10 simple ways to relieve muscle tension and reduce stress at home

Feeling your muscles tense up can be uncomfortable and painful at times.

However, this is common for many people, especially those with poor posture, and those who do a lot of physical labour.

While occasional tightness or soreness is normal, persistent muscle tension can disrupt your everyday life and even impact your sleep quality.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to relieve muscle tension at home.

Our bodies respond differently to hot and cold stimuli, which makes them valuable elements when dealing with muscle tension and tightness.

Heat therapy can help loosen tight muscles and improve blood flow and circulation while promoting relaxation and reducing pain.

You can use a heating pad or a warm compress at home. Alternatively, you can also soak in a tub with warm water to experience the benefits.

Cold compress is used when your muscle rigidity is caused by inflammation or swelling. This usually happens when you have an injury or overdid your workout.

You can apply a cold compress on the affected area using an ice pack wrapped in a towel or by taking a cold bath.

The key is to alternate between cold and hot therapy in 20-minute intervals for best results.

It's also important to remember not to apply heat or ice directly on the skin to avoid burns or tissue damage.

Staying immobile is very tempting when you're experiencing muscle pain and soreness.

However, this can only lead to more discomfort in the long run.

To avoid prolonging stiffness, it's better to keep moving - but remember to keep movements slow and gentle.

Consider low-impact exercises to reduce soreness and improve blood flow.

Exercises like yoga, walking, and swimming can help reduce aches and pains, keep muscles supple, and prevent further stiffness.

One of the best ways to reduce muscles is to massage the area. Indulging in self-massage can help alleviate pain and reduce muscle tension.

One of the best ways to do this is with a TENS machine. It is basically a massager that uses electrical currents to help reduce pain.

You can use it for different kinds of problems such as lower back pain, muscle spasms, ovulation pain, nerve pain, and pain caused by injuries.

A tens machine is portable and it only takes around 30 minutes to start taking effect.

Best of all, it is a natural and safe way to ease muscle tension at home.

Indulge in an Epsom salt bath for a soothing soak that melts away muscle tension.

It contains magnesium sulfate which draws out toxins, improves blood circulation, and reduces inflammation.

Soaking in warm water with Epsom salt is one of the best ways to de-stress and improve your self-care routine.

You simply draw a hot bath, add one to two cups of Epsom salt, and soak for 20-30 minutes.

You can do this whenever your body is experiencing muscle tension or if you just want to unwind and soothe your sore muscles.

Certain essential oils have calming and muscle-relaxing properties.

For example, lavender oil, chamomile oil, and eucalyptus oil are prized for their ability to calm and relax.

Applying these oils directly to the skin can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain. But make sure to use a carrier oil to dilute the essential oil, patch-test for allergies, and avoid sensitive areas.

Eucalyptus oil in particular has a cooling effect that helps loosen muscles and alleviate stiffness.

You can also opt to add a few drops of these essential oils into a diffuser or nebuliser.

Aside from pain relief, using these oils via aromatherapy can help improve your mood and promote relaxation.

One of the fastest and easiest ways to relieve muscle tension is to prioritise rest and recovery. When you sleep, your body can repair its tissues so that you can recover faster.

To optimise your sleep health, aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night and establish a consistent sleep schedule.

Make sure that your bedroom is cool and comfortable to optimise your sleep quality.

Drinking plenty of water lubricates your joints and connective tissues, promoting flexibility and preventing stiffness.

Proper hydration can alleviate your pain and protect the joints and muscles by keeping them soft and pliable.

During recovery, water can help carry nutrients faster to damaged cells to hasten repair. It also helps to flush out toxins to ease tension and soreness.

Implement a stress management plan.

As you probably noticed by now, stress hurts the muscles, causing them to tense up and tighten, which can only contribute more to your pain and discomfort.

Chronic stress can make muscle tension even worse so find healthy ways to relieve stress.

Try yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises to promote relaxation and ease muscle stiffness.

Your body will tell you what it needs.

For example, it tells you to eat when you're hungry and to rest when tired. It's the same with pain.

It's normal to experience muscle tension and soreness after physical activity or exercise.

This could mean that you need to decrease the intensity of your workout or minimise strenuous movement.

However, it is not normal to feel stiffness and tightness all the time. This could be a sign of something else.

When this happens, it is better to consult a professional healthcare provider.

Magnesium and fish oil are necessary nutrients for the body.

Most importantly, these two minerals can help reduce muscle soreness and tension.

Magnesium helps to keep nerves and muscles healthy, while the omega-3 in fish oil reduces inflammation and improves cardiovascular health.

Magnesium and fish oil are present in healthy diets. However, if you feel that you aren't getting enough, consult your healthcare provider about using supplements.

Not only will this ensure that you get the recommended daily dose, but it can also treat your muscle tension naturally.

These suggestions are safe and natural ways to relieve muscle tension and soreness.

If one remedy does not improve your condition, consider a combination of two or three.

For example, you can combine supplements with self-massage and quality sleep to optimise results.

If symptoms persist or if pain gets worse, consult a health professional at once.

This information is of a general nature only and should not be regarded as specific to any particular situation. Readers are encouraged to speak with their GP and seek appropriate medical advice based on their personal circumstances.