
i wil also try to massage my earlobes and eat an apple when im stressed
xo
Orly
coffeebeansandhighheels.weebly.com
Glad you liked the tips!!
Great tips! I would definitely try some of those!
Lots of love,
golden-cor.com
Thanks!
[…] I am find many new blogs to read in my new position with The SITS Girls…a bonus for sure! I ran across this one and I just had to share! There are good tips here: 10 Unique Ways to Reduce Stress. […]
Great tips. I go to sleep whenever i feel overwhelmed. Some people cannot sleep due to stress but for me sleeping is a great way to combat stress. Never heard about color therapy before. i may try this for quick relieve next time. Glad you shared. Tweeted this!
Thanks girl! I appreciate the share!
[…] the pepper. I am very sensitive to salt, so I found them a little overwhelming. But I still enjoyed munching and crunching on them! Great for stress eating. […]
Great tips! My favorite is #9. Dancing always helps me to relieve some stress while having fun with my kids! 🙂
I agree!! Loving having spontaneous dance parties to work out some stress. 🙂
[…] Vital Scout Stress and Wellness Tracker […]
[…] Since everyone experiences stress, you probably have lots of people offering advice on ways to relieve the tension. If none of these suggested stress reliever activities has worked for you yet, perhaps it’s time to try aromatherapy. […]