Life is stressful! Why not learn to use your 5 senses to ease stress whenever you need it? As you do the sensory exercises below, focus on only one sense at a time and try to be in the moment. Be mindful by staying in the present moment, focusing only on your senses instead of the stressful thoughts in your head. Be creative and come up with your own variations to ease stress.
Sense of touch
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It is very sensitive to what is happening around you, so it is a powerful tool to help you relax and find relief from your stress. Pay attention to how it feels on the skin. Is it hot or cold, is it rough or soft, etc.?
Some examples include: taking a warm bath, stretch/movement, cold compress, soaking your feet, feeling soft clothing or material, petting your pet, rubbing lotion on, massage. Just remember to be mindful of what you are touching.
Sense of smell
Aromatherapy has been scientifically proven to help decrease anxiety, stress and even sleep better. Certain aromas are beneficial for different things. For more additional information on this, you can visit this site.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-are-essential-oils#benefits
Some examples include spray fragrance in the air, light a scented candle, use essential oils, go on a nature walk and smell the air and flowers, or browse candle or body shop. Be mindful of each scent. What does the smell remind you of? Do you like the fragrance, etc?
Sense of taste
Eating comfort food is not what this refers to. This is a habit we want to try to avoid. But there are other items that can work. It is important again that you focus on the whole experience. The temperature of the food, how it tastes, how it feels in your mouth, etc.
Some examples include: sipping warm herbal tea, being mindful of the taste coffee as you drink it, sucking on hard candy, a little taste of your special food you usually don’t spend money on, mindful eating a tasty meal.
Sense of sight
People tend to replay the stressful situation over in their heads. Distractions can be a good way to focus and distract our mind. If you find something amusing or interesting to look at, it can help decrease the stressful thoughts. Whatever it is, be mindful of what you are looking at and focus your full attention on it.
Some examples: watching a movie you enjoy, watching clouds, looking at pictures that bring back good memories, getting lost in a good book, daydream about things that make you smile, look at something you find pleasant, take a walk in park, museum etc.
Sense of sound
Sound can also be used to help you relax. Focus on only the specific sound and filter out all other noises. Choose something that is positive and gives you a positive outlook. Do not pick sounds that bring back negative thoughts. Some examples include uplifting songs, types of music, nature sounds, playing an instrument, the human voice, listen to book on tape or podcasts, or singing a song.
Your Next Steps: Explore the intentional use of each of your 5 senses using the exercises above. Find out which ones work best for you and begin to incorporate these into your day to ease stress!
For more information about stress and other mindfulness topics, please visit my Resource page.