Several methods, including diaphragmatic meditation, writing it down, and even chewing gum, help calm down and possibly avoid tension.

It’s a paradoxical fact: one of the least efficient (and perhaps most annoying) words to say when somebody feels stressed out is “calm down.”

For individual citizens, the directive has just the inverse result. There might be pure intentions for persons who advise a colleague, employee, or significant one to relax. But avoiding ordering persons to adjust their mental condition and adopt a new approach is generally easier.

Here are some actions that people should take without telling them to calm down when faced with uncomfortable or unpleasant circumstances.

Meditation

People who find mediation relaxing may want to find a peaceful place to do a short meditation session while feeling depressed or upset.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, several reports promote meditation as part of a balanced lifestyle.

However, they are not to substitute meditation alone with conventional drugs, such as those for depression or anxiety.

Yoga

Both the body and the mind are active in yoga. Its success, in part, is attributed to its health advantages for the people who practice it.

According to one report, for example, the effects of yoga for people who need support to calm down include:

  • reducing stress
  • lowering anxiety
  • improving depression symptoms
  • lowering chronic pain
  • To practice the right poses and routines, people will attempt to enroll in a yoga class. Many videos that teach a relaxing ritual are also widely accessible online.

Try breathing diaphragmatically

One of the most important pieces of advice that healthcare providers provide to help patients calm down is deep breathing. When attempting to calm down, though, how a person breathes is more critical than merely taking deep breaths.

Diaphragmatic breathing can help calm the body, as per the authors of a 2017 study. When inhaling, diaphragmatic breathing requires moving the stomach out. During this kind of breathing procedure, the chest does not widen.

Because it can take some getting used to, while they are relaxed, a person may practice the technique of breathing through their diaphragm so that when nervous, irritated, or depressed. They know how to do it.

Write down stuff

Negative emotions as people dwell on them will also sound toxic. However, research says that it may enable an individual to process negative feelings by capturing their thoughts.

In reality, creative writing can help alleviate both physical and psychological symptoms, according to some 2017 research.

Some individuals find writing helpful in a notebook, while others find notes on their computer if they are out and about. For example, when someone is angry with a loved one, it may help to compose a “letter” to the person without mailing it. This could help explain the emotions of an individual and calm them down.

Chew gum

It might sound like an unusual suggestion, but chewing gum may help relieve tension and promote mental focus when multitasking. Although multitasking and under heat, two experiments both showed promising effects from chewing gum.

In a research from 2016, researchers asked the participants to chew gum while facing discomfort. They showed improved mood, decreased stress at work, reduced anxiety, and decreased depressive symptoms.

Summary

Several methods, including diaphragmatic meditation, writing it down, and even chewing gum, help calm down and possibly avoid tension.

For a person to go through traumatic times of their life is natural. These can, though, be short-lived. If this is not the case, or if the symptoms are overwhelming, the individual may talk to a specialist for guidance and medication.

Originally published at Science Times