Hello friends,

We at The Well Daily recently asked our go-to holistic expert Dr. Karen Erickson for a few pointers on creating calm. She shared with us simple things we all can do for less stress and more peace. Hope you find them as helpful as we did.

xoxo,

Sukey

Dr. Karen Erickson is the Well Daily's go-to-expert for all things holistic.

Stress relief does not have to involve a big complicated effort or making an appointment with an expert. There are many simple actions that can turn down the volume in your mind in a matter of minutes. Below are some methods that are fast and simple. You can do them by yourself, anytime and (almost) anywhere.

Alternate Nostril Breathing: Breathe in through the right nostril while closing the left with your ring finger. Then switch and breathe out through the left nostril while closing the right with your thumb. Reverse. Do this for 2 or 3 minutes, and your blood pressure will lower and your body will relax.

Head Hold: Lay the palm of one hand across your forehead and lay the palm of the other hand across the bottom of the skull. Breathe and hold for several minutes. When you release your palms you’ll notice that much of the physical and emotional tension you were holding has been released as well.

Inversions: You don’t have to do a handstand to be inverted. If you have a couple of minutes and a little bit of space and privacy, try lying on the floor with your legs up against the wall. Stay there for two to five minutes and when you stand back up much of the stress you were feeling will be noticeably gone.

Essential Oils: Essential oils are a quick and uncomplicated way to relieve stress, and one of the best ways to use them is to turn them into a ritual. For instance, right before bed take a hotbath or shower. Afterward, when you are completely relaxed and at ease, dab some of the oils onto your skin. If you do this often, you will be anchoring the smell with a profoundly relaxing experience. This will connect that oil to a primitive part of the brain so that when you use the oil in a stressful situation, that part of the brain will know to relax. So, whether the kids are out of control or you are about to walk into a stressful meeting, use your calming oil and your brain will take care of the rest.