Sometimes life can feel A LOT.

There may be a number of reasons why your head or whole body feel overwhelmed.

School, work, relationships, mental health and general health can have a huge impact on us and sometimes it all can feel a little too much. And when that happens it’s important to find calm in the chaos.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines self-soothe as ‘to make yourself calm or happy.’

Personally, I am not a fan of the term ‘self-soothe’. It makes me think of a baby left to cry itself to sleep.

I prefer thinking of it as finding peace or calm when your insides feel chaotic.

Regardless of how you choose to label it, it’s important to have tools to self-soothe when you need them.

We have created a list of five ways to help you find some peace when your mind and body feel overwhelmed.

Get outside.

Fresh air should be classed as a form of medication. As much as this sounds like something your mum would say, getting fresh air when your brain feels a little overwhelmed is so important.

Getting out for a light walk, or any form of exercise, releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good.

The fresh air and sunlight can also help raise the oxygen levels in your brain, which increases serotonin levels - the chemical that makes your brain happy.

Alternatively, if you want to stick close to home, sit outside in the sun (WITH YOUR SPF ON!!!) with a book, or get stuck into a bit of gardening.

The fresh air will help you clear your head and make everything far more managable.

The simple act of stepping outside makes a huge difference, making it the perfect place to start.

Find water.

Water is highly therapeutic - to look at, to listen to, to touch and even to smell if it’s the ocean. 

According to Women + Waves, water triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s ‘rest and digest’ response. In this state, your heart rate and blood pressure lowers, your digestion is stimulated and your body is able to relax.

I was lucky to live near the water a few years back and anytime I needed to find some peace, I’d head down and watch the water or go for a swim if the weather was nice.

If you aren’t as fortunate to live by the ocean, going for a swim at the local pool will tick the box.

Even something as simple as a bath helps too. Light a few candles, make yourself a cup of herbal tea, pop on some relaxing music (our Billie Says Relax playlist is pretty good or if you are really getting into the water theme, play some rain or ocean sounds) and decompress.

We guarantee the water will help wash away some of the chaos in your brain.

Hit play.

Music is such a powerful thing when it comes to emotions. Happy, sad, hyper, angry… there’s music for everything and often it can enhance how we are feeling. And when I’m feeling down, upbeat pop music just ain’t it.

Some people may like meditation or even spa music to help them feel calm. Personally I prefer these when I’m trying to get to sleep but the rest of the time I like listening to actual songs.

I have created this Billie Says Relax playlist so that everyone can find some soft, calming songs but still get your Taylor fix.

Obviously calming music will sound different to everyone so you may have to put in a little effort to build a playlist that works for you. 

Go to Spotify and search different playlists and pull songs that you like to create your own.

Turn your tech off.

Technology can be fantastic but it can also be triggering in so many ways.

Our phones are constantly over-stimulating our brains and when it feels like there is a storm brewing in your head, technology can turn it into a full blown cyclone.

It’s not just the content we are looking at either that can send us into a deeper spiral, it can be the act of looking at a screen full stop that makes it worse.

According to the State University of New York, screen time can induces stress reactions - “both acute stress (fight-or-flight) and chronic stress produce changes in brain chemistry and hormones that can increase irritability. Indeed, cortisol, the chronic stress hormone, seems to be both a cause and an effect of depression—creating a vicious cycle.”

Also the light from a screen stops your body from producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, which in turns disrupts sleep and throws off the body clock and can make us tired, grumpy and will only enhance the chaos in your head.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, pop your phone away, turn off the TV and try one of these activities:

• Read a book or magazine

• Do a puzzle

• Do some colouring in or painting

• Do some crafting (knitting, sewing, crocheting etc)

• Bake something delicious

• Do something active like yoga

• Meditate (we recommend the Headspace free trial to learn how)

Lean on your loved ones.

One of my favourite sayings is “A problem shared, is a problem halved.”

The concept is so simple but I find it works every time.

Whenever I am stewing over something, or simply just feel a bit sad, I find it useful to share those feelings with a friend or family member you feel safe being vulnerable with.

It may simply be saying, “Today wasn’t so great because…” or “I’m just feeling a little sad” but sharing your feelings will feel like a weight off your shoulders.

My friends will always reply with supportive messages and knowing you’re not alone in your difficult feelings can make a huge difference.

Otherwise the often small things making you sad or stressed can begin to grow until they feel unmanageable like you’ve hit a wall you just can’t get over.

Reaching out to someone and sharing will make that wall seem smaller and there will someone there to help boost you up and over.

Always remember you are never alone and things always get better 💕