Do you have techniques and activities to calm down when you are feeling stressed? If not then it’s time to prioritize your mental and physical health and find ways to feel calm that will help you. I am sharing 27 ways to feel calm when you’re stressed that have worked for me over time. And hopefully one of these will help you out too!
So let’s just jump into these relaxation ideas that will actually help you feel calmer and less stressed out.
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27 Ways To Feel Calm When You’re Stressed:
{ Relaxation ideas that actually help }
1) Make a list of things you are thankful for.
Making a list of what you are thankful for is a great way to pull yourself out of a negative mood and feel more positive. It can really help you calm down and put whatever stressful situation you are in into perspective!
2) Go for a walk outside.
Getting fresh air and light exercise is a great way to breathe and calm down.
Go for a light stroll or take the dog on a walk and get away from the things stressing you out for a bit and give yourself some time to think.
3) Drink a caffeine free cup of tea.
Note that I said caffeine free! If you are feeling stressed and/or anxious it is best to avoid caffeine.
And drinking a warm cup of tea is soothing and can help your emotions calm down.
4) Do a 30 minute yoga routine.
Yoga is a lot of peoples favorite way to calm down!
If you head over to YouTube there are lot so free routines if you want to follow a guided one. Just grab your favorite yoga mat and take a breather!
5) Bake some yummy treats.
Baking is a great way to distract your mind from whatever is going on while doing something fun and creative. And of course you have the bonus of some tasty treats at the end!
This can be a great time to bake one of those treats you have save on Pinterest and focus your energy on a new baking project.
6) Follow a guided journal prompts list.
Journaling is a fantastic for calming yourself down and genuinely getting in touch with your emotions.
I have a couple different journal prompts lists for different situations that you can check out here:
- 35 Journal Prompts For The Holiday Season
- 40 Journal Prompts For When You Are Stressed
- 75 Self Improvement Journal Prompts: how journaling leads to self improvement.
- 52 Journal Prompts For College Students
7) Buy yourself a fresh bouquet of flowers.
Fresh flowers have a magical power of bringing a smile to your face!
Which is why going out and buying some fresh flowers is a happy activity that can help to calm you down when you’re stressing.
8) Do a simple/low effort workout.
I mentioned it earlier but getting a little bit of exercise in can help boost your mood and is a healthy way of getting away from stressful situations.
It can be walking, doing Pilates, leisure cycling, etc. Just don’t go too hard and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
9) Spend time with your pet/animals.
Spending some quality time with your pet is my favorite way to relax and feel less stressed.
No pet? No worries! You can usually volunteer at local animal shelters to play with the dogs and cats!
10) Follow a guided meditation.
Head over to YouTube or download one of the thousands of meditation apps and commit 20-30 minutes to meditating.
This is one of the most proven ways to calm down and manage stress better!
11) Make a calming playlist to listen to.
Music can have a real impact on emotions and moods. And calmness/stress are no exception!
So make a calming playlist that you can listen to now and in future situations where you feel stressed out.
12) Light a relaxing candle.
Adding calming and relaxing scents into your environment can help send signals to your mind to calm down.
Some of my favorite relaxing candles are Chesapeake Bay Serenity + Calm, Root Candles Seeking Balance, and La Jolie Muse Jasmine & Ylang.
13) Turn off all screens and disconnect.
This is such an important and helpful of the ways to calm down.
Getting away from social media, emails, constant notifications, etc is one of the best ways to relax.
I have an entire post on how to disconnect regularly from your phone here!
14) Write a list of things you can control.
Sit down for 20 minutes and make a list of the things you can control.
There’s a high chance that some of the things stressing you out are out of your control. And trust me I know it’s easier said than done, but not letting things you can’t control stress you out is one of the best things you can do for your mental wellness.
15) Do a spa night.
A more fun way to relax if you feel stressed is to commit a whole night to having a spa night!
Grab a spa night kit like this and take the night to yourself. Relax, drink some wine (if you are 21!), and treat yourself for a night. Because you deserve it!
16) Write a letter to a loved one.
This is a great way to calm yourself and think about your loved ones rather than stressing about something else going on.
I recommend doing this as a handwritten letter! There is something amazing about taking the time to actually write down a letter.
17) Get a massage (even at home).
Massages are everyone’s dream way of calming down and handling stress right?
But the cost and logistics are not always feasible to actually go to a massage parlor. So I got this neck and shoulder massager that I use all the time and it is amazing!
18) Create a vision board.
Creating a vision board is a great way to think about what you want and what you are looking forward to rather than focusing on negatives happening now.
I have a video making my digital 2021 vision board here!
19) Say 10 positive affirmations out loud.
Saying positive affirmations about yourself and your life are a fantastic way to feel more positive and help to improve your mood. Resulting in you feeling calmer and less stressed out.
20) Make a mindful meal plan for the week.
Mindful eating is essential when you are generally feeling stressed and anxious.
Eating and drinking junk food can actually make your sadness and anxiousness worse. So make a meal plan to eat healthy and mindful food so that your diet isn’t making things worse.
21) Listen to a relaxing podcast.
There are so many podcasts out there including ones that are focused on being peaceful and calm.
I can’t tell you which ones you will find relaxing and calm but do a little digging and find the ones you find calm that you can listen to when you are feeling stressed.
22) Take a bubble bath.
Grab your favorite bubble bath supplies and spend a bit listening to some of your favorite music and unwinding.
Taking this time to relax in a bath can help you feel less stressed.
23) Have a one person dance party.
This is pretty self explanatory but put on a dance music playlist that you love and have a one person dance party! This can help you feel free and actually have some fun.
24) Re-watch one of your favorite sitcoms.
Two things to note with this suggestion is re-watch and sitcom.
If you are feeling stressed then you don’t want to deal with uncertainty in a show or a trigger being showed. So knowing what happens and anything that you may need to skip over is helpful!
Also generally recommend sticking to happy and funny shows if you are trying to calm down and feel less anxious.
25) Read a feel good book.
Reading is another great escape mechanism that is healthy and good for you!
I have a list of books that I know that I love and ones that are recommended from others that I know are going to be just happy and upbeat. I highly recommend you also making a list like this.
26) Call a friend or family member.
Sometimes all it takes to disconnect from negative situations is to spend some time on the phone with a friend or family member.
It’s especially nice to call and catch up with someone you haven’t chatted with in a while.
27) Try a relaxing hobby that doesn’t involve your phone.
The final of the ways to feel calm when you are stressed is to find a hobby that makes you feel calm.
Knitting, hiking, baking, scrapbooking, etc. Any hobby that you enjoy and doesn’t make you feel anxious! And ideally this hobby will involve you not being on your phone so you can disconnect from your phone while doing the hobby.
Korra-Shay
Let’s get social!
If you liked this post on ways to feel calm when you’re stressed then you probably (hopefully!) will like these too:
- 12 Habits Of People Who Don’t Get Stressed
- Powerful Daily Tips For Improved Self Motivation
- 20 Day Self Care Challenge To Find Your Best Self
- Ultimate Guide On How To Completely Reinvent Yourself
- 40 Journal Prompts For When You Are Stressed
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