Sometimes we run into small but really annoying problems: a stuffy nose, feeling nauseous before a big performance, burning your finger on the stove. These little issues can be a thorn in your side, and all you want is for them to go away as fast as possible.
It turns out there are ways to deal with these problems by gently “tricking” your body. AdmiGram.com will show you how to make these annoying issues disappear, at least for a while. Give these tricks a try, you might be surprised how well they work!
10 Ways to Trick Your Body Scientifically
1. If you need to suppress a sneeze in public
Press your finger against the point between your nose and upper lip, and hold it there for a few seconds. The urge to sneeze should fade. There are nerve endings under your nose that react to irritation inside the nasal passage, and pressing on this point blocks that signal.
2. If stress is making you feel nauseous
Massage the center of your palm in small circular motions with your thumb, then move to a point on your wrist about two inches below where you’d check your pulse. This pressure-point technique has reportedly been used by Indian yogis for centuries.
3. If you need to hold back laughter at the wrong moment
Press firmly on the point between your eyebrows and lift the skin upward. Biting your tongue works too. Either trick can help you keep a straight face when laughing just isn’t an option.
4. If you’re trying not to cry
Open your eyes wide, look upward, and try not to blink for as long as you can. The “lump” that forms in your throat when you’re about to cry comes from tension in your larynx muscles, and stretching them this way helps keep it at bay.
5. If you need to clear a stuffy nose
Massage the point between your eyebrows for a couple of minutes. At the same time, press your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth. Together, these movements help shift your nasal septum, easing the congestion. If it makes you sneeze, even better.
6. If you’ve lightly burned your finger on something hot
Wet the burn with saliva, then blow on it. It has a similar cooling effect to holding ice against the burn.
7. If you don’t want your snoring to keep anyone up
Turn onto your side. Breathing gets easier in this position because your airway opens up and the surrounding tissue is less likely to collapse. Ask any spouse who nudges their partner over at night — they’ll tell you this trick works.
8. If you need to memorize something
Before bed, go over what you need to remember a few times. While you sleep, your brain files that information into long-term memory, so by morning, you’ll find it’s stuck.
9. If anxiety has you on edge
Blow steadily on your thumb for about a minute. This can slow your heart rate and stimulates the vagus nerve, which helps regulate your parasympathetic nervous system, the part of your body responsible for calming you down.
10. If you need a quick mood boost
Hold a regular pencil between your teeth and try to smile around it. The physical act of smiling activates muscles associated with positive emotions, sending signals to your brain that help lift your mood. Try it right now — you might be surprised!
