10 Most Unusual Stress Relaxation Techniques

• Reduce stress through visualizations involving oak trees and the color blue
• Massage your scalp with your fingertips and your ego with daily affirmations to provide some stress relief
• Other stress relaxation techniques include cuddling, laughing, and managing your time more efficiently

Most of us have experienced periods of stress in our lives more frequently than we would have liked. And we’ve all heard some of those common stress relaxation techniques, such as taking a walk or doing deep breathing exercises. But if you’re looking for a different method of stress relief, try the ideas below.

10. Oak Tree Meditation

When people feel overwhelmed by everything going on around them, they might not feel strong enough to get through it and that causes a lot of stress. Instead, close your eyes and imagine that you are an oak tree. Picture your skin as the hard trunk and imagine the feeling of things sliding off of your bark without doing any damage. Each time you feel overwhelmed, picture yourself as that tree.

9. Color Visualization

An interesting method of stress relief involves closing your eyes and breathing deeply. Now picture that you are floating in the air above a huge pool of the color blue (known for its relaxation properties). Take a deep breath and inhale some of that color into your body. Each time you inhale, feel more relaxed and more in tune with the color.

8. Scalp Massage

You know that massage is one of the best stress relaxation techniques. But you may not have thought about scalp massage. To do this, place your thumbs on your head behind your ears and use the rest of your palms to move your scalp around. This can be a great way to unwind while you’re in traffic.

7. Healthy Eating

Change your eating habits. Eating healthier gives your body and mind the stamina needed to deal with stress. If you start eating too much because of stress, you could end up in a vicious circle of overeating, feeling stressed about ruining your diet, and eating more to make those feelings go away.

6. Positive Affirmations

Give yourself a few words of encouragement every day. When you get stuck saying only negative things to yourself, you’re going to feel negative and that contributes to your stress. By reminding yourself that you are talented, hard working, and smart, you’ll be more capable to handle the hard times without feeling overwhelmed.

5. Self Hypnosis

You can spend 20 to 30 minutes per day working on self hypnosis to help you improve your stress levels. Use suggestions such as “I can feel my stress melting away” or “I can confidently handle any problem that comes my way.” These suggestions will make a big impact on how you deal with stress daily.

4. Intimacy

Research has shown that something as simple as cuddling with your spouse or significant other for 30 minutes on the couch or before going to bed can lower blood pressure and decrease stress. Other types of intimacy, including kissing and sex, can have similar effects on the stress relief body.

3. Mindful Eating

You may have heard of mindful meditation in which you focus your mind on what is going on at any specific moment. Mindful eating is a part of that process except you use it while you are eating. Pay attention to eat bite and slowly focus on enjoying each one. This will help you unwind by taking your mind off of other concerns.

2. Laughter

Laughing and feeling overwhelmed by stress are not compatible. Next time you feel stressed watch your favorite comedy on television or your favorite movie that makes you laugh. Read some funny comics or jokes on the Internet when you feel stressed at work. And remember that life is not something you want to take too seriously.

1. Time Management

One of the main reasons people feel stressed is because they have poor time management skills. Work on changing that by setting daily reachable goals, maintaining a calendar so nothing creeps up on you at the last minute, and learning how to say no. These simple steps will make you feel less stressed and will make you more productive.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.