10 things that can help you easily and effectively manage your stress

Kelsey Mulvey, Insider Picks

An adult coloring book

An adult coloring book

Want to keep your cool?

Adult coloring books are a great way to boost creativity, and many sources claim that coloring has similar effects to meditating. “Color Me Calm” comes with interesting insights about which colors to use to relax and stimulate your mind.

“Color Me Calm: 100 Coloring Templates for Meditation and Relaxation” by Lacy Mucklow, $9.21

An anti-anxiety spinner

An anti-anxiety spinner

Zekpro’s spinner can help you remain calm right before a job interview, big presentation at work, or first date.

The three-pronged spinner is about the size of your palm, so it’s small enough to spin between your fingertips without drawing too much attention to your hands. It’s also a great buy for anyone who has a hard time paying attention during long conference calls.

Zekpro Anti-Anxiety 360 Spinner, $17.99 

A meditation app

A meditation app

Unless you’ve achieved true inner peace, blocking out surrounding noise is no easy feat.

Through guided meditations, Headspace takes you through the basics of meditation and teaches you how to find a little clarity, regardless of your physical location.

The app offers 10 guided meditations for free, with the option to subscribe on a monthly or annual basis.

Headspace: Guided Meditation and Mindfulness, free to download

Aromatic oils

Aromatic oils

Certain scents, including lavender, jasmine, and ylang ylang, are known to help alleviate stress.

Rubbing Tata Harper’s Aromatic Stress Treatment, which is packed with soothing scents like frankincense and rose otto, along your pulse points will allow you to relax. It is a splurge, but this little bottle will last you years.

Tata Harper Aromatic Stress Treatment, $80

A wake-up light

A wake-up light

When you first hear your alarm, your body goes into shock mode and emits tons of adrenaline and cortisol, which can make you feel stressed.

To make waking up a less stressful experience, Phillip’s Wake Up Light will gradually wake you up 20-40 minutes before your scheduled alarm. It starts out dim, before reaching an intensity of 300 lux by the time you want to get up. If that’s not enough to wake you up, you can also set an alarm.

Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light With Colored Sunrise Simulation, $126.96

A yoga mat

A yoga mat

Practicing yoga can prevent injuries, increase your energy levels, and even reduce insomnia.

Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or looking to become one, you might want to invest in a nice yoga mat. Manduka’s mats are the gold standard for most enthusiasts.

Manduka PROLite Yoga and Pilates Mat, $62.05 – $98

A stress ball

A stress ball

Gaiam’s stress ball kit includes three different resistances — soft, medium, and firm — which can help strengthen your hand and finger muscles.

Gaiam Restore Hand Therapy Exercise Ball Kit, $12.99

A scalp massager

A scalp massager

Even on days when you’re not stressed, Kikkerland’s scalp massager offers a simple way to unwind after work.

Kikkerland Hand Held Scalp Head Massager, from $2.79 for two

Soothing teas

Soothing teas

Republic of Tea’s caffeine-free blend features calming notes of lavender, rose petals, chamomile, and passionflower. It’s the perfect tea to sip on right before bedtime.

The Republic of Tea Get Relaxed Tea, $11 for set of 36

A stress-management course

A stress-management course

Sipping on soothing tea and indulging your inner child with a coloring book are great ways to temporarily relieve stress, but if you want long-term results, it’s important to learn how to identify and effectively manage your stress.

Psychologist George Caremans’ online course features more than 40 ways to stay calm, cool, and collected. Caremans gets to the root of where stress comes from and organizes all his stress relieving tips into four categories: cognitive, physical, sensory, and emotional.

“Stress Management: 40+ Easy Ways to Deal with Stress,” $19 with the code “APRUDEMY17”

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