Take off your shoes

“Grounding” or connecting our feet directly to the earth can effectively help with relieving chronic stress, inflammation and chronic pain. Whether inside or out, with socks or without, wiggling your toes and letting your feet feel the ground can be calming.

Inflate a balloon and then release it

This idea is similar to the concept of “letting off steam”. In this case, visualize you are blowing all your frustrations into a balloon and then actually letting them go. It is a tangible way of getting rid of something that is bothering you. Plus, inflating a balloon requires you to take deep breaths which is beneficial for decreasing stress … and it is pretty fun to make funny noises while releasing air from a balloon. 

Wash your hands…mindfully

Mundane activities, such as washing our hands, can help to reduce stress according to research. Taking time to focus on the smell of the soap, the sensation of the warm water and the feeling of rubbing your hands together is calming and reduces the feeling of nervousness. Washing our hands is the number one way to reduce the spread of infection AND it is a great way to reduce our stress!

Go outside ~ just sit and breath for 5 minutes

An increase amount of research has proven that spending time in nature is beneficial for our health. Being outside can lower blood pressure and reduce our cortisol levels. Even just looking out a window can calm our stress response. We are fortunate to have so many accessible green spaces and beautiful weather year round; we just need to take advantage of them.

Earlobe massage

This tip utilizes the idea of reflexology in which applying pressure to specific points on our body can result in specific physical responses. In this case, rubbing our earlobes can create a greater feeling of calm and relaxation in our body. Using your thumb and index finger, gently rub your lobe in a circular motion.