4 Exercises That Help You to Stay Calm During Stress

Stress is a normal part of life, and it’s something that everyone experiences at some point. While some stress can be beneficial and motivate us to take action, too much stress can negatively affect our mental and physical health.

Chronic stress can contribute to various health problems, including anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Fortunately, there are many ways to manage stress; one of the most effective ways is through exercise. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of four exercises that help you to stay calm during stress and boost your confidence.

1. Yoga 

Yoga is an ancient practice of mind and body that combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation or relaxation techniques. It involves a series of postures and breathing exercises that help calm down your mind.

According to research, yoga has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood and sleep, and increase overall well-being. It’s one of the best vagus nerve exercises to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

There are various styles of yoga, including Hatha, Vinyasa, and Ashtanga, among others.

So it’s important to find one that suits your needs and preferences. Here are some yoga poses that can help you stay calm during stress:

Child’s Pose

This pose involves kneeling on the floor and reaching your arms forward. It helps to release tension in the back and neck, promoting relaxation.

Downward-facing Dog

For this pose, you have to place your hands and feet on the ground and lift your hips toward the ceiling. It allows you to stretch the hamstrings and calves and provide relaxation.

Tree Pose

This pose involves standing on one leg and placing the sole of the other foot on the inner thigh of the standing leg. This technique helps you to improve balance while having a nice and relaxed feeling.

2. Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that involves slow, graceful movements and deep breathing. This is a popular exercise to increase overall well-being by improving flexibility and reducing various types of chronic pain.

People of all ages and fitness levels can practice this low-impact exercise. Here are some Tai Chi exercises that can help you stay calm during stress and anxiety:

Cloud Hands

For this movement, you have to move your arms in a circular motion while shifting your weight from one leg to the other. This is one of the basic movements of Tai Chi, which can give you a sense of calm and peace.

Snake Creeps Down

This movement involves squatting down while reaching your arms forward and standing up while raising your arms above your head. This position greatly helps with your flexibility and reduces stress.

White Crane Spreads Its Wings

To achieve this movement, you have to stand on one leg and raise the other leg behind you while reaching your arms forward. The practice of the Cloud Hands movement in Tai Chi can enhance balance and induce relaxation.

3. Pilates

Pilates is a low-impact exercise that focuses on strengthening the body’s core muscles. It involves a series of movements that are performed slowly and with control.

This exercise significantly enhances flexibility, balance, and posture and reduces stress and anxiety. Pilates is often practiced using a mat, but you can also use special equipment such as a reformer. You can try these pilates exercises to stay calm during stressful situations:

The Hundred

To perform this exercise, you must first lay on your back with your legs raised and your arms reaching forward. Then, pump your arms up and down while breathing deeply. This is one of the best exercises for heart health as it improves the body’s blood circulation.

The Roll-up

For this, you have to lay on your back and roll up to a seated position while reaching your arms forward. This exercise increases your core strength and releases stress.

The Spine Stretch

This exercise involves sitting with your legs extended in front of you and reaching your arms forward. You then exhale and reach forward as far as you can while keeping your back straight. It helps to stretch the spine and promote relaxation.

4. Mindful Meditation

Mindful meditation means focusing your attention on the present moment and becoming aware of your thoughts without judgment. It’s proved to be effective in reducing stress and increasing the overall quality of life. There are many different types of mindful meditation, including the following:

Body Scan

For this meditation, you have to perform several steps, including lying down and focusing your attention on different parts of your body.  starting at the top of your head and moving down to your toes. It will increase your body awareness and put your mind at ease.

Breath Awareness

This exercise involves focusing your attention on your breath and noticing the sensation of the air moving in and out of your body.

Loving-kindness Meditation

This meditation’s main theme is sending positive thoughts and feelings to yourself and others. It helps cultivate compassion and empathy and reduces stress and anxiety.

In addition to these exercises, here are some tips for incorporating exercise into your daily routine:

Find an activity you enjoy: If you don’t enjoy the exercise, find an activity you do, then stick with it.

Start small: If you’re new to exercise, start small and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts.

Make it a habit: Incorporate exercise into your daily routine by scheduling it at the same time each day.

Mix it up: Incorporating various exercises into your routine can help prevent boredom and keep you motivated.

Conclusion 

Whether you prefer yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, or mindful meditation, there are numerous exercises that can help you manage stress and improve your mental health.

By incorporating regular exercise into your daily routine and following the tips mentioned above, you can reduce stress, improve your mood, and enjoy a happier life.