5 Ways To Reduce Stress Super Quickly (Besides Meditating)

Here are five ideas to get you started:

Not only does exercise help your body produce feel-good hormones1 (hello, runner's high!), but research shows regular exercise improves the emotional resilience2 of adults dealing with stress. More emotional resilience means being less affected by stress—and that's a win-win. Try whatever form of movement feels best for you, whether it's cardio, yoga (which has also been found to improve mental health3), hiking, or strength training.

If you're looking for a supplement that can help ease everyday stress and promote a sense of calm, consider mbg's hemp multi+.* The beneficial plant compounds in hemp extract can help calm the stress response, thanks to the way they interact with the body's endocannabinoid system, a complex endogenous network of cannabinoid compounds and receptors that helps balance the mind and body.* Bonus: This daily dose of hemp oil and other key botanicals can also support healthy immune function and help combat oxidative stress.*

Relaxing essential oils might sound too good to be true, but research shows that certain scents4 can help calm the nervous system. Our olfactory nerve, which travels from the nose to the brain, plays a big role in regulating the parasympathetic nervous system and, in turn, our emotions and mood. So plug in that diffuser and reach for your oils. Scents like lavender, chamomile, bergamot, and lemon are all recommended for stress.

By controlling our breath, we can start to regain control over our mood. Something as simple as making your exhalation longer than your inhalation can actually "trick" the vagus nerve into activating your parasympathetic nervous system5. Breathwork techniques such as box breathing are simple, effective, and can make a big difference in a very short amount of time.

And lastly, if you've never tried the Emotional Freedom Technique, aka tapping, it's another great (and fast) option for halting stress in its tracks. It involves putting pressure on certain points of the body while thinking about what's stressing you out and saying affirmations to help clear the stress away. It's been found in research to reduce cortisol levels6 (aka the stress hormone) and takes just a few minutes.

Stress can be toxic to our emotional, mental, and, yes, physical well-being, so it's important to have stress-reducing techniques at the ready whenever you may need them. If meditating isn't for you, any of these five options might be the simple, accessible, and effective tool you're looking for.