What innovative approaches can you use to reduce stress?

Laughter is good but I find smiling has the same effect as laughing and can be developed as a habit also . I have tried this , when I launched a world wide experiment on SMILE 😀😁 Another innovative ways is our breathing. Breathing pattern changes when we are under stress, when we are experiencing tention , anxiety, worries and also feeling low . Although breathing is automatic but it can be done consciously and this works like a miracle . Soon it becomes a habit too .In my workshops I have used this and feedback is good . Stress has two cycles one is disease cycle which everyone is quite familiar, but there is wellness cycle also which not only helps in managing stress but in enjoying stress . If we see the stress reaction is to help us

I would use the innovation of my StayOnKey assessment program, where it literally pin points within the body is mental and emotional structure where the triggers sit to create ill health, both mentally physically and emotionally.

What's funny is to see how the mind - when it gets negative, just goes all in and gets negative about anything it comes across ... ever noticed that? I find it's much easier to call its bluff when you write the thoughts down and look at the nature of them. They can be nasty, so negative, such a bummer, rude and downright ridiculous! And when you're in a funky energy, everything gets seen from that lens. Once we can see this mechanism at play - that disturbed energy - we can have a bit of a laugh at falling for it as "the truth". It's quite like when you're hungry or tired and suddenly realize that the physical condition is making you cranky and see things as negative - rather than the truth of life / your situation.

🌟 One of the best approaches to navigating stress and personal competence is self-awareness and self-management. 🌟 Understanding the degree and duration of stress, we realize we are the ones responsible. If we can manage our own competence, it supports resolving 60% of problems. Recognize the sources of stress, whether internal or external, and cultivate the skill of attention. This can be the best tool to improve performance and address stress effectively.

Please keep focus on topics with intuition. Avoid being critical about personalities, as that is the lowest state of mind. Forgive haters, and love them, because with experience, we come to know that there is no doer in any doership (Ego), except God's power, without attachment. Worship Lord residing at Heart Centre (Anahata of subtle body), close to human heart. Yoga teaches true surrender. There is no othe means reducing stress. God willing, we will go stress free as Ego will be dissolved awakening Mother Spirit, deli\uding us to be enactors of our routine, which turns out to be a grand illusion. Om Shanti Om🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

I have worked with patients who are unable to recognize the beginning signs of stress or anxiety because there is such a huge disconnect between their mind and body. I love introducing them to heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. Your heart beats at a specific rate at all times. That rate changes depending on what you're doing at the time. Slower heart rates happen when you're resting or relaxed and faster rates happen when you're active or stressed. This can be a concrete way to begin noticing physiological changes that occur when we are stressed. With fitness trackers we have access to this type of information-helping us identify what state we’re in and allowing us to immediately intervene to regulate our nervous system.

Aroma in the form of pure essential oils can be a great stress buster. Lavender is the most common essential oil to invoke a relaxing, calming effect. Just add a few drops to a carrier oil such as almond or olive oil and rub in the palm of your hands. Bring your palms to your nose and inhale deeply. Then massage your own shoulders and the back your neck. Carry with for a quick fix on the go!

🌟 Biofeedback is an essential technique for managing stress. 🌟 It helps understand the real sources of stress, measuring changes with apps or trained professionals. By identifying the fight, flight, or freeze response, tailored stress management tools can be applied effectively. Use apps for self-help or seek support from others and therapists.

I combine biofeedback with a somatic (body) check in with the people I work with, mainly heart rate variability (HRV) & heart rate (HR). HRV is a measure of the variation in time between heart beats, it reflects how efficiently our autonomic nervous system is working. We can measure it in various ways including a chest strap & app and/or using things like smartwatches (not as accurate). Tracking HRV can show how the body is responding to different factors eg exercise & sleep. HR can be a useful measure in number of ways, for example what happens in normal breathing & in slow diaphragmatic breathing. It often takes time for people to be able to feel how the body is responding, combining biofeedback with sensing in the body can be helpful.

I regularly recommend neurofeedback for my patients as part of a complete treatment plan for depression and anxiety. Over the years, I have seen it be transformative in the emotional landscape of my patients. It is empowering, it is relatively easy to do and most importantly, it works.

As a child, I loved to draw or make things using dry pasta or paper mache !! I buy colouring books and books with blank pages along with crayons and felt tips. It’s such a liberating feeling to just draw whatever comes into my mind, I don’t care if my efforts look childish, I just go for it. We’ve all drawn the house with curtains in the window and flowers as tall as the house, the sun in the top corner and a big block of blue and green for the sky and grass. It evokes happy childhood memories where the only concern was play and satisfying hunger pangs !! I was a happy child even as a child carer, I played all the time, so as an adult, I go back to things that make me feel carefree, to help manage stress. Ice cream helps too !

🌟 Everyone possesses unique strengths and superpowers, hindered only by our busy minds. 🌟 Discover your values, strengths, and weaknesses. Recognize your passions and abilities through activities like painting and drawing. Connect with your inner self to illuminate subconscious thoughts. Let's embrace our emotions; they guide us like great captains in life.

Unleashing creativity quells stress and nourishes the soul. Through artistic expression we give shape to unspoken emotions, channeling inner turbulence into tangible form. The flow state that art induces locks focus into the present, granting respite from recursive thoughts. Experimenting with visual arts stimulates the mind yet soothes anxiety. You needn't be an expert, just an open heart and imagination. Art's alchemy transforms tension into joy and connection. A powerful stress relief tool available to all.

Art has two benefits. It allows us to be playful. It also allows you to focus. Meditation is focused attention. When we immerse ourselves in an art project, we gain the psycho-physical benefits of meditation.

And while you've got those tunes playing, move your body. Sway with the soul music, bebop with the jazz, boogaloo with the reggae, cut loose with the 80s.... Whatever mood you're trying to get into, start the scene with some music and let your body move so you can melt that stress away.

There are very few things more important in my life than music. It has always been there for me, a constant companion, ready to help me - to rescue me - no matter how I am feeling. Sometimes, meditation seems a little too intimidating for my patients. As I tell them, don't overthink this. Pick three or four songs that you truly love. Pop on your headphones. Then sit back and just allow yourself to listen to the music for those 15 minutes. Don't let anything else encroach on that special time. This is the essence of meditation and it can be very healing.

Music's magic weaves directly into our emotional state, unwinding tension as the notes unspool. By lowering cortisol and elevating mood-boosting dopamine, music becomes an elixir that restores balance amid stress. Harmonies regulate breathing and heart rate, while lyrics can inspire and uplift. Curate playlists to match or change your mood. Sing, dance, play along - fully immerse in the experience. Let rhythm realign and melody soothe. An accessible, pleasurable stress relief tool with science-backed benefits.

Listening to music that feels good is an excellent way to release stress. Even better if you can sing loudly along with the music and dance energetically.

🌟 Gratitude is a personal approach that boosts rewards, inspires, stabilizes mood, and enhances trust, empathy, serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine. Regular practice enhances life with small steps, reducing mistrust, boosting belief systems, minimizing negative self-talk, and toxic relationships. 🌟

Gratitude works like a quick shift. Counting one's blessings immediately grounds a person and brings all the past happenings into the now. This potential of gratitude then shifts ones perspectives of one's life situation and brings a positive feel into the moment.

What I love about gratitude is that it’s a very simple practice to incorporate into our day that yields cumulative benefits. Feeling and expressing gratitude three times a day and holding that state for 12 seconds eventually results in a propensity to look for the good things in a given moment, experience or day. And considering we’re hardwired to be negative, any help we can get in being more positive is a fabulous thing. In addition to having positive effects on our mental health and outlook, we also reap the physiological benefits!

Gratitude isn't merely an emotion—it's a powerful catalyst for positive change! As a psychiatrist, I've seen the transformative power of gratitude in mental well-being. Taking a moment each day to appreciate the positives, no matter how small, fosters resilience, enhances mood, and builds stronger connections.

Appreciating what is good in your life enhances your ability to see what is good in your life. When you focus on the positive, your perspective shifts and stress is eased.

Some of the simplest forms of stress relief— Lay in the sun listening to the sounds of nature Volunteer Lay next to or cuddle your pet Hug someone for 30 seconds Get a massage All of these activities will boost oxytocin while reducing the stress hormone norepinephrine and produce a sense of relaxation.

The stress response is well embedded in our DNA. In our ancestors, the stress response made the difference between life and death. In today's world however, our brain has not had enough time to be able to differentiate between a sabertooth tiger in the past and a late mortgage payment today. These responses to stress are automatic and instant. Knowing this, we must come up with good strategies to deal with our stress. It takes effort to be able to calm oneself down through whatever means we choose. But we must take that time, with deliberate practice, to learn how to calm ourselves down. Because unchecked stress will lead not only to a lower quality of life, but a shorter life. Taking time to relax is not indulgent, it is critical.

Through my experiences, I’ve learned that: - Engaging in service. - Associating with those that are vibrating at a higher frequency. - Channeling our energy into something that has a higher purpose, such as art, music, writing, comedy, yoga etc. - Mantra Meditation. - Counting our blessings…. Gratitude keeps us grounded, it reminds us to be grateful for the smallest things that we normally take for granted. - Gardening. - Cow cuddling, it’s scientifically proven that cow cuddling helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression. - speaking our heart out in confidence to someone who we trust, if that does not help then seek professional help. These are just some of the things that can help us when we are at our lowest.

One should also explore the "Power of Breathing Right!" Pranayam is a way of life since ancient days! Breathing rhythmically for only 30 seconds helps relieve stress instantly.

Surrender to God who expresses us, with us as same transcendental medium. We are not the medium. We are the light that illuminates it. Yoga teaches true' surrender. 🙏🙏🙏