Ways To Calm Down When You Are Feeling Frustrated

It’s natural to sometimes feel anxious, stressed, angry, or frustrated. Life can be challenging, and we can often react with negative emotions.

What’s important in these situations is knowing how to deal with your emotions and calm yourself down. But this is much easier said than done, especially when your emotions are strong.

Releasing some of your anger or frustration in a healthy and controlled manner is key to overcoming your difficulties. There are lots of great strategies that you can use to help calm yourself down.

Once you learn to naturally perform the following techniques when you’re experiencing negative emotions, you will become much better at dealing with them.

Here are three great ways to calm yourself down when you want to release pent-up negative energy.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing might sound simple, but it’s extremely effective when you’re frustrated.

Take at least three deep breaths, where you breathe in for three seconds, hold for three seconds, and breathe out for three seconds. This process enables more oxygen to enter your brain and activates your parasympathetic nervous system.

Your parasympathetic nervous system is a branch of your autonomic nervous system. Unlike your sympathetic branch that is responsible for your ‘fight or flight’ response under stress, the parasympathetic branch is responsible for your ‘rest and digest’ response. It calms you down by causing a range of physiological responses, including reduced heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

Breathing is one of the most effective ways to reduce frustration, anger, and anxiety. It can be done anywhere and takes just a few minutes to exhibit calming effects on the mind and body.

Exercise

Exercise can cause the release of endorphins in your body, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. This can help decrease your levels of frustration and anxiety on a physiological and psychological level.

Not only are you getting the physical release of calming hormones, but you are also distracting your mind and releasing pent-up energy during the movement itself. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy. Whether you go for a walk, run, cycle, or swim, moving your body is an amazing way to shift your focus.

Listen to Calming Music

Music can have profound effects on your mind. Listening to relaxing music will calm your mind and body, immediately releasing some of your frustration and anger.

You can release your emotions through your favorite songs and distract your mind from the negative thoughts.