10 Ways to De-Stress in 10 Minutes or Less

You’re probably no stranger to stress, especially during the menopause transition. In addition to hormonal fluctuations, juggling kids, work, parents, household chores, and finances all contribute to stress.

In times of stress, the hormones cortisol and epinephrine raise your blood pressure, elevate your blood sugar and lower the effectiveness of your immune system. When you’re chronically stressed, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on all the time instead of the short bursts that your body is meant to respond to.

The long-term activation of the stress-response system and the stress hormones that follow can disrupt almost all your body’s processes, contributing to anxiety, depression, sleep problems, weight gain, and more.

What can you do to lower stress and boost your health? These holistic options take 10 minutes or less.

Fast, Holistic Stress Busters

Mini-Meditation

Research shows that short meditation sessions are very effective in relieving stress and anxiety.

If you don’t know how to meditate or have trouble staying focused, get started with one of our meditations in the Wellness section of the app.

Deep Breathing

Also known as “paced respiration,” deep breathing is another science-backed technique to relieve stress and anxiety. It may also be beneficial for relieving menopause symptoms like hot flashes.

Try this starter exercise: inhale deeply through your nose. Hold your breath for three seconds. Slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat three to five times. Notice how you feel afterward—calmer and more focused.

Visit the Wellness section of the app and try one of our guided breathing exercises.

High-Intensity Exercise

Exercise is incredibly effective at helping manage stress. You don’t need to spend much time to get the benefits, especially if you choose a higher-intensity workout.

High-intensity interval training is a particularly efficient way to both shake off stress, improve sleep and help manage weight gain around menopause. True high-intensity intervals are when you’re running, cycling or otherwise moving at your maximum effort for seconds or minutes, before resting for a few minutes. If you want to get your workout done in mere minutes, you have to make them count!

Walking

Walking is an underrated stress buster. Changing your environment and getting your body moving helps to clear mental clutter and make you more relaxed and productive when you’re done. Pair your walk with some deep breathing or calming music for a stress relief double shot.

Want to get more ambitious about walking and make it a habit? Check out the Map My Walk app.

Stretching

Stretching can be a relaxing self-care ritual that many enjoy as a morning or evening bookend to their day. When menopause makes you feel like your body is unfamiliar and uncomfortable, regular stretching can be a great way to reconnect and feel more comfortable in your skin.

Warm Bath

Many people don’t need science to tell them that taking a warm bath lowers their stress, tension, anxiety, anger, and depression. You may enjoy adding Epsom salts, calming scents or bath oils to the experience.

Aromatherapy

Using essential oils for various ailments was a well-established form of medicine for centuries before modern medicine came on the scene.

For stress, experts recommend lavender, yuzu citrus, bergamot, and clary sage. Find high quality oils from a source like doTerra and splurge on a diffuser that blends seamlessly with your décor.

Journal

If you have never kept a journal, you may be amazed at its power to banish stress and anxiety. First, find a quiet space and bring along a pen and paper—not your computer or phone. Next, write down three things you are grateful for.

Then write down the major causes of your stress. Note why these things are stressing you out. For example, if work stresses you out, be specific: “My boss is putting a lot of pressure on me to meet a big deadline.” Finally, write down at least three things you can do to alleviate the stress. In this example, you might write, “I am going to meet with my boss and discuss extending the deadline.” Or “I am going to ask for help with the project.” Identifying your potential courses of action will help you start to defuse the stress.

Connect with a Friend or Relative

The right kind of human contact can instantly wash your stress away. Isolating yourself only adds to stress, depression, and anxiety. Reach out to the people in your life who are supportive, empathetic listeners. Tell them directly that you are stressed and need to talk, and ask if they have space to listen. You don’t have to focus on solutions for your stress—just verbalizing it can make a major difference.

Craft

Generations of people will tell you that repetitive motions—like those used to knit, embroider, or make jewelry—can soothe anxiety. Pick up your needles or other craft for a few minutes a day and see if it helps reduce your stress.

Take 10

If the first option you chose from the list doesn’t do the trick, try a few different activities. It takes a bit of patience and just a few minutes a day to find the technique that will work for you.