A perfect 10? British clinical psychologist Kirren Schnack is sharing 10 simple ways to quickly reduce tension and anxiety.
Schnack wrote the book “Ten Times Calmer: Beat Anxiety and Change Your Life,” which came out in January.
In a June TikTok, she recommended holding yourself up, chanting, humming or chanting, counting down from 100, massaging near your jaw, doing three sets of exercises, breathing deeply, splashing cold water in the face, repeat a soothing phrase, relax the muscle group and visualizing yourself in a quiet place.
Hold yourself tight
“Clap your arms around yourself and squeeze them gently but firmly for a minute,” suggested Schnack.
Sing, hum or chant
“Sing, hum or chant for a few minutes,” Schnack said. “You can do this along with some music too.”
A 2023 study found that humming is a high-level stress buster because it produces vibrations that stimulate the vagus nerve, which is key to mood regulation. Nerve activation triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which kicks the body out of fight-or-flight mode.
Count down
“Count down slowly from 100 to one or even 150,” Schnack advised.
Counting allows you to focus on your breath and not on what’s causing your anxiety, say Stanford University researchers.
Massage the jaw area
Schnack says massaging under your jaw for a minute can ease muscle tension associated with anxiety.
Perform three sets of exercises
Three sets of 10 burpees, jumping jacks or jogging in place with a short rest between each set help release built-up anxiety and increase endorphins, the body’s “feel-good” hormones, Schnack reported.
Breathe slowly and deeply
Schnack directs her 587,100 TikTok followers to breathe in through their nose for a count of five, hold their breath for five and exhale through their mouth “like you’re holding a straw” for a count of at least seven.
“Always try to make the breath longer,” she advised.
On his part, Dr. Daniel Amen — a dual-certified psychiatrist and brain imaging researcher in California — advocates breathing in for four seconds, holding for a second or two, exhaling for eight seconds, and holding it for a second or two.
Spray cold water
Schnack advocates splashing cold water on your face or holding a cold object against it to stimulate your vagus nerve, distract yourself, and ground your body.
Repeat a calming phrase
“Repeat a calming phrase that you want to believe, even if you don’t currently believe it, such as: “I am safe, I am calm. This shall pass,’ Schnack said.
Relax each muscle group
“Tense and then relax every muscle group in your body, starting with your toes and working your way up to your head and face,” suggested Schnack.
This is called progressive muscle relaxation – it can also help relieve insomnia and fight pain.
Visualize yourself in a quiet place
“Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a place where you feel calm, content and happy. It could be a beach, a forest, or somewhere else,” Schnack said. “When you imagine yourself there, keep in mind what you can see, what you can hear, the things you can touch, how they feel, what you can smell and what can you enjoy.”
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