Exercising, yoga or counting to 10 can also help you calm down.
Stress causes chemical and hormonal changes in the body that can make you feel tense or anxious. Although these changes prepare the body for the "fight or flight" response, you may find it difficult to return to a relaxed state. Persistent stress can lead to serious health problems. As such, it is important to incorporate and practice techniques that can help you calm down when faced with a stressful situation or event.
Meditation
When you are upset, stressed or angry, you may have several thoughts running through your head that can intensify or prolong these feelings. Meditating is a great way to calm down because it focuses and stills the mind. According to the Mayo Clinic, even a few minutes of meditation can create a sense of calm, relaxation and inner peace. Mediating provides clarity and it can be performed anywhere and at any time by breathing slowly and focusing on quieting the mind and clearing away all thoughts.
Deep Breathing
Focusing on your breathing with deep breaths not only diverts your attention away from stressful situations, but helps you to calm down because it can relax the body and slow the heart rate. In order to benefit from deep breathing, you must breathe from the diaphragm and not the chest. To ensure that you are using the diaphragm, place your hands on your stomach and as you inhale, it should expand out. Exhale by pulling the stomach tight toward the spine.
Walking
Walking is another way to calm down. It physically removes you from stressful events, allowing you to get fresh air, which can help clear the mind. Walking also relieves tension from the body through the release of endorphins -- hormones that create a sense of relaxation. Walking can also acts as a form of meditation. When using walking as a way to meditate, be mindful of each step, paying attention to the movement of the legs, ankles and feet.
Visualizations
Since the body and mind are connected, visualizations provide a good way to relax or calm down. Visualizations work because they can mentally prepare you for or take you away from a stressful event. In order to create a mental picture, find a quiet place and take a few deep breaths until you feel relaxed. Use your mind to create a mental image of a place that makes you feel at ease, such as a beach, park or library and imagine that you are there. You can also use visualizations to relive a peaceful and happy memory in order to calm down.
Tags: calm down, calm down, from stressful, away from, away from stressful, calm down because, create mental