Stressed before a big event like giving a presentation? Does it make you feel like running away? Don't worry, you have a way to relax.
But before that, some SEO-ridden blogpost-like theory. But trust me, it is important to know.
There are two basic ways how human beings live:
Relaxed mode
Action mode
Relaxed mode focuses on our long-term survival. Normally, we just want to rest and digest.
When there is a danger, our brain turns on the Action mode. The sympathetic nervous system takes up control. It drives up the heart rate, raises blood pressure, and dilates the pupil among other things.
Although the mind is stressed, our body also reacts to stress.
Turning off the stress response
Telling your brain to calm down will not help now as your fight-or-flight response has already been turned on. It's useful in front of a tiger but not so much in front of some bored office workers who are waiting to go home and start doom-scrolling.
But you can ask your body to calm down. Here are some techniques that might help:
Listening to music - Listening to calming music reduces your heart rate and makes you calmer.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) - It is the practice of tensing one muscle group of your body at a time and then relaxing it. Useful if you have some time and can lie or sit down.
Rhythmic Breathing - In rhythmic breathing, you breathe in and out in a certain rhythm that helps in calming down your body and reducing the effects of your stress response.
Mindfulness meditation - You direct your focus to your breathing instead of the thing that is stressing you.
Whenever you feel stressed or worried about anything, try doing one of these exercises and see how it feels. I would recommend practicing one or two of these exercises every day so that you know how to use them when you are stressed.