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The global pandemic, political turmoil, and now the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has left many of us feeling increasingly stressed, anxious and upset. With that in mind, Dee Marques shares 11 practical tips to feel stress-free quickly – all backed by science. Stress is one of the biggest health challenges we face today. While a small amount of positive stress can be good for us, ongoing chronic stress can lead to or exacerbate many serious health problems. And with Coronavirus still testing the health and well-being of the globe, it's become increasingly difficult to remain free from stress, with many of us noticing our anxiety levels are on the rise. Indeed, in the US, more than 55 per cent of people claim to feel stressed during the day, a figure that’s well above the global average (35 per cent). Meanwhile, in the UK, nearly 75 per cent of adults say they have felt overwhelmed by stress at some point over the past year. In fact, stress isn't “just stress”, since it affects both our mental and physical health. Studies show a close link between stress and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Other side effects of unmanaged stress include anger, low self-esteem, loneliness and poor memory. As for its potential impact on the body, stress can cause anything from headaches to digestive disorders, insomnia, skin and hair problems, and increased chances of developing heart conditions. 11 ways to feel stress-free fast Since stress is so widespread, you may wonder if it really is possible to become free from stress. While that may seem hard to achieve, there are definitely things you can do to reduce your stress and anxiety levels that do not require a great deal of time or money. Here are 11 ideas you can try to reduce stress and start to feel calm quickly. 1. The power of houseplants One of the simpler (and more enjoyable) steps you can take is creating a stress-free environment. We can’t always do that at large scale, but there are little things you can do in you home and personal working space. Indoor plants, as humble as they may seem, have become increasingly popular recently and for good reason – they can boost enormously your ability to cope with stress. In fact, a Japanese study compared the feelings produced by transplanting a plant vs working on a computer. The result showed that while the group who worked on a computer had higher blood pressure, those who interacted with plants felt calm and soothed. Indeed, adding indoor plants to your home environment can make a world of a difference and help you to become stress-free. Plants may reduce blood pressure and stress levels shutterstock/Amilao 2. Breathing techniques Our bodies react to stress by going into overdrive. Studies confirm a link between slow controlled breathing and the nervous system: taking deep breaths reminds the brain that it’s time to calm down, and then the brain sends the same message to the body to stabilize the heart rate and release tension in the muscles. If you’re not familiar with the benefits of controlled breathing, it’s time to explore some techniques that can help you control anxiety and help you feel stress-free. Check out the final tip in our article on mindful behavior for a great breathing technique that will relax you within seconds and feel your melt away. 3. Physical activity Exercise causes a spike in endorphins, one of the happiness hormones. To achieve a stress-free state, the key is to engage in physical activity regularly. The type and frequency of exercise depends on your preference and overall health status, but as a guideline, a Finnish medical study found that moderate aerobic exercise was best for higher endorphin levels. “Adding indoor plants to your home environment can make a world of a difference and help you to become stress-free.” Some types of moderate exercise that can bring relief include cycling, brisk walking, dancing and water aerobics. The impact of COVID-19 means we can't do all of these right now, but still try and do some form of exercise in your home or garden to keep your spirits up and mental health in check. RELATED: Mindful running – 6 tips to get you started 4. Body relaxation To become stress-free fast, add a mix of mood-boosting exercise with calming relaxation techniques. Relaxation methods like tai chi, meditation, yoga, or mindfulness have been practised for centuries. Consciously relaxing your body, or even parts of it, can slow down your heart rate, lower stress hormone levels, and boost confidence in your ability to cope with problems. Some techniques you want to try include progressive muscle relaxation, massage therapy, qi gong, and ashtanga yoga. 5. Experiment with essential oils Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years. Even in Ancient Egypt people were aware of the power of aromatic herbs and their role in well-being. The organs responsible for our sense of smell are directly connected to the parts of the brain linked to emotions, so exposure to certain scents can have a positive effect on mood and help reduce anxiety. Lavender essential oil has been widely studied for its ability to induce calm, and it seems effective in the short-term treatment of anxiety and restlessness. Other essential oils to help you become free from stress include jasmine, bergamot, holy basil, rose, frankincense, vetiver and lemon balm. Aromatherapy: sniff to reduce stress shutterstock/Madeleine Steinbach 6. Create a stress-free playlist We’re only beginning to understand the power of music and how it brings stress relief. If, as 17th century playwright William Congreve said, “music has charms to soothe a savage beast”, surely it can help us reach a stress-free state too? One study compared stress levels in surgical patients who listened to music before an operation and those who didn’t, and found that those who listened to music had lower blood pressure and were said to feel less anxious. Some sounds and rhythms can be more effective than others. 7. Do nothing Feeling overwhelmed by tasks or responsibilities is one of the most common causes of stress. Sometimes, the best response is to put everything on hold and do nothing but take care of yourself: something many of us had to do during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, if doing nothing is still not an option, consider doing less or doing things at a slower pace, or doing them mindfully. Mindfulness gives you a chance to slow down, focus, and become more aware of your reactions. It has also been connected to lower activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that triggers fear and stress responses. 8. Visualization techniques Visualization techniques can have a calming effect when stress becomes too much to handle. Immerse yourself in a scene that makes you happy and relaxed, and recreate every sensory aspect of the scene, from the smells to the sights or the sounds. By focusing on the sensory experience as a whole, you direct your attention away from sources of stress. Once that happens, your brain will also signal your body to relax. “Exercise causes a spike in endorphins, one of the happiness hormones. To achieve a stress-free state, the key is to engage in physical activity regularly.” Researchers have found that visualization (also called guided imagery) can boost mood and improve depressive symptoms in multiple sclerosis patients, so it surely can have a beneficial effect on stress too. RELATED: Visualization meditation – how to practise it 9. Share your feelings A burden shared is a burden halved, so don’t hesitate to talk someone close to you if worry begins to take over. Sharing your worries can bring a sense of relief, and scientific evidence supports this. A 2013 study found that disclosing feelings of worry and anxiety to someone sympathetic reduced levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Sometimes you may even prefer to talk to a stranger. Talking therapy is effective in stress relief, whether it’s in person or over the phone. Talking is a therapy to become stress-free shutterstock/Monkey Business Images 10. B vitamins for stress support Did you know that certain vitamin deficiencies can lead to increased feelings of stress? A stress-free diet should be especially rich in B-complex vitamins. Some researchers suggest that these vitamins can lower homocysteine, an amino acid that spikes in stressful situations. So, it’s a good idea to revamp your meal plan to ensure it includes good amounts of vitamin B-rich foods, such as whole grains, legumes, dark leafy vegetables, seeds and nuts. Making this a habit can help lift your mood and reduce the mental fatigue brought about by stress. RELATED: The gut-brain axis 11. Honour your true self Sometimes, stress is a result of internal conflict. There are situations where we must choose between doing what we know in our hearts to be right, and pleasing others or dishonoring our core values. We all have certain values that guide our lives, so take some time to remind yourself of which are the most important to you. One of the steps towards being stress-free is resolving any tension or discrepancies between who you are and who you want to be. This is your opportunity to do just that and feel better. The takeaway: stress-free living During these tough times, try not to let stress and rising anxiety levels get in the way of your happiness. While we all experience stressful situations, there’s no reason to be overwhelmed by them, since we have multiple tools to strengthen our inner-self and become stress-free quickly. So, the next time you feel your anxiety levels rising, give some of our suggestions a try. ● Main image: shutterstock/baranq happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine ■ share and support in our happiness forum ■ learn with free online Academy classes Stress management | Letting go | Motivation Written by Dee Marques A social sciences graduate with a keen interest in languages, communication, and personal development strategies. Dee loves exercising, being out in nature, and discovering warm and sunny places where she can escape the winter.

If you're an anxious person, practising yoga regularly could help to regulate your stress response. From regulating breathing to breaking the worry cycle, Calvin Holbrook examines the benefits of yoga for anxiety. Plus, discover some great videos to get you started. Most of us have experienced feelings of anxiety during our lives. From a small case of butterflies in the stomach to full-blown panic, anxiety is a natural response to what we see as stressful situations, and one that can help us react appropriately when we really are in danger. So, how could yoga help us cope with anxiety? For those of us living with an anxiety disorder, feelings of fear often aren’t a rational response to external circumstances. Furthermore, they can develop into a dominating and disruptive influence in the form of panic attacks or panic disorders such as agoraphobia. In England, one in six people experience a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week. Similar figures exist in the USA. Here, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness, affecting 40 million adults – roughly 18 per cent of the population – every year. Yoga can help relieve stress shutterstock/4 PM Production Those living with extreme anxiety issues often experience a hyperarousal of the fight/flight survival response in the form of panic attacks, which creates a feeling of urgent fear and ignorable physical symptoms. Indeed, many people think they are about to die during an attack. So, how can someone experiencing this begin to calm down when their brain and body is telling them they are in mortal danger? How yoga can help with anxiety A 2006 study from UCLA’s Department of Psychiatry showed that almost 30 per cent of anxiety disorder patients may be “treatment resistant”, finding front-line interventions such as medication ineffective. This in part may help to explain why so many people with anxiety seek alternative treatments. Indeed, a 2001 study from Harvard Medical School showed that just over half – 56 per cent – of the 2,000 people questioned living with anxiety disorders seek alternative and complementary medicine. RELATED: How to stop a panic attack – 12 tips on what to do when anxiety hits hard Yoga is just one of those alternative treatments. Incorporating postures, meditation, visualization, and breath focus, the overall practice of yoga can elicit the relaxation response, allowing both the mind and body and mind to calm down. And, while yoga is an ancient practice, many of the systems of yoga – believed to be created by the sage Patanjali – feature elements used in modern anxiety treatments: relaxation techniques focused on breath regulation, cognitive reframing, behavioural recommendations, mindfulness of sensory input, as well as methods for greater cognitive flexibility, stress reduction and increased concentration. “Yoga elicits the relaxation response, allowing both the mind and body and mind to calm down.” Because yoga is a mind-body practice, people who do it become more aware of the link between their minds and bodies. This can help them to become less anxious. Furthermore, through practising yoga regularly, those living with anxiety are also unconsciously building resilience and learning to regulate their stress response. Yoga therapy for anxiety is also a great option as it's a long-term, safe, and relatively inexpensive treatment option. Ways yoga can help with anxiety Here are four specific ways yoga can help you if you're an anxious or easily stressed person. 1. Yoga helps us to regulate our breathing When we're anxious or stressed, our breathing often becomes rapid or shallow. We may even (unconsciously) start to hold our breath. As our breath is intimately connected to our nervous system, negative changes in it feed back to increase feelings of anxiety. Reversely, if we deepen and slow our breathing, it soothes and relaxes the nervous system. Breathing is integral to yoga and practising it teaches us how to breathe with awareness. Furthermore, we can take this breath focus with us outside of the yoga class and implement it in day-to-day stressful situations. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Yoga breathing exercises for anxiety YouTube/WebMD 2. Yoga lowers tension and promotes relaxation Ever felt your body becoming tenser while stressed or anxious? Our bodies often constrict during periods of anxiety and stress. We start to hold tension in our back, shoulders, jaw, neck, or elsewhere. Yoga can help us to relax and lower our physical tension, in turn release the power that anxiety has on us. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Yoga for relaxation YouTube/Yoga With Adriene 3. Yoga breaks worry cycles Stepping onto the yoga mat gives us a chance to be mindful. As postures require focus, yoga helps with anxiety by forcing us to concentrate on our breath, bodies and movement, therefore letting go of other worries and negative thoughts. If we practise yoga regularly enough, this can help us break our worry cycles and reduce anxious thoughts. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Yoga to Calm Your Nerves YouTube/Yoga With Adriene 4. Yoga trains us to accept discomfort We naturally run away from discomfort, but we may experience it while holding various yoga poses. Yoga asks us to experience this uncomfortable feeling for a while and not try to escape it. Knowing that we can experience discomfort and deal with it can help us when coping with anxiety, for example, encouraging us to ride through a panic attack instead of trying to run away from it. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } 20-min yoga for anxiety workout: YouTube/Yoga With Adriene Yoga for anxiety: the scientific evidence In recent years, increasing numbers of scientific studies have backed up the ideas above. Indeed, much of the existing research suggests that yoga is an effective additional therapy for people living with anxiety when used alongside other recommended methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, relaxation techniques and medication. Various studies have been completed which point to the clinical value in including yoga in anxiety treatment. A 2010 study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine compared a group doing a 12-week yoga intervention with a similar group practicing walking instead. Those doing yoga were associated with greater improvements in mood and anxiety than those doing the walking exercise. Similarly, a 2007 study from Adelaide’s University of South Australia that compared yoga with relaxation techniques concluded that a 10-week yoga programme reduces stress, anxiety and improves health status in several key ways. “Because yoga is a mind-body practice, people who do it become more aware of the link between their minds and bodies. This can help them to become less anxious.” Furthermore, a 2005 German study backed up these results. Twenty-four women who described themselves as ‘emotionally distressed’ took two 90-minute yoga classes a week over three months. At the same time, a control group maintained usual activities without engaging in any exercise or stress-reduction techniques. At the end of the three-month practise period, the yoga group of women reported improvements in energy, perceived stress, fatigue and overall well-being. Impressively, depression scores improved by 50 per cent while anxiety scores by 30 per cent. The takeaway: yoga for anxiety As the studies outline above, yoga has proven benefits for those living with anxiety and stress. Regularly practising it can help you to build resilience and regulate your stress response, helping you to feel calmer and happier . ● Are there other ways you've found that yoga helps with anxiety and dealing with stress? Please share with the community below... Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits our magazine and is a lover of swimming, yoga, dancing to house/techno, and all things vintage. Find out more.