How can I calm myself from stress? Methods to help please?

Yes, if you’re feeling stressed and it’s affecting your body or mind, there are ways to help. Stress is a normal response, but when it becomes overwhelming or persistent, it can start to impact your health, focus, sleep, or emotions.
Working with a psychologist can help you: Understand the roots of your stress, learn practical tools to manage it (like breathing, grounding, or cognitive strategies), feel more in control of your emotions and daily life. Feel free to reach out any moment, thank you!

Have a look at the below, you may find it helpful - try to practice them even if you a re not too stressed or your stress is manageable, fit some of it into your everyday life, when you wake up or before you go to bed. If it is not helping enough, think about speaking to a counsellor or psychotherapist to dig deeper and to find out the roots of stress and process it. Good luck.
Quick relaxation will be most effective if you can:
· Find a quiet place.
· Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
· Loosen any tight clothing.
· Close your eyes. (If you wear contact lenses, remove them first if it hurts to<...br/>close your eyes over them.)
Even if you can't do all of these things every time, you can still relax. Your relaxation just may not
be quite as deep as it would have been otherwise.
Below are seven different techniques. Try each one, and see which of them work best for you.

Releasing Muscle Tension
This technique is especially helpful when you are physically tense. It is a quick version of
progressive muscular relaxation (PMR), one of the most extensively studied methods of relaxation.
Begin by closing your eyes. Focus all your attention on the muscles of your body. Start with the
muscles in your feet and work your way up, area by area. As you focus on each area, check for
tension and let it go. If you have time, it helps to tense each area and then release the tension. As
you do so, take deep, slow breaths.
Now, tense and release the muscles in your:
· Feet
· Ankles
· Calves
· Knees
· Thighs
· Buttocks
· Belly
· Chest
· Back
· Shoulders
· Neck
· Scalp
· Forehead
· Eyes
· Mouth and cheeks
· Upper arms
· Lower arms
· Hands

Shaking It Out
Close the door or take a quick look down the hall before you try this. It looks silly, but it’s fast and it
really works. If the silliness makes you laugh while you do it, so much the better. Laughter helps
relax you, too.
Imagine that you are a dog shaking off after getting wet. Now, just like a soaked
dog, shake out your:
· Arms and hands
· Legs and feet
· Head
· Shoulders
Breathing Deeply, Breathing Slowly
Although deep breathing is one of the simplest relaxation techniques, it remains one of the most
effective.
When you take deep breaths correctly, your stomach should rise and fall. This happens for a
simple reason. Beneath your rib cage is a sheet of muscle called the diaphragm. As you breathe
out, the diaphragm pushes upward to press air out of your lungs. This causes your stomach to
cave in. As you breathe in, your diaphragm pushes downward, making your stomach expand.
First, close your eyes and put one hand on your stomach. Then breathe out slowly and completely.
You should be able to feel your stomach cave in as you breathe out. Now breathe in slowly and
deeply. You should feel your stomach expand as you breathe in. Repeat this sequence for as
much time as you have. You’ll probably notice that your breathing naturally becomes slower, and
you can “stop” between breaths, as you become more relaxed. Continue for as much time as you
have available.

Repeating a Pleasing Word
This is a short version of a technique used in transcendental meditation. It is especially useful in
driving away upsetting or intrusive thoughts.
First, choose a word that is meaningful to you or one that you find pleasing. The word can
describe a feeling you wish to experience—such as joy—or a quality you hope to possess. You
could choose a word that reminds you of some relaxing experience or place. Or pick one that has
religious or cultural meaning for you. Or you might simply choose a pleasing sound.
Here are some examples:
· Calm
· Om
· Peace
· Relax
· One
· Love
· Ocean
· Home
· Water
· Warmth
· Sunshine
· Hmmm
Now close your eyes. Take deep, slow breaths as described in the last technique. Each time you
breathe out, repeat the word you’ve chosen. Continue for as much time as you have available.

Heavy And Warm Exercises
Like several of the other techniques, this one is a shortened version of a more intensive method
called autogenic training.
First, close your eyes. Then slowly say the following phrases to yourself:
· My arms are heavy and warm.
· My legs are heavy and warm.
· My solar plexus is warm. (The solar plexus is the area immediately below the
ribcage.)
· My forehead is cool.
· My heartbeat is calm and regular.
· It breathes me. (The idea here is that your breathing is completely
effortless, as if it were being done for you.)
As you say each phrase, try to actually feel it happening. Studies have confirmed that you can
make your hands and feet warmer, your forehead cooler, and your heartbeat calmer through the
power of your mind. And once these changes have taken place, you feel deeply relaxed.
Repeat each phrase three times if time permits.

Visualizing a calm scene, safe place
This technique harnesses the power of your imagination. Choose an activity or place that you
have found deeply relaxing. Then visualize yourself in the midst of it.
You might, for example, imagine that you are:
· Lying in the tall grass of a meadow with a warm sun shining down on you
· Standing by the ocean as the waves wash in and out
· Visiting your favorite vacation spot
· Walking in the cool woods
· Curled up with a book in your favorite chair
· Sitting on a porch or deck in the morning, listening to birds sing
· Sitting in a house of worship
· Listening to a chant or other relaxing sounds.
First, close your eyes. Start by taking several deep, slow breaths. Call up your image as fully as
possible in your mind. What colors do you see? What sounds do you hear? What do you touch?
Are there any pleasant smells or tastes? Breathe slowly and deeply as you bring this all back.
Relax. Relax. Relax.

Stretching Yourself Out
If your muscles have tensed up, this is an excellent way to relax them. As you gradually stretch
your body out, try some deep, slow breathing. It will be easiest to do these stretches standing, but
some can also be done if you’re sitting in a chair and it’s not convenient to stand up.
· Keeping your back straight, look down at the floor to stretch your neck.
Then lean your head to either side to stretch your neck sideways.
· Turn your head to look right, then left, as far as you can.
· Raise your shoulders to your ears and then let them fall.
· Stretch your arms up as high as you can, as if you are trying to touch
the sky. Then bring them down to your sides.
· Bend slowly at the waist and let your arms hang in front of you.
· Stand with your feet spread apart. Raise one arm, then bend over
sideways until your arm is parallel to the floor (or go as far as you can).
Raise the opposite arm and repeat.
· If you can sit down on the floor, spread your legs wide apart and lean
straight forward, then lean forward over each leg.
· If you can lie down on the floor on your back, bend your knees and
bring them to your chest. Do this with both knees together, then
separately.
· If you can lie down on the floor on your stomach with your arms by your
sides, place your head to one side, then to the other. Let yourself feel
the floor fully supporting you and your body sinking deeply into the floor,
feeling heavier…heavier…heavier.

Finding The Time To Relax
Somewhere in each 24-hour day there are a handful of minutes when you could relax. Your body
needs it. Your mind needs it. You deserve it. But unless you actively schedule a time, you can
easily miss out on it.
Right now, think about which of the quick relaxation techniques appeal most to you. Check off one
or more that you would like to use regularly:
o Releasing muscle tension
o Shaking it out
o Breathing deeply, breathing slowly
o Repeating a pleasant word
o Growing warm and heavy
o Visualizing a personal paradise
o Stretching yourself out
Now take a moment to think about when you can fit your favorite technique—or techniques--into
your day. When do you usually have a few minutes to yourself? In the morning? In the
afternoon? After supper? At bedtime?
What is your best time?
Remember, some techniques take less time than others. You can do those on days when you are
especially pressed for time and save others for days that allow you more leisure.
Choosing the techniques you like and using them regularly can help you feel more relaxed much of
the time. By being relaxed much of the time, you can prevent or defuse potentially stressful
situations. Read more

When you experience stress or anxiety, one of the most effective ways to calm yourself is by focusing on your breathing. Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit and allow yourself to take slow, deep breaths. Inhale gently through your nose for about four seconds, hold the breath briefly, then exhale slowly through your mouth for six to eight seconds. This kind of controlled breathing helps activate your body's natural relaxation response, reducing physical tension and calming your mind. Repeating this process several times can help you regain a sense of calm.

In addition to breathing techniques, engaging in activities that bring y...ou comfort such as a short walk, listening to soothing music, or gentle stretching can also support your well-being. If you find that stress is persistent and overwhelming, it is important to seek support from a mental health professional who can help you develop personalized strategies to manage your anxiety effectively. Remember, managing stress is a gradual process, and reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Read more

Well it all depends. Is your stress debilitating or is it manageable? Is it because of a particular thing that happened or is it chronic? Psychotherapy could definitely help you manage it and/or get over it completely. I’d gladly help you with it if you’d do online psychotherapy.
Warm regards,
Archangelos Konstantinidis, MSc

When you feel stress, focus on slow, deep breathing—inhale through your nose, hold briefly, exhale slowly. Use grounding techniques or progressive muscle relaxation AND most important, remind yourself: “This is temporary, I’m safe, I can handle this.” I hope this helps!