Stress Relief Activities

Certain stress relief activities are agreed to be the most effective in dealing with stress in the context of stress management, avoidance and handling. It is really up to each individual which activities they will take on board.

Five Senses Stress Relief Activities

This technique of using your five senses to immediately lift your stress is amazing. In fact you can expect a soothing, comforting and invigoration of yourself within a few short minutes of picking any one of the activities based on which of the five senses you etthe best results.

But a few things to say about this senses based stress relief technique; first establish what type of a person you are under stress. If you tend to be agitated or angry when stressed then I consider you in the overexcited group. This means in the following senses you will best respond to something that calms you down. If you tend to be depressed, withdrawn or spaced out when stressed then you belong to the underexcited group which best responds senses based activities that energize or stimulate your system.

If you are middle of the road, meaning both overexcited and underexcited you tend to be numb and just stop working under stress then you need a rebooting excercise.

Movement

Movement is needed for individuals who tend to shut down when under stress. There is a particular need in the specific stress relief activities to reengage your muscles through movement. In this regard consider jumping up and down, dancing about, taking short walks, running in place. Check your new feelings. If they improve keep this activity in your tool box. It will help you in the future.

Sound

The sense of hearing is important in stress relief activities. Individuals sensitive to different sounds and those who also love music may actually relieve stress via music sounds. You could do this by singing to yourself, listening to certain type of music which is uplifting. This is what makes this binaural beats audio technique popular in resolving stress for many people.

Smell

Did you ever consider that if you freeze and can hardly do anything under stress you could actually get yourself invigorated by using your sense of smell? Smells that are energizing and invigorating can help out here. Consider lavender, brewed coffee or tea and even roses, and general outdoors perhaps on the ocean shores or on top of a mountain (provided you live close to one). Individuals who get agitated when stressed can make do with the sense of smell with great results thanks to comforting and calming smells.

Taste

This sense of taste activity does not suggest over-indulgence which can rapidly become unhealthy. Rather this stress relief activity aims to promote engaging your sense of taste by taking time to eat your tasty food slowly feeling the food in your mouth. You could eat fruit, chocolate, sugarless gum and even a refreshing beverage. Take note how your feelings change for the better after the indulgence to determine if this is for you.

Touch

This sense offers a wonderful opportunity to also deal with stressful situations. Engaging your sense of touch can be one of the most important stress relief activities you can permanently have in your life should you respond well to it. How does a bath soak in hot water or warm water change your emotional feelings of stress? Also try wearing clothing that brings a soft warm feeling against your skin. You can pet a dog or animal to also handle stress through your sense of touch.

Other Stress Relief Activities

The following are some more stress relief techniques to pursue. As you will probably find, some of them already fit into the different senses that we have covered above.

Deep Breathing

Long considered one of the most important and effective ways of dealing with stress, the technique behind deep breathing is taking in oxygen to oxygenate the blood. This provides adequate levels of oxygen to the brain which kind of "wakes" the brain giving an overall effect of relaxed muscles and a calmed mind.

Regular Exercise

Not only is regular exercise useful for a healthy living that reduces the risk of hypertension and heart disease. It is also an important way of dealing with stress. When exercising we take in more oxygen as well as remove toxins from our bodies through sweating. This has stress benefits. Playing sport, jogging and brisk walking will also distract our minds from focusing on stressful situations giving us a kind of fresh look at the situation when we return. This is useful in stress management.

Sharing With A Friend

The ability to share your situations, challenges and circumstances with friends is also an important method of dealing with stress. Take time to sit with a close friend and share your stressful situation. Also take time to listen to theirs if that be the case. The fact that it has come out through sharing will lift a load from your shoulders. It's a simple yet effective of many stress relief activities.