Managing Stress

Did you know that all emotions serve a purpose? It can be unhelpful to think of emotions as “good” or “bad” but rather as reactions to events and situations that move us to act in certain ways, depending on the situation. (The word ‘emotion’ comes the Latin emovere, meaning to ‘move out’, ‘agitate’, ‘stir up.’)

In a nutshell, emotions help us navigate and understand our world. For example, anger might indicate something important to us has been violated and drive us to set boundaries. Anxiety can heighten our awareness and take necessary action in a situation. Sadness helps us process disappointment and loss and increase our compassion for others. Even disgust serves a useful purpose, motivating us to stay away from unhealthy or harmful situations. 

Your mind’s job is to keep you surviving the best way it knows how (watch this short animation for more info on that). Sometimes, it does its job too well and this is when emotions can feel overwhelming and cause us problems. 

Fortunately, there are some techniques we can use to regulate and manage emotions when they become a bit too much. These techniques might not get rid of the emotion altogether, but they can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and give you the space needed to ground yourself and lessen any tension you feel. 

Here are some you can try…

1. Physiological Sigh
   Time needed: immediate
   A physiological sigh is two deep inhalations followed by a prolonged exhale, designed to help reset and regulate the respiratory system. It involves taking two deep breaths in, holding it for a moment, and then exhaling slowly and completely. This type of sigh can help increase lung capacity and promote relaxation. Watch this short video to learn more see how it’s done. 
    
2. Drop anchor exercise
   Time needed: 2-3 minutes
   This exercise helps us “get out of our minds” and into the present when we feel overwhelmed. When we’re stressed, we typically get carried away by our thoughts and feelings. Using this brief exercise can help you create some psychological distance from stressful feelings. Here’s a handy infographic to show you how. 
    
3. 4-7-8 breathing
   Time needed: 2 minutes
   This breathing technique stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming the body's "fight or flight" response. If done before bedtime, it can also calm the mind and body, promoting better sleep. Here’s how to do it. 
    
4. Yoga Nidra
   Time needed: ~10 minutes
   This gentle yoga practice (typically done lying down) aims to bring about deep physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. Benefits of Yoga Nidra include reduced stress and anxiety, improved sleep quality, enhanced self-awareness, and a heightened sense of well-being. Here’s a 10-minute guided exercise to try.