You’re having one of those days. Your hair won’t look right. She isn’t replying your messages. There’s a meeting before lunch time. Coffee isn’t doing anything for your shot nerves.

Don’t pull your hair out just yet, because in2it.sg brings you our top picks of 5 ways to de-stress! All these super-easy methods can be done in just 5 minutes!

#1: 5 minutes of laughter.

You will need: Internet access

Numerous studies have shown that laughing reduces physical, mental and emotional stress and instantly releases endorphins... Your happy drug! If you need help with that, google Harry Potter Humour. “Can I let my basilisk into your Chamber of Secrets?” is always a sure-win.

If nothing’s funny, it’s all right. Smiling can actually cheat your psyche into... Well, we can’t guarantee that. But it won’t hurt giving it a try!

 
#2: Massage your ears

You will need: Probably that cute office girl... But only if she says yes! If not, you can do this yourself.

There’s a reason why dogs and cats love being scratched behind the ears. It just feels so good! Before your mind goes into the gutter, there’s a scientific explanation for this. Massaging your ears stimulates energy points that have been proven by reflexologists to release endorphins into your system.

Use your thumb and index fingers to lightly massage your earlobes in circles, then rotate your whole ear. You can try this on your partner, too!

 
#3: Just keep walking.

You will need: A little bit of space

Taking a light ten-minute stroll clears your head more than sitting in your desk chair and complaining about it. Getting the blood flowing and your lungs breathing better helps your mind focus better! Besides, a recent study done states that fluorescent lighting could trigger stress hormones.

So, remember to take time to smell the roses. If you know what we mean!

 
#4: Write it!

You will need: Pen and paper, your hands and a cluttered mind

Organize your cluttered thoughts. Write down all the problems that you have, like a to-do list and prioritize them. When your brain is too filled with thoughts, overwhelming may occur and block off any clear thought. Writing down your thoughts works like that Pensieve in the Harry Potter books. It allows you to examine them at your leisure, and filter out the unimportant ones to solve another day. Too bad you’re a Muggle and have to resort to using pen and paper.


#5: Listen to the radio, and all the songs you used to know

You will need: Your iPod and some earphones

Research proves that music beats affect brain waves, with faster beats bringing more concentration and alertness, while slower beats encourage calming effects. It also causes slower breathing, a slower heart rate and your body’s natural relaxation response, easing muscle tension. It also lowers blood pressure and increases optimism!

Besides all these scientific reasons, don’t you feel better when you listen to your favourite feel-good tunes?

 
What are some of your de-stressing methods? We want to know! Send in a picture of your favourite relaxation method and you could be featured on in2it.sg!