Ways to Reduce Tension: Part 1

With everything that happens everyday, life is a balancing act.

At home, there are always chores to do, meals to make and bills to pay. At work, there are deadlines to meet and mean bosses to deal with. When you’re jobless… I can’t even begin to describe the mounting dread I feel as my savings deplete. I can’t imagine how people with kids and mortgages feel when they lose their jobs.

Then we barely have time outside of these dreary responsibilities to socialize or Netflix and chill depending on your version of enjoyment.

At night, we lie in bed thinking about our hopes and dreams. Should we pursue them before we run out of time? But we fall asleep and the next day dawns bright and busy and whatever dreams we have take a back seat.

Together, they make this beautiful mess we call life. With life comes tension. Tension is universal.

Being a very sensitive snowflake person. I often get tensed, even when I was a kid. In fact, tension has become so much a part of me that I don’t register it until my shoulders start to hurt.

So I did some research on ways to reduce tension. Here’s part 1 of my 10 ways to ease tension – all backed by science.

1. Pet A Furmily Member

If you have a pet, I’m sure you’ve noticed this.

When you pet your dog or cat (or other pets), your body reduces the level of stress hormone (cortisol) and raises the level of happy hormone (oxytocin). It helps to reduce tension and blood pressure and makes you feel happier. And we thought petting our pets can’t get any better!

Life can feel very difficult and inorganic with our endless problems and cold offices. A pet is a great connection to the natural world. When we look at cats and dogs, it reminds us that life can also be natural, warm and loving. Besides, they’re also super cute and funny at times.

2. Get a massage

As stress and anxiety causes the muscles to tense up, managing muscle tension is often part of managing tension.

Getting regular massages by a professional is great, but not everyone has the means to go to a massage therapist regularly. If you’re unable to do that, there are still ways to ease the symptoms.

I’ve been battling tension aches for years now. The muscles in my shoulders and neck would get tight, warm and painful. So I always have a small bottle of massage oil with me, even when I was working in an office. If my neck gives me a particularly hard time, I apply some oil to the sore areas and knead them gently. It always helps.

At home, I have my trusty Zyllion Shiatsu Back Neck Massager*.

I love it. You can use it on your shoulders, lower back, calf, leg or foot.

I use it mainly for my neck, shoulders and lower back. I know, I have lots of pain for my age. It has a default heated option (that you can turn off) to improve circulation and sooth the muscles.

My favorite way of using it involves propping myself up with several pillows so that I’m nested at a perfect angle to watch TV as it kneads my shoulders. Say, isn’t that just relaxing?

3. Use essential oils

Have you ever gotten a whiff of honeysuckles or frangipani flowers? It always lifts my spirit. Essential oils have been proven to have some effects on the brain.

Psychology today recommends these aromatherapy oils for stress relief:

• Lavender*
• Lemon*
• Bergamot
• Ylang ylang
• Clary sage
• Jasmine

I’m not one to tout the therapeutic properties of essential oils, but I love the scent of lavender so much I associate it with good feelings.

If you have a scent you enjoy, use it specifically for when you relax. This helps your mind to associate the scent with relaxation, so the scent can evoke feelings of relaxation whenever you use it.

You can add a few drops of your favorite oil into your massage oil too, but be sure to get the dilution right! Using essential oil at high concentration can be harmful to your body.

4. Have some tea

I found out that matcha has a calming effect a few weeks ago. I was experiencing a lot of anxiety, so I treated myself to a cup of matcha latte. A while after drinking the tea, the anxiety eased, leaving me calm but alert.

After consulting google, I realized that tea really do reduce tension!
If you’re stressed, these are some widely available teas you can try:

• Green tea*
• Peppermint tea*
• Chamomile tea
• Lavender tea
• Rose tea

As a low-waste lifestyle advocate, I would encourage you to buy loose-leaf tea in a sustainable packaging (best in bulk with your own container!).

Loose-leaf tea are not only more environmental friendly, they tend to be of a better quality. Tea in bags are often made up of dust and fannings of the tea, resulting in a less flavorful cup of tea.

Also, most tea bags contain some plastic these days. Many are made of food-grade nylon or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and even compostable or paper tea bags are often sealed with a thin film of polypropylene. Though these plastic are food grade, I think we’re better off drinking loose leaf tea. All you need is a pot, tea ball or a tea strainer.

5. Have a swim / take a walk

Any exercise would work, since they help your body to release endorphins. These are hormones that have analgesic properties and make you feel good. I find swimming and walking particularly soothing. If you are prone to joint problems, swimming and walking are easier on your joints too.

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That concludes part 1 of the post! These are all methods to reduce physical tension. In part 2, I’ll talk about ways to reduce tension that also takes you to a more mindful space.

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*This post contains affiliate links. If you find yourself needing one of the items listed and decide to buy them through the link, I get a little commission at no charge to you.
Lavender field photo by Léonard Cotte on Unsplash.

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