Exclusive: 7 Proven Ways To Calm Your Mind And Reduce Stress

The modern era is full of individuals who are stressed and stress is a major component of poor health, affecting all aspects of life - may it be physical, mental or social. When stress haunts the mind of any individual, he/she remains tense and loses their focus on both personal as well as professional life, leading to reduced productivity and poor relationship status. Thus, stress management is a crucial step to be taken for the maintenance of the overall health of an individual. Below mentioned are seven effective strategies that aim to calm down a stressed mind. Aamish Dhingra, ICF- PCC Certified Life Coach, and Co-Founder of Cocoweave Coaching International, Delhi shares with Zee News Digital his inputs on ways to reduce stress in life and stay calm:

If you don’t have time to exercise and have an encounter with a stressful situation, have a brisk walk outdoors and you will witness a sudden mood elation. This happens through the release of feel-good hormones named endorphins. Even just spending a little time in nature taking in the warmth of the sun can be helpful too! 

This strategy involves the usage of visualization techniques or deep breathing to engage the mind to remain in the present moment and free it from the anxiety of the past or worry of the future. Even spending around 10-15 minutes a day in mindfulness meditation helps to relieve stress and helps in relaxation. For practising deep breathing, take a comfortable seat, probably outdoors, and deeply inhale and exhale while concentrating on your breathing pattern. Deep breathing helps to relax you by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

What you eat directly impacts how you feel and thus, your diet plays a major role when it comes to your mental health. You can have stress-busting potions such as herbal tea, chamomile tea etc. as they can lower the cortisol levels (which rise in the body in a stressful situation) and help to alleviate the mood. Consumption of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, fatty fish, flaxseeds, walnuts etc. and magnesium (found in dark chocolate) stays the best.

If you need a great stress buster, it definitely is gratitude journaling by which you can pen down three to four things daily that make you feel grateful about life. When you begin to feel grateful in life, you will notice your thought processes changing and have a positive outlook towards life. Either begin your day with journaling gratitude thoughts or end your day with them. 

Building up strong familial or social relationships also proves as a great stress reliever by producing oxytocin in the body that strengthens the bond. Good and healthy relationships cater well to your emotional needs and give mutual trust and confidence. Just merely talking to a close friend or family member can relieve your stress.

A Life Coach can assist you in gaining mental clarity and relieve your stress levels. The Life Coach will make sure that you can build personalized and practical strategies to relax your body and build your ability to cater to challenges without being anxious. Also, the role of a Life Coach is to track your progress and ensure that you are consistent with your work. Thus, hiring a Life Coach is a proactive step towards the maintenance of your mental health.

Regular engagement in any exercise form, may it be aerobic exercises such as dancing, walking, jogging, zumba etc or strength training exercises such as pilates, gymnastics etc. or mind-body exercises such as yoga are great modes to alleviate stress. The stress hormone cortisol lowers down with exercise, while mood elevator neurotransmitters called endorphins peak up. Just 30 minutes of walking can also calm you down.

Conclusion: Incorporation of such strategies can definitely go a long way in alleviating stress and enabling individuals to lead a healthy life with stable mental health too!