Five Strategies to Calm Down
Five Strategies to Help You Calm Down
We've all been there before. You're feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, and you just can't seem to shake it off.
Thankfully, there is a multitude of ways to help calm distressing and difficult inner psychological states. This article discusses five effective ways to quiet your mind and ease your anxiety.
Identify Your Triggers
Before we look at the strategies themselves, it is crucial to emphasise the importance of identifying what triggers those feelings in the first place.
Do you get anxious when you have to speak in public? Do work deadlines stress you out? Or does dealing with family members always leave you feeling frazzled? Once you know your triggers, you can start developing a strategy for managing them.
Strategy 1: Practice Deep Breathing
Deep breathing is one of the most simple and effective ways to calm your nerves and ease anxiety. When we're stressed, our breathing becomes shallower and faster, aggravating anxiety symptoms. By taking deep, slow breaths, we can activate our body's relaxation response and help reduce feelings of stress.
Try this great diaphragm breathing exercise on the Skills Videos page.
Strategy 2: Get Moving
Exercise is another excellent way to manage stress and anxiety. When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins—the "feel good" hormones that improve our mood and help us relax. Even a moderate amount of exercise can significantly affect how we feel. So next time you're feeling stressed, try going for a walk, taking a yoga class, or going for a swim.
Strategy 3: Connect with Friends or Family Members
Sometimes all we need is a little support from our loved ones to help us feel better. When we're feeling stressed, talking to someone who understands and can offer words of encouragement can be very helpful.
But there is another reason to connect.
Unpleasant psychological states lead to problematic thinking patterns. These thoughts tend to make matters worse. Talking to others lets you hear various points of view. These perspectives can stop you from getting trapped by unhelpful thoughts.
Strategy 4: Take a Break from Technology
In today's world, it's easy to become addicted to our phones and computers. We're constantly checking email, social media, and the news—all of that information overload can leave us feeling frazzled and stressed out.
Sometimes the best thing we can do for our mental health is to take a break from technology and disconnect from the digital world for a while. Spend some time outside in nature, read a book, or spend time enjoying the company of those closest to you without any distractions.
Strategy 5: Mentally Unhook
Mentally stepping back and observing our difficult psychological states is a great way to achieve calm. We can often achieve this outcome through mindfulness exercises or the notice and name approach.
Some people don't need to challenge unhelpful thoughts or change their activity. Observing what's happening in your body allows an 'unhooking' from what's happening and shifts our mental state.
Calmed Down
Difficult and overwhelming psychological states are experiences we all deal with from time to time. But there are ways to manage those feelings effectively.
The next time you're feeling overwhelmed, try implementing some of these simple strategies into your life. From deep breathing exercises to spending time with loved ones, there are plenty of ways to calm your nerves and ease anxiety. So don't suffer in silence—try these techniques the next time stress strikes.
We are Coaching & Clinical Psychologists with extensive experience helping people conquer a range of wellbeing and performance issues at home and in the workplace. We can also help bring an enhanced sense of calm to your life. Read more about my work, watch practical skills videos or browse other articles. Get in touch anytime.
