How to stay calm in these stressful times

If you’re at your WFH desk, on the train or just trying to get some rest, deep breathing will help increase blood flow and oxygen throughout the body. The 4-7-8 technique will immediately calm you down. Stop what you’re doing and close your eyes, if possible. Unfurrow your eyebrows, relax your shoulders and stop clenching your jaw. Now, breathe in for four seconds. Hold for seven seconds and release for eight seconds. Close your eyes and repeat. Don’t you feel a bit better?

It’s time to invest in some noise cancelling headphones. White noise is a consistent ambient sound that your brain can focus on. It will also help soften loud, distracting noises, like ambulances outside or screaming children inside. The aptly named Relaxing White Noise channel on YouTube is filled with ten-hour videos of rain sounds, ethereal space soundscapes, waterfalls and more to help get a good night’s rest or focus for a long day of work. If you’d rather leave the real world behind, The Guild of Ambience has ASMR-style videos featuring soothing library sounds, fantasy music and even the background sounds of a medieval apothecary. 

For a distinctly Japanese way to destress, try Zazen meditation, an ancient technique practised by Zen Buddhists to clear the mind and eventually reach a state of tranquility. Learn seated meditation at home with these introductory videos from Taizo-in Buddhist Temple in Kyoto. Deputy Head Priest Daiko Matsuyama introduces the basics, from different ways of sitting to breathing techniques. The temple also provides soothing videos to listen to while meditating, or to just watch and relax. 

The best way to ease an anxious, fretting mind is to engage the senses. Anxiety can show up in many different ways, including feeling agitated, confused or even angry. Anxious feelings can come from spending too much time thinking repetitively, so to calm down, remind yourself that you have a physical body as well as a mind.

Engage your olfactory sense by lighting some Japanese incense, which comes in a variety of calming scents like sandalwood and lavender. Or, if you’re out and about, pop into a convenience store and treat yourself to something sweet such as Ramune candy – the strong soda flavour and popping fizz will help distract you from those anxious thoughts. 

Although your phone can be a source of stress, it doesn’t have to be. Meditation apps are a convenient way to calm yourself down, whether at the end of a long day, or in a moment of panic on a crowded train. 

This delightfully designed MyLife Meditation app uses illustrations to help describe your mental and physical wellbeing and then prescribe an appropriate meditation, like a combination therapist and pharmacist. Even if you’re down in the dumps, the illustrations of a smiling, anthropomorphic brain and emoticons ranging from ecstatic to furious will dispel those negative thoughts for a bit. Available for iOS and Android

Possibly the most extensive meditation app on the market, Headspace has a plethora of meditations ranging from beginner to expert, sleep music, bedtime stories and even exercise videos. Beginners will start with the Basics course, which teaches you how to become more mindful and aware. An annual subscription will cost you USD$69.99, but a scaled-down version of the app, including a section called ‘Weathering the Storm’, featuring meditations for stressful times, is currently available for free. Available for iOS and Android

Last but not least, try to unplug from your devices. The infinite scrolling of a news feed can become addictive and overwhelming – try to close the app and focus on something slower. Put all your attention into cooking a nice dinner, reading a new book or even colouring. Just an hour away from the screen will clear your mind and help you feel more present.