8 Welcome Ways to Calm down ...

Trying some deep breathing really is one of the most effective ways to calm down. When we are nervous or stressed, our breathing becomes shallower. So take some deep, slow breaths, and you should find that you start to feel less stressed. Focus your breathing in your abdomen (most people push their chest out) - the correct way of breathing is to push your stomach out as you breathe in, and in as you breathe out.

Meditation really does help you calm down. I was having some problems sleeping recently, and meditation was recommended to me as an effective solution. It really has helped improve my sleeping patterns. There are some excellent guided meditations on YouTube if you find it difficult to practise on your own.

Sometimes, just escaping to a quiet place can really help you calm down. It can be a place in the country away from it all, a city park, or a quiet space in your own home. Try to have a place, whether indoors or outdoors, that you know you can go to when you need to feel calm.

Next time you are feeling tense, look at how your shoulders are feeling. It is a part of the body where we tend to carry a lot of tension. So try to relax your shoulders; don’t hunch them up. Some simple exercises to stretch the muscles can also be beneficial.

Stress can often be provoked by having too much on our plate. We get worked up because we know that we can’t do it all. If this happens, prioritise what is most important; the rest will have to wait. Putting aside the less important issues can relieve your tension.

Sometimes we believe that things are worse than they are. Look at your problems; are they really as bad as they seem? Or are you worrying unnecessarily? Looking at the situation more closely can lead you to realise that it’s not quite as bad as you thought, and so you feel calmer.

Finding a way of distracting yourself can also be very effective. There are lots of ways to do this, such as focusing on work, exercise, reading or changing your environment. This will take your mind away from whatever is worrying you, and help you feel calmer.

Another good method of calming yourself down is to take a walk. It doesn’t matter where; just get up and get walking. It does you good to take some exercise, and also to remove yourself temporarily from a stressful environment.

When you are stressed, worried or nervous, it can be hard work to calm yourself down. However, it is important to regain some control and make that effort, so that you don’t get into an even worse state. Try various methods, and you will find what works for you. Have you found any effective ways of making yourself feel calmer?