Stress Relief: Understanding Your Emotions And Calming Your Body

We all carry stress. Sometimes it shows up as a tight chest, but sometimes as racing thoughts, while the other day I felt anger and had some random tears, but it also shows as a complete shutdown. And what we do not know is that we can make some easy stress relief exercises that will reallly change our mood. At home or even at work, in the bathroom.

Underneath the stress are unspoken emotions—feelings that get stuck in our body because life is loud, fast, and demanding. Let’s slow it all down and let’s name what we feel and gently work with it, not against it.

Here are some common stress related emotions and stress relief techniques.

Listen, You can make this tips everywhere, literally. Even at your work or in a bus station. So the best about this practices is that you don’t have to put a lot of time into stress relievers, just try one of these tips. It will make you feel present, whole and calm again. It is a holistical approach. But first things first…

Table of Contents

What is Stress?

A funny question, beacuse I guess You never think about what is stress, you just feel it.

Stress is your body’s natural response to anything it perceives as a challenge, threat, or demand. It’s not always loud or dramatic, sometimes it’s just a constant buzz in the background: tension in your shoulders, a racing mind, a clenched jaw or feeling like you’re always on. And while a little stress is normal—even helpful—chronic, ongoing stress can wear down your body, disrupt your hormones, affect your digestion, and make joy feel out of reach.

Your body is beautifully designed to keep you safe. When you’re under stress—whether it’s from rushing, overthinking, emotional pressure, or even hidden inflammation—your body releases cortisol, the main stress hormone.

And as we know, a high cortisol level is not good. It can and will disrupt your sleep and sleep cycle, it will influence your progesterone and even estrogen level and will affect your gut health.

Mind and body- we are connected, you are connected. There are a few things you can do from today to make sure you will keep your cortisol levels at their normal range:

have a nourishing breakfast after waking up
do not start with coffee your day, and do not drink a lot of coffees
try matcha instead of a third coffee
enjoy the morning lights, the fresh air and the sun, your body need the vitamin D
try some relaxing herbs to support your body
try journaling to ease your soul and clear your mind

But our body is more then perfect, because we do have some happy hormones too. These natural chemicals shape how you feel, connect, and move through your day. The more gently we nurture them, the more supported we feel in body, mind and soul.

Dopamine is the reward chemical: it gives you motivation, focus and that little spark of satisfaction when you finish something.
Try completing small tasks, setting tiny goals to make sure you can celebrate progress every day.
Oxytocin is the love chemical and you might think it is only important when giving birth, but noooo. It helps you feel safe, bonded, and deeply connected. Try giving your friend or hubby a long hug, make some eye contact, try cuddling and show some kindness. A good massage will increase oxytocin, study supports teh result.
Serotonin is the mood stabilizer. It lifts your mood, supports sleep by regulating cyrcadian rithm and helps you feel grounded.
Try more sunshine, gratitude, nourishing food and nature walks, not only in sunny days. Try again that massage. It will lower your cortisol levels and increase serotonin too, research says.
Endorphins itself it is the natural pain relievers. These bring joy, energy and even euphoria during movement or laughter.
Try dancing, laughing, exercising or eating some high quality dark chocolate.

10 Common Emotions We Carry as Stress

Stress doesn’t always look like panic and anger, trust me, it wears many faces. Here are 10 common emotional states that might be weighing on you without you even realizing:

Anxious – on edge, jumpy, future-focused (now I get it, it is 2025, we are all stressed about future)
Stressed – overwhelmed (once again, in this world it is easy to be overwhelmed), scattered, reactive
Overthinking – looping thoughts, can’t shut down
Unmotivated / Lazy – low energy, foggy, numb
Lack of Confidence – insecure, unsure, self-critical
Angry – reactive, frustrated, irritated
Tense – stiff, clenched, uptight
Tired – drained, mentally or physically
Lonely – isolated, misunderstood, disconnected (it is very cycledepending feeling)
Sad / Low – heavy, hopeless, flat

The first step in healing stress? You my laught, but please, name what you feel. Then give it what it needs. I really struggle with naming my problems, so i struggle with asking help too… are you with me? So stress relief might be even simple.

What Helps Each Feeling

Here’s a soft guide to soothe specific emotions with simple, natural support:

Are you anxious? → Try guided meditation, slow breathing, maybe take some magnesium, or try placing one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
Are you stressed? → Take a walk in nature, break tasks into small steps, drink warm herbal tea (lemon balm, lavender, or tulsi).
Are you overthinking? → Journaling helps release the loop. Or try doing one quiet task (like folding laundry or something that you don’t hate) without your phone.
Do you feel lazy or unmotivated? → Start with 5 minutes of movement—stretching, dancing, or stepping outside. The energy will come after.

Do you lack confidence? → Say something kind to yourself out loud. Revisit a moment when you felt proud or just simply wear something that makes you feel like you.
Feeling angry? → Dance to loud music, punch a pillow, or go on a power walk. Move the fire out through your body.
Feeling tense? → Try a neck or jaw release, a hot bath, or rolling your shoulders in slow circles.
Do you feel tired? → Let yourself rest. A 20-minute nap, an earlier bedtime, or simply lying down with your eyes closed is valid.
Are you feeling lonely? → Call or voice-note someone who makes you feel safe. Or spend time in a café or public space just to feel others’ presence.
Are you sad? → Cry if you need to, listen, somethimes crying is the best thing you can do. Then wrap yourself in a blanket, drink something warm, and journal out what you wish someone would say to you.

5 Body-Based Ways to Reduce Stress Instantly

Your body holds stress in its tissues. Sometimes, releasing tension physically is the fastest path to feeling better mentally.

Here are 5 gentle body-based stress relief tips you can try anywhere:

Neck Rolls & Shoulder Shrugs
Gently roll your neck side to side, then shrug your shoulders up to your ears and drop them with an exhale. Repeat 5–6 times. This releases the tension most of us hold without noticing.
Jaw Relaxation
Open your mouth wide, then let it go slack. Massage the jaw muscles gently in circles. Unclenching your jaw sends a signal to your nervous system: we’re safe now.
Hand Massage
Rub your palms together to create warmth. Then gently press and knead the base of your thumbs and fingertips. This grounds you through touch.
Self-Hug
Wrap your arms around yourself and squeeze. Rock gently side to side. It might feel silly, but it soothes your nervous system like a weighted blanket.
Butterfly Tapping
Cross your arms over your chest so each hand rests on the opposite shoulder. Tap slowly back and forth. It helps bring your brain and body back into balance, especially after overwhelm.

Final Thought

You don’t have to be calm all the time and you don’t even have to be productive or positive or graceful all day long. You just have to meet yourself where you are, and offer care instead of pressure.

First, make sure you have a very good breakfast, so this will support you through your day, no matter what’s next.

Let stress be a message—not a punishment and let healing be slow, body-led, and honest. One thing for sure: make sure you see the stress and let it go.