5 Ways to reduce stress in 5 minutes or less
For the first decade of my adult life, I experienced mild anxiety. It wasn’t debilitating, it wasn’t overt, but it simmered away in the background; a niggling feeling of unease; tightness in the chest and throat; churning sensations in the stomach for no apparent reason. It was at its worst in the mornings.
Meditation changed everything for me. And as my practice deepened, I became more attuned to the fluctuations of my emotional and mental state, and the causal link between coffee and my anxiety became VERY obvious. At the same time, I was introduced to cacao, and the contrast between the way it made me feel versus coffee was striking.
Cacao has a calming and soothing effect on me, accompanied by a bubbly, effervescent feeling - gentle, yet long-lasting. Coffee, on the other hand makes me jittery and nervous, making my heart and mind race (and let’s be real, do any of us really need MORE sympathetic nervous system stimulation these days?!).
So no, cacao won’t give you the same buzzy perkiness as coffee. So it is not a direct replacement, which is sometimes a cause of confusion.
But it has become clear to me that a much more pleasant, productive and natural state of being in the long run is characterised by calmness and openness - which is exactly what cacao brings me. This is also more healthy for our bodies - which function optimally when there is sufficient time in rest and digest mode (parasympathetic nervous system) and limited time in flight or fight mode (sympathetic nervous system).
Every now and again though, anxiety rears it’s ugly head in the mornings for me. So here’s a few tips I’ve learned over the years that work for me. (Especially number 5 😉). I hope this is also helpful for you!
“Candle Blow”
Set your timer for 5 minutes.
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
Exhale through mouth for 6-8 seconds, pursing your lips as you do so like you’re blowing out a candle.
Repeat steps 2-3 ongoing until the timer runs out.
2. Body Awareness (“Proprioceptive Input”)
Examples:
Lie down under a weighted blanket.
Give or receive a hug.
Stomp your feet.
Do some star jumps, mountain climbers, or high knee running on the spot.
Self-massage using oil (e.g. coconut oil) combined with your favourite essential oil.
3. Cold Exposure.
Examples:
Take a cold shower (for at least 10 seconds).
Splash your face with cold water.
Place a cold pack on your chest, your face or your neck.
Run your hands under cold water.
4. Dangling Forward Fold.
Stand in a comfortable position, making sure your spine is straight, tall, firm, but relaxed. Hinge forward, from the hips, and let yourself hang in a loose forward-fold.
Relax the head, forehead, the neck, the shoulders, the jaw, and the belly.
Perhaps grab opposite elbows, and gently sway from side to side. This soothes the nervous system, relaxes the spine, and brings a grounding, stabilising quality.
5. Drink Soma Cacao.
Prepare your cup of cacao using your preferred method - see our preparation page for detailed guidance.
Find a nice, quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed.
Drink your cacao slowly, savouring each sip. Do not multi-task. Gift yourself the simplicity of just sitting, sipping, being.
