Two effective relaxation techniques are deep breathing, focusing on slow, abdominal breaths to calm your body, and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), which involves tensing and releasing muscle groups to relieve tension. Both help activate your body's natural relaxation response, lowering stress hormones and heart rate, and can be practiced almost anywhere.
Visualization.
What is the 54321 method? The 54321 (or 5-4-3-2-1) method is a grounding exercise designed to manage acute stress and reduce anxiety. It involves identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Physical exercise and nutrition are two important components in how you respond to stress. When your body is healthy, your mind can be healthy and vice versa. Physical exercise is proven to be a great stress reliever and also helps to improve your overall quality of life.
But here are 9 calming techniques that do work – and they work quickly at that.
This page covers:
10 tips to help you calm yourself down
8 Relaxation Techniques to Ease Anxiety
Having too much physical tension can increase our stress. In extreme cases it can lead to pain and stress related illness. There are a number of ways to reduce physical tension. These include meditation, exercise, tai chi, massage, visualisation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, and slow breathing techniques.
Emotional regulation, cognitive reframing, problem-solving, relaxation, and self-care are five main types of coping skills that you can use to improve your overall well-being and become more resilient in the face of adversity.
When it comes to mental health, there's a helpful framework called the 5 Cs of mental health—Clarity, Connection, Coping, Control, and Compassion. These five elements play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy mindset and emotional well-being.
Visualization techniques, meditation and yoga are examples of relaxation techniques that can ease anxiety. Write in a journal. Keeping track of your personal life can help you and your mental health professional identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel better.
Try box breathing
Breathe in slowly for four counts. Hold your breath for four counts. Breathe out slowly for four counts. Hold your breath for four counts.
Introduced by Swami Vivekananda, the Deep Relaxation Technique (DRT) is a profound yoga practice aimed at achieving intense physical and mental calm. It emphasizes the crucial role of breathing to connect the body and mind. DRT is typically performed in Savasana (Corpse Pose) at the end of yoga p...
7 Tips to Avoid Stress
Finding the best relaxation technique for you
You can do this by practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, rhythmic exercise, yoga, or tai chi.
Reading, listening to soft music or a podcast, or sleep meditation can all help if you have trouble sleeping. Try some guided meditation for sleep, like our Beditation relaxation video, or read about how meditation can help with sleep.
This could include practices such as mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, or simply spending time in nature. Engaging in activities that bring us joy and fulfillment, such as reading, painting, or gardening, can also be incredibly relaxing.
Everyone finds different things relaxing, but generally, calming activities include things like meditation, deep breathing, resting, reading, and walking in natural environments.
Those whose stress-busting benefits have been widely studied include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, visualisation, yoga, and tai chi, as well as aromatherapy and mindfulness. Learning the basics of these relaxation techniques isn't difficult.
Healthy ways to cope with stress
The 3-3-3 rule is a simple grounding technique for anxiety that brings you to the present moment by engaging your senses: 1) Name three things you can see, 2) Name three sounds you can hear, and 3) Move three parts of your body (like wiggling fingers/toes, rolling shoulders). This helps shift focus from overwhelming thoughts to your immediate environment, offering quick relief during panic or stress.
Stress relievers: Tips to tame stress
One method of reducing muscle tension that people have found helpful is through a technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). In progressive muscle relaxation exercises, you tense up particular muscles and then relax them, and then you practise this technique consistently.