Exclusively written for aromaretail.com by Audrey Wade

Aromatherapy and More: 5 Easy Ways to Relieve Stress - There’s nothing unnatural about feeling stressed. Stress hormones send signals to your body to go into a state of “fight or flight” and to push through nerve-wracking situations like speaking in front of a crowd or finishing a swimming competition. See, in some situations, stress can be the appropriate response.

However, excessive and persistent stress can lead to wear and tear on the mind and body. You may feel overwhelmed and find it difficult to cope, which is why you need to actively find easy ways to relax and release this stress.

Aromatherapy

The Journal of Advanced Nursing published a study showing aromatherapy as an effective tool for patients in intensive care to feel less anxious and more positive immediately. This is a lesson that you can apply at home, says behavioral health therapist Jane Ehrman, MEd. on a Cleveland Clinic write-up on aromatherapy.

Each scent brings with it a specific benefit for your overall well-being. Scents like lavender and bamboo can help you feel more relaxed and less anxious, while zesty scents like lemon and pomegranate boost your energy. You can browse through our collection of “Comforting Scents” for aromatherapy blends and fragrances that allow you to relax at home whether that be through candles, diffusers, or body products.

Mindful Breathing

This is one of the quickest and easiest ways you can relieve stress—and it won’t even cost you a single penny.

It’s also a very discreet way to calm yourself down and relax, perfect for when you’re in a stressful meeting or when you’re in a place surrounded by a lot of people. There are a number of breathing techniques that you can try. One of the simplest exercises that wellness coach Elizabeth Scott recommends is inhaling through the nose and counting to three, holding that breath in for a second, and then slowly exhaling through your nose for another three seconds.

Developing a Good Skincare Routine

There’s an undoubtedly therapeutic quality to “me time,” and in a Rodan + Fields study, chief scientific officer Dr. Tim Falla claims that there is significant evidence that connects an individual’s skin health with their emotional well-being and stress levels.

So go ahead and indulge yourself with a fabulous skincare routine, but make sure that it suits your skin type. As lifestyle writer Sheena Dizon emphasizes in a PrettyMe writeup on AR Vitamin E Cream, make sure to do a skin patch test when you integrate new skincare products into your routine to test skin compatibility and spare yourself from the added stress of dealing with allergies. Do this by applying a bit of product to a small area on your neck or behind the ear and a small patch on your arm and leave it on for 24 hours, so you can check for any irritation.

Chew Gum

You might be surprised to know that chewing gum actually helps relieve stress and anxiety. Emerging studies have found out that people who chew gum have a greater sense of well-being and generally lower stress levels than those that don’t. Participants of the study even claimed that they felt greater stress relief when they chewed more strongly.

Dietician Kerri-Ann Jennings explains that this may be because chewing gum promotes blood flow to the brain and that it also creates brain waves that mimic those found when you’re in a relaxed state.

Listening to music

Music is something people naturally turn to in times of distress, and rightly so. Like scents, different types of music elicit different responses. Classical music, for example, is believed to be calming and soothing. However, music preference varies from person to person.

A writeup on Psychology Today detailing how music impacts our emotions emphasizes how music helps us with "emotion regulation." Music is used to energize, maintain focus, and even disengage from distressing situations. There are many ways to utilize music in our day-to-day lives, and you may find that listening to your favorite music can help you de-stress.

Stress is something that’s constant in your life and that’s okay, but make sure to always take a moment to relax and unwind. You have a wealth of quick and convenient stress relief activities to tide you through the next stressful day.