Quick Ways to Calm Down

Life is so stressful and busy. Maybe you don't have time to sit and meditate for an hour a day...but there are some fast ways to get calm!

Surefire ways to calm yourself right now:

1. Elevate your feet above your heart. This redirects the blood flow, giving you the effect of calming down.

2. Chew on pumpkin seeds. It takes less than a cup to get the benefit of tryptophan, which ups your melatonin -- the hormones for good sleep and well-being. Tryptophan is also a treatment for depression, with no side effects!

3. Blow out a candle and make a wish.The simple act of releasing a wish with a deep exhale can make you feel lighter and more optimistic.

4. Smell the coffee. Our sense of smell is 10,000 times more powerful than any other sense in our body. Sniffing coffee...or even citrus fruit... helps you de-stress by creating balance between your nervous system, brain chemistry, and hormones.

5. Try this yoga hand gesture to instantly feel connected and calm: touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger. Keeping the other three fingers stretched out. Holding this pose can prevent insomnia and help to balance mood disorders.

6. Eat Honey. Medical research confirms that among its many healing properties, honey reduces anxiety and calms the mind, whether you're eating it straight up or putting it in a cup of tea.

7. Pet something furry. Growing research shows that having a cat or dog is good for you. Spending time with your pet can lower your resting heart rate, increase serotonin production and lower blood pressure, along with producing a general sense of well-being.

8. Run cold water along the pressure points of your wrists and splash it behind your ears. When you cool the arteries right under your skin, you take down the heat a notch and calm the whole body.

9. Gaze at something Indigo in color. This shade of blue is a calming color and can have a soothing effect, leading to feelings of peace and tranquility.

10. Walk in mud...with no shoes on. This grounding process connects you to the earth and puts you in touch with your own body for a deeper sense of well-being.

11. Get up and shake it like you're dancing. Just moving your tired muscles improves blood flow, which relieves anxiety.

12. Listen to the birds or other sounds in nature. Lose yourself in these sounds and escape your troubles. These sounds can calm your central nervous system. The restorative effects can bring you closer to nature and even link you to places and memories in a way that other sounds can't.

13. Sing a happy song.Singing loosens tight muscles and opens up your chest. And the positive message can turn your day around.

14. Cry your eyes out. This stimulates the Vagus nerve and reduces stress.

15. Write it down. Stress is caused by holding onto negative or troubling emotions. Just writing out your worries and frustrations, for as little as ten minutes a day, can ease  your mind and help you sleep better.

16. Laugh hard. This also stimulates the Vagus nerve, reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and increasing serotonin production in the brain. A good laugh also boosts your energy and could even help improve your short-term memory as you get older!