10 Weird and Unusual Ways to Lower Stress — Part 2
More gems to lower your stress levels that are mostly not talked about
Welcome to part two of 10 weird and unusual ways to lower your stress.
If you haven't read part one check it out here.
As I said last time these are not your usual ways to de-stress: meditation, mindfulness, exercise, etc.
Nothing wrong with these of course, but it's good to have other options and ones that are a bit different.
They make life more interesting.
Just like the previous methods presented they are based on things I've personally tried along with what others have tried out.
Without further ado here they are:
1. Dive into a new reality
Either take yourself to a VR place or consider buying a VR set. One of my friends recently purchased a virtual martial arts set and finds it the perfect destresser. They work up in a sweat in 10 minutes and feel better. There are so many sets you could look into.
2. Watch ASMR videos
ASMR means the tingling sensation you get on your scalp which moves down your neck when you find something soothing. ASMR is known as ‘brain message’. Watch this short YouTube video and see if it calms you down. Many claim to solve their problems and improve their focus just after a few minutes of watching these videos.
3. Use aromatherapy
I've been using aromatherapy since my high school years. I love to burn oils There’s a lot of scientific research on aromatherapy. Smell is powerful and linked to the limbic system which controls emotions and memories. I love the combination of Australian oils: eucalyptus, lemon myrtle, and tea tree. It instantly transports me to the Australian bush.
4. Do a jigsaw puzzle
When feeling stressed stop everything and get out a jigsaw puzzle. Best not to do a really complicated one as that might make you more stressed. So instead go for a more simple one, not too simple of course that there's no challenge. I recently bought a lavender-scented jigsaw puzzle. It releases the scent. There are even online jigsaw puzzles you can check out. Here is one example.
5. Colour in book
One of my old friends swore by this. She was in her final year of her Ph.D. at university and told me every time she felt stress coming on she would get a coloring book, a children's one, and color in. In recent years coloring in has become popular and there are tons of adult coloring in books on the market.
6. Fantasize about being someone different
The above friend of mine told me that her Ph.D. supervisor once shared with her that every time she would feel stressed from teaching she would step into her PG fantasy of being a waitress at a diner. It would instantly calm her down. What is it for you? Police officer, Librarian, Maid, Butler, etc. Feel free to make it R-rated if PG is too vanilla.
7. Visit a library
I know it's not always possible to visit a library when you are feeling stressed but if it is please do so. Libraries are magical places with a calming effect. They are a vital part of the community. Yet so many people still overlook them. The wisdom of the world is in a library. If you cant visit a library perhaps consider taking a virtual tour of a library anywhere in the world.
8. Feel the heat
There is something about heat that I find very relaxing and calming. Aside from having a warm shower or bath, why not go to a steam room or sauna. It's perfect for releasing stress and toxins in your body. Consider building your own sauna or steam room at your home. There are a lot of DIY options.
9. Be a child again
I once knew a CEO of a big company in Australia who when feeling “under the pump” as he put it would unleash his inner child and play with Play-Doh, Lego, toy trucks, you name it. It instantly distressed him and got him back on track.
10. Chew on it
Someone I once used to volunteer with told me that any time she felt stress coming on she would chew gum and in a few moments, she was back to calm. Apparently, it worked like a charm! I've personally tried this but haven't seen great results but that doesn't mean you won't. We are all different.
There you have it — 10 weird & unusual ways to lower stress.
Even before you feel stress coming on, incorporate some of these fascinating and unique ways to feel calm into your daily life long before stress hits.
After all, “Prevention is better than cure” as they say.
They will make your life more interesting and best of all you’ll find them fun to do. It won't be another thing to do that feels like a chore.
To recap here they are:
- Dive into a new reality with VR
- Watch ASMR videos
- Use aromatherapy
- Do a jigsaw puzzle
- Colour in book
- Fantasize about being someone different
- Visit a library (or take a virtual tour of one)
- Feel the heat (sauna & steam)
- Be a child again
- Chew gum
I hope I have given you plenty to think about in both these pieces.
I can't encourage you enough to experiment and try some of these out for yourself.
I also recommend that you come up with your own ways of lowering stress that are a bit out there and different.
Most importantly of all, I wish you all the best in keeping stress away as much as possible from your life.
Stress is a big culprit in our society and zaps away at our happiness and drains much of our energy.
So we need to do all we can to prevent it and when it does show up be prepared to deal with it by having tools in our arsenal to cope with it.
These tools presented here and in the previous piece are a great start to arm yourself against stress.
To Creating a Better You,
Sandra
P.S. Please share these with your friends and family to give them different ideas to reduce stress. I think in this overly saturated information age we are starving for ideas that are a bit different.
