No yoga this time
Autumn is the best time to sort yourself out. To become aware of your hidden needs, become a friend to your own body and find yourself in this world. This is why we have teamed up with SPLAT Innovation Lab to launch a project that each month will share with you useful materials on how to start living mindfully, caring for your mind, body and spirit.
We have already talked about how you can spend your weekends with maximum benefit to your body. With weekdays, it’s more complicated – how much stress comes with the job alone… Is there a right way to combat it?
To address this question, we held a contest in our Instagram for the best tips to combat stress. Thus, our reader Asya shared the most interesting ways to calm down. And whether they really work or not – explained the guest expert, psychologist Irina Belousova.
1. Identify the cause of stress
Before you tackle stress, you need to work out what’s causing it. Reasons vary, whether it’s an extended absence from work or a move to a new flat. One of the most popular factors is fear.
“To calm down, I ask myself what exactly is bothering me,” says Asya. – Then I try to approximate the realities my frightened mind draws and mentally live them out. I imagine what will happen if my fear is justified and what will happen if it isn’t. And I make sure to remind myself that these are not my first experiences, so that my mind and body can be convinced that “it was, and it’s gone”.
According to psychologist Irina Belousova, the cause of any state of anxiety – it is a conflict, internal or external: “If you break down the conflict in pieces and play all the possible options for its solution, the situation ceases to be perceived by us as something huge, frightening and incomprehensible.
2. Concentrate on detail.
“Focusing on the details is an effective practice for re-establishing contact with yourself in times of stress,” says the psychologist. – A meditative focus on the sensations will help you relax and feel in control.
It’s convenient because it doesn’t require any particular effort or condition. You can concentrate on anything. Asya, for example, often uses it on her way home: synchronizing her steps with the beat of music on her headphones, watching crowds of people on crosswalks, or closing her eyes to try to anticipate a green light.
Oriental practices recommend simply directing our conscious attention to what we are doing. It can be a daily routine like washing our hands or brushing our teeth. It is important not to be distracted by other thoughts and to gently bring the ‘wandering’ mind back to what we are doing.
For example, when washing your hands, you can focus on the feel of the water and soap lather on your skin, on the scent. The choice of scent also matters – it’s better to prefer soothing scents, like BioMio Bio-Soap, which is hypoallergenic and contains lavender and peppermint essential oils. Not only does it calm the nervous system, but it also stimulates our mental activity.
The focus can also be on taste – if you brush with SPLAT STRESS OFF anti-stress toothpaste, it will be a pleasant citrus and herbal taste. Try to concentrate on how the flavour intensifies as the brush gently caresses each tooth – you will soon notice the tension leaving your body as well.
3. Have a digital detox
Check your work email, reply to a few social media posts, read the news, check your email again… And so on all day long. We’re used to always being within reach and keeping a smartphone or laptop handy, but our bodies are not. That’s why it’s so important to control the flow of information we absorb.
“I filter my news feed and periodically do an audit of my social media subscriptions. It’s my cure for missed opportunities syndrome,” Asya explains. – I only keep people I can communicate with. Information from whom I am able and willing to absorb. It’s a pleasant minimum that allows me to keep in touch and doesn’t cause that oppressive feeling of missing out”.
According to the psychologist, pop-up notifications are a prime example of chaotic information flow, which can put a serious strain on the psyche: “You need to periodically unclutter your infospace, leaving only what brings us joy and benefit. By isolating ourselves from the info-noise, we save energy and protect our brain from overload.
4. Tidy up
It’s no secret that tidying up is one of the best cures for moping. It’s also a stress reliever: Cleaning takes your mind off distractions and makes you feel in control of your life-even if it’s just how your flat looks.
“I do basic cleaning: vacuuming, washing the floor, arranging things, washing dishes,” Asya shares. – It’s calming, because I like to know where this or that thing is in my flat. It’s true that I also put my phone in order: I delete apps that I don’t use, “clean” photos, the cache and even the recycle bin. I line up all the tools on my desktop. But this is not about perfectionism, but about the role of everything, about optimizing space.
Psychologist Irina Belousova reminds us that cleaning is important in the fight against stress: “Order outside is order inside. When you tidy up the outside, your thinking becomes a lot easier. Good cleaning works on our psyche no worse than a deep meditation!
The key is to remember that you’re cleaning for yourself. You don’t need to vacuum if you have a long-standing feud with the appliance. You don’t need to tidy up your whole flat to distract and calm down if that’s too much for you. A clean kitchen might be enough for you.
Think about it – is there anything you particularly enjoy doing? It might be cleaning mirrors, or changing the sheets. Many people like to wash dishes by hand – despite having a dishwasher. Anything that makes you feel good is fine – but as long as you use natural products that don’t contain any synthetic compounds. This way you’re protecting not only your skin and lungs but also your nervous system.
And don’t forget to focus on the details! But when better than when you’re cleaning, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the little things around you.
5. Take care of the body
The body is often the victim of our stressful condition: Some people regularly forget to brush their teeth, others cannot find the energy to wash their hair. When we’re in a constant state of anxiety and stress, it seems unimportant. But it doesn’t.
“If you neglect the body, it will take over and absorb stress like a sponge,’ explains the psychologist. – Try to recognise and respond to body signals. And even better – take care of your physical wellbeing in advance. The body will be grateful to you for your daily regime, good quality and beautiful food, sufficient sleep, a good sex life, regular exercise and preventive medical check-ups.
Taking care of our bodies affects more than just how we look. So when we wash our hair with natural balms and shampoos that contain essential oils – particularly products from the BIONYTI range, which are suitable for everyone in the family – we’re doing aromatherapy. It’s what many experts advise as a way to combat fatigue and stress, as the oils relieve nervous tension, lower blood pressure and normalise sleep.
Photo #4 – Simple and effective: 5 ways to find inner peace
The same goes for other treatments: when we use facial masks, cleanse our skin and take a bubble bath. Or when we use foams and mouthwashes – some of which, like the SPLAT Professional range, contain extracts with antioxidant properties.
Even if you choose just one soothing action from the list, we’re sure you’ll make a big difference. Because the most important thing is to pay attention to yourself. Understand and acknowledge that your body can’t cope with stress. And help it, if only by refusing the notifications on your phone.
