15 Science-Backed Techniques to Destress Fast

Life moves fast, and stress often moves faster. When anxiety spikes, you need relief—stat.

Luckily, science shows many techniques can calm your nervous system quickly and effectively:

• Progressive muscle relaxation melts tension in just 10-15 minutes
• Aromatherapy’s floral scents soothe anxiety in seconds
• Laughter therapy lifts moods for hours

Discover 15 techniques to clear cortisol, ease anxiety, and boost relaxation fast. Quick fixes take just 1-5 minutes, while lifestyle adjustments provide ongoing stress protection.

With this guide, you’ll build your resilience and find healthy ways to chill when things get tense. Take a deep breath and dive in. Calm awaits.

1. Progressive Relaxation

Progressive relaxation involves tensing and then releasing each muscle group in the body, starting from the fingers and moving all the way to the toes. This technique has been shown to help ease anxiety and calm depression.

To practice progressive relaxation:

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position
• Take a few deep breaths to begin
• Tense one muscle group at a time (e.g. make a tight fist, flex feet)
• Hold the tension for 5-10 seconds
• Release the tension suddenly
• Notice how the muscle feels when tensed versus when relaxed
• Move through all major muscle groups in the body

Start from the fingers, hands, and arms. Move to the head, face, and neck. Continue down through the toes, feet, legs, back, chest, and abdomen. Tensing and relaxing the muscles brings awareness to tension you may not have noticed before. Releasing this tension induces physical and mental calm.

Benefits:

• Lowers stress hormones like cortisol
• Slows heart rate
• Lowers blood pressure
• Eases anxiety
• Promotes relaxation

Length: 10-15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

2. Yoga

Yoga combines deep breathing techniques and poses, making it a potent stress relief tool. Hatha yoga, with its gentle movements, may be especially good for inducing a state of calm.

Benefits:

• Lowers blood pressure and heart rate
• Releases calming hormones
• Centers awareness on the present
• Loosens tense muscles
• Clears the mind

Poses to Try:

• Child’s Pose
• Forward Fold
• Bridge Pose
• Legs Up the Wall
• Corpse Pose

Length: 30-60 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate

3. Massage

Getting a massage can do more than alleviate physical pain. Research shows that even a quick massage can reduce stress and lower blood pressure.

If a professional massage isn’t possible, try trading massages with a friend or partner. Focus on shoulders, neck, upper back, temples, and feet. Even a short 5-10 minute rub can induce relaxation.

Benefits:

• Releases tight, overused muscles
• Boosts mood
• Lowers heart rate and cortisol
• Improves sleep
• Provides human touch

Length: 5-90 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

4. Power Nap

After a night spent tossing and turning, a quick power nap could be just the thing to give your brain a boost. Napping has been shown to reduce levels of cortisol and other stress hormones.

Tips for Productive Napping:

• Nap for 10-30 minutes
• Time naps for early-to-mid afternoon
• Nap in a dim, quiet place
• Set an alarm to prevent oversleeping
• Pair with caffeine for an extra boost

Benefits:

• Sharper focus
• Improved memory
• Enhanced creativity
• More energy
• Less stress

Length: 10-30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

5. Listen to Music

Music has the ability to dampen levels of the hormone cortisol, and ease stress in the process. Calming tunes like light jazz or classical music can be particularly effective.

Create playlists that:

• Have slow tempos
• Use gentle instrumentation
• Promote peacefulness
• Lack lyrics

Benefits:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Decreases stress hormones
• Induces mental calm
• Enhances mood
• Promotes mindfulness

Length: 10-60 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

6. Spend Time in Nature

A quiet, meditative stroll in the woods can do wonders for stress relief. No need to rush; take whatever pace feels most natural.

If you don’t live near nature, simple acts like walking barefoot on the grass, sitting under a shady tree, or watching birds can also be relaxing.

Benefits:

• Boosts mood
• Reduces blood pressure
• Lowers stress hormone levels
• Promotes a sense of awe and wonder
• Encourages mindfulness

Length: 30-120 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

7. Aromatherapy

Sniffing essential oils, particularly lavender, can significantly reduce stress levels.

Oils to Try:

• Lavender
• Bergamot
• Rose
• Clary Sage
• Sweet Orange

Diffuse oils at home or apply diluted oils directly to pulse points like wrists and temples. Deeply inhaling these floral and citrus scents activates calming regions in the brain.

Benefits:

• Eases anxiety
• Promotes relaxation
• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves sleep

Length: 5-20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

8. Quick Shower or Bath

Taking a shower or bath can intercept the stress response. Hot and cold showers each have effects on hormone and neurotransmitter levels, reducing cortisol and releasing endorphins.

Hot Shower: Stand under warm-to-hot water for 2-5 minutes. Let the heat relax tense muscles.

Cold Shower: End with 30-90 seconds of cool water. This activates the nervous system and gets blood pumping.

Benefits:

• Soothes achy muscles
• Boosts circulation
• Stimulates alertness
• Releases endorphins

Length: 5-10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

9. Deep Breathing

Deep breathing or “cyclic sighing” can have positive effects on mood and stress levels. Just five minutes of this practice can make a difference.

Technique:

• Inhale deeply and quickly through the nose
• Exhale slowly out the mouth with lips pursed
• Make exhale about twice as long as inhale
• Repeat for 5-15 cycles of breath

Place hands on lower belly to feel it rise and fall with each inhale and exhale. This calms the nervous system and promotes mindfulness.

Benefits:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Decreases heart rate
• Reduces tension
• Clears and focuses the mind

Length: 5-15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

10. Chew Gum

Chewing gum may take the edge off your perception of stress. Infrequent chewers who ramped up gum chewing reported a reduction in stress and anxiety.

The rhythmic motion of chewing releases tension in the jaw, face, and skull. This sends calming signals to the brain. Flavors like peppermint can provide an extra boost.

Benefits:

• Alleviates anxiety
• Improves mood
• Enhances alertness
• Reduces stress hormone levels

Length: 5-30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

11. Laugh Out Loud

Find genuine laughter through funny videos, jokes with friends, or amusing situations. Mirthful laughter for 15-30 minutes can lower stress by reducing serum cortisol, epinephrine, and dopac levels.

Laughter therapy in groups has shown particular benefits for mental health. But even giggling along with silly internet videos can lift the mood.

Benefits:

• Boosts mood through dopamine and endorphins
• Lowers stress hormones
• Provides an emotional release
• Strengthens social bonds

Length: 15-30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

12. Meditation

Meditation takes many forms, but the basics focus on training attention. By repeatedly bringing your focus back to something like the breath, meditation builds mental calmness and resilience.

Techniques to Try:

• Mindfulness of breath
• Body scan
• Walking meditation
• Loving-kindness

Apps like Headspace and Calm provide excellent guided options. Start with 5-10 minutes and work up from there.

Benefits:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces stress hormones
• Builds gray matter in the brain
• Improves emotional regulation

Length: 5-60 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner to Advanced

13. Hot Beverage

Sipping a steaming cup of tea, coffee, or nut milk can charge up your parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system. The aroma, flavor, warmth, and act of sipping elicits relaxation.

Beverages to Sip:

• Chamomile or lavender tea
• Decaf coffee
• Golden milk with turmeric
• Warm apple cider

Pair your hot drink with a cozy blanket, good book, or pleasant view for maximum effect. The simple ritual elicits hygge – a Scandinavian concept of coziness, comfort, and wellbeing.

Benefits:

• Activates parasympathetic nervous system
• Boosts mood
• Promotes hygge – a feeling of coziness
• Provides comfort through aroma and flavor

Length: 10-30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

14. Self-Massage

Use tennis balls, foam rollers, or massage tools like Theragun percussion massagers to give yourself a massage. Target commonly overused and tense areas like:

• Neck
• Shoulders
• Upper back
• Lower back
• Feet

Slowly rolling and applying pressure increases blood flow to the muscles. This along with deep breathing elicits whole-body relaxation.

Benefits:

• Releases muscular tension
• Boosts circulation
• Activates parasympathetic nervous system
• Eases soreness from exercise

Length: 5-15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

15. Guided Imagery

Also called visualization, guided imagery involves envisioning peaceful scenes in your mind to promote relaxation. You can find free scripts or recordings to help guide your mental journey.

Start by getting comfortable and closing your eyes. As you hear descriptions of serene settings, use all your senses to imagine yourself there. This immersive experience redirects your focus inward.

Places to Visualize:

• Beach
• Forest
• River
• Meadow
• Mountain

Benefits:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces muscle tension
• Eases anxiety
• Builds mindfulness

Length: 10-30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Additional Quick Fixes

The following fast-acting stress remedies take just 1-5 minutes:

Splash cold water on your face – Engages the mammalian diving response, slowing the heart rate.

Eat or drink something cold – Soothes inflammation pathways involved in chronic stress.

Look at cute animal photos – Boosts oxytocin, the “love hormone” that induces good feelings.

Squeeze a stress ball – Releases tension through the muscles and fingertips.

Do 10 pushups or squats – Gets blood and endorphins flowing to relieve anxiety.

Sniff a fruity or floral scent – Activates calming regions deep in the brain.

Call a loved one – Social connection releases bonding hormones like oxytocin.

Declutter your space – Clearing physical clutter also clears mental clutter.

While brief, activating these biological triggers can reboot your system – easing tension where you need it most. Look for opportunities to incorporate these micro-breaks throughout your day.

Lifestyle Adjustments

In addition to specific stress relief techniques, adjusting certain lifestyle factors can lower your overall stress levels:

Sleep: Get 7-9 hours per night. Maintain a consistent routine. Limit blue light exposure before bed with blue light blocking glasses. Create an optimal sleep environment that is cool, dark and quiet.

Exercise: Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate activity like walking or 30 minutes most days. Balance cardio, strength training and flexibility. Exercise releases endorphins and lowers stress hormone levels.

Nutrition: Eat regular, balanced meals with lean protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Stay hydrated with herbal tea and water. Limit sugar, unhealthy fats and processed foods.

Time Management: Prioritize important tasks. Batch similar tasks to improve efficiency. Take frequent breaks to recharge. Give yourself grace on extra busy days.

Adjusting these pillars of health can enhance your everyday state of calm. Supporting overall wellbeing gives your nervous system the reserves to handle stress as it arises.

When to Seek Help

While lifestyle changes and stress management techniques are extremely worthwhile, counseling may also be beneficial. If you are experiencing:

• Excessive or unrelenting feelings of anxiety and panic
• Intense irritability or anger
• Sadness that persists for weeks
• Fatigue, muscle tension or pain that won’t go away
• Trouble functioning in work, relationships or daily roles
• Intruding thoughts of self-harm

Professional support can help. Speak to a doctor or mental health professional. Councilors, psychologists and psychiatrists can work with you to find healthy ways to manage stress. There are also anonymous crisis counseling hotlines available 24/7 if you need someone to talk to.

You can also destress by talking to an AI chatbot on Telegram, many people are now talking to MagicBuddy for all kinds of things every day, a loving AI can be often a way to talk about topics you might not otherwise be comfortable.

During especially demanding times, give yourself extra compassion. But remember that ongoing difficulties can signal important issues to address with expert guidance. Seeking help takes courage, but support is available.

Achieving Balance

Incorporating science-backed stress relief tools can bring more equanimity to difficult days. Using techniques like breathwork, forest bathing and power naps help discharge tension when it arises. Small positive steps add up.

At the same time, know that some level of stress will always be part of life. Yoga teacher Light Watkins puts it wisely: “Stress happens. The key is how quickly one can return to center.” Find healthy tools that help you return to baseline again and again.

Review the techniques in this guide. Note the few that appeal most to start. Schedule stress relief rituals into each day as preventive medicine. With practice, these healthy new habits will become second nature.

And remember, you don’t have to go it alone. Having positive people around you can be centering. Our website provide excellent writing and content resources.

By proactively balancing the nervous system, you build reserves of inner calm. This allows you to skillfully surf life’s waves rather than feel pummeled by them. Stress may be inevitable, but suffering is optional. With consistent self-care, you can master the art of chilling out.

Want to unlock greater wellness?

Listen to our friends over at the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast to unlock your best self with Drew Canole of Organifi: