4 Steps to managing stress
updated the 24 June 2015 à 10:58Are you suffering from mild stress, or maybe a full-blown panic attack? Here are our remedies to get better fast, even if you have – gasp! – no chocolate at hand!
1) Pretend to be completely confident
It is scientifically proven that seeming relaxed helps lower our levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. The psychology researcher Amy Cuddy from Harvard University has also proven that simply remaining in a position that gives off the impression of being calm has enough power to fool our brains into believing it. Through saliva samples, the researcher noticed that after 2 minutes in these poses, the levels of cortisol in patients had decreased by 20% while that of testosterone, which encourages risk-taking and good self-image, had climbed. So we are able to recover, the solar plexus opens, the tension from the neck and shoulders is released, we smile, and feel especially good.
2) Wash your hands
This may be one of the world’s oldest anti-stress remedies, but you will be amazed at how effective it is. According to a study published by scientists from the University of Michigan in the Science with soap journal in 2010, hand washing can put our ideas more clearly, facilitate decision-making and improve our choices. This subject fascinates researchers, who now want to know what the most effective hand-washing method is (duration, soap, how to rub the hands, etc.) Till we know the results of that, let’s just start the day in the office with a 5-minute hand wash …
3) Breathe right
We hear it everywhere – the best remedy against anxiety is to breathe properly…but what does that actually mean? The most effective way is to breathe through the belly (the chest should not inflate), with the exhale lasting longer than the inhale, and where there is a 3-second pause after each exhale. This stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps calm us down. And if we can empty our mind as we do this, it works even better.
4) Sit in a park
Take advantage of the sunny days to seat yourself in the park (or the nearest green space) next to your office. Japanese researchers measured cortisol levels in young men before and after a 15-minute break on a bench in a green space. The verdict: the stress hormone drops as soon as you find yourself surrounded by trees, plants and flowers.
Maureen Diament
