EXCLUSIVE: Expert lists 5 ways to de stress after a long stressful day

Here are a few ways that will help reduce anxiety and stress after a long day at work.

By Musba Hashmi

Updated on Sep 23, 2021 | 12:44 AM IST | 799K

Follow these ways to relieve stress

A long day at work, the deal that didn’t crack, and a long lecture on that monthly performance by the boss, can all make one feel stressed. So much so, that even sleep decides to part ways for some time. The result? We end up scrolling through our social media, or watching that trending web series. Because why not? It makes us forget the real world and the struggles of it, at least for some time.

However, this is not an option one should resort to. Because no matter how relieved you feel at that moment, it will worsen the condition in the long run and not let sleep cross your path.

Dr. Chandni Tugnait, M.D. (Alternative Medicines), Psychotherapist, Life Coach and Founder-Director, Gateway of Healing, lists ways of how one can de-stress after a stressful day.

Meditate

Daily follow a meditation and mindfulness practice for 5-10 minutes. You can meditate on silence; body scanning or follow a guided meditation. This keeps the focus on the ‘present moment’ and hence greatly reduces stress and anxiety.

Use aromatic diffusers

They enhance the mood and clear the stress. Aromatherapy stimulates the limbic system of the brain that controls emotions and memory.

Maintain a journal

Journal your thoughts, feelings, fears, experiences and ideas to process them in a better way. This is actually a great therapy tool that improves mental health as we do not let things pile up, give space, distance and shape to things while reflecting upon them. This helps in venting, accepting and then finally healing.

Practice left nostril breathing

Do this for a couple of minutes daily to keep stress and anxiety away. Simply take your right hand and, with your fingers outstretched, block off your right nostril by putting gentle pressure on it with your right thumb. Be sure to keep the rest of your fingers straight and pointing up towards the sky; the fingers act like antennas for the “cosmic” energy that surrounds us all.

With a long, slow, deep breath, gently inhale through your left nostril. Then, just as gently, exhale long, slowly and completely, again through the left nostril. Relax your body as you feel the relaxing, cooling breath bringing new life into your body. Relax even deeper with each exhale as you breathe out all tension, all stress, and all disease.

Maintain sleep hygiene

Do this by sticking to the same time for sleeping and waking up daily. Evaluate things that disrupt your sleep so they can be avoided. Block blue light 3-4 hours before you sleep; no TV, no cell phones or iPads!