How to Relieve Stress in 30 Seconds

Simple micro-habits can quickly improve well-being.

Psychologist Eli Sussman offers an effective approach to combating stress through short daily micro-practices lasting less than 30 seconds. This method is designed for people who, due to busy schedules, do not have time for full-length meditation sessions but want to maintain emotional balance.

New Scientist reports on this..

According to the author’s research, developing simple skills makes it possible to derive maximum benefits for well-being without a significant investment of time.

The power of regularity over duration

Research has shown that even a 20-second conscious effort to treat oneself with kindness significantly reduces anxiety. In one experiment, participants hugged themselves every day, imagining that they were offering warmth to a close friend.

After a month of these short practices, their overall mental health improved substantially compared with the control group. The main secret to success is consistency, not the number of minutes spent on the exercises.

“Study after study points to the same pattern that almost no one talks about: what matters is not how long you practice, but how often,” notes Eli Sussman.

How to incorporate beneficial habits into your life

A short breathing exercise or simple stretching at the workplace has a similar positive effect. For example, surgeons who did a 90-second warm-up every hour reported significantly better concentration and less physical pain. Specialists recommend doing the exercises right at your desk, arching your back as you inhale and gently rounding it as you exhale.

To ensure that new rituals become firmly established, they should be tied to daily activities you already do, such as having your morning coffee or putting on pajamas. At the same time, the psychologist advises setting aside two emergency days off per week when you can skip the exercises without a guilty conscience. Giving yourself permission to be imperfect prevents the emergence of a destructive feeling and helps you avoid abandoning what you have started.

As a reminder, the morning rush and the constant pressure of endless to-do lists often lead to mental exhaustion and chronic stress. However, one morning ritual can become a true lifesaver for the nervous system and overall well-being.