If you are not a fan of meditation, fret not. There are alternative means to heal your soul, as these celebs vouch for new techniques…

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Meditation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Recently, Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, confessed how he relies on NSDR (Non Sleep Deep Rest) podcasts to unwind, instead of meditation. As Pichai gave social media a new thing to talk about, we find out what celebs have chosen as an alternative to meditation.

Take a deep breath

I do breathing exercises of short duration; these are very comforting and can be done anywhere, at any anytime. Unwinding for me is very important as an artiste because of the high-paced lifestyle we are accustomed to. I don’t try things by just watching ads on social media. Normally, trying out new unwinding routines has always happened on a friend’s recommendation and that too if he or she has benefited. –Jasmin Bhasin, Actress

Yoga & chakras

I have learnt yoga and that really keeps me calm as well as positive. Talking of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) videos or audios, I also like to hear the natural music of flowing water and that automatically transfers me into a deep rest mode. Also, star-gazing at night, especially while travelling to a hill station, is a favourite activity when I want to sit with myself. Unwinding is all the more necessary for artistes and so is leading a disciplined life. The only way to deal with the daily stress is to find your de-stressing activity. I came to know about chakra cleansing when a friend sent a video and I tried it with guided meditation. It is always helpful. I now have a healer who cleans my chakras. — Adaa Khan, Actress

Being optimistic

In today’s crazy and hectic lifestyle, travelling to the hills, listening to music and watching movies is calming and meditative to an extent. But, what keeps me happy all through the day is not skipping my morning ritual of listening to Shiva and Krishna chants. It helps me start my day in an optimistic manner. I also follow Bhramkumari Shivani. The discourses are quite good. — Sharad Malhotra, Actor

Tap the good vibes

Music has helped me lead a stress-free life. Flute works wonders and sets the right mood. I go for vigorous dance movements when I feel low. Having said that, meditation also plays an important role in my day-to-day schedule. A trending thing I tried recently is ‘tapping’. It makes me feel good and positive. Social media is a good tool for suggestions, but one needs to filter carefully. —Namita Lal, Actress

Sleep a while

I do various things to unwind. I think sleeping is extremely important; it’s like a mini-break from all the stress you’ve endured during the day. Instead of meditation, I believe in retail therapy to calm my mind. I go for window shopping to rejuvenate. It’s such a stress-buster. A healthy trend I tried recently was intermittent fasting and got good results. It was relaxing, as I felt very light. I don’t follow all the trends though. Only practical ones are on my list. — Charrul Malik, Actress

Know these Novel ways to de-stress in the hectic times we live in

ASMR: The term ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) was coined in 2010. It is a relaxing, often sedative sensation that begins on the scalp and moves down the body. Also known as ‘brain massage’, it’s triggered by placid sights and sounds such as whispers, accents and crackles.

NSDR: Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) was a term proposed by Stanford neuroscience professor Andrew Huberman. As told by him, it includes ‘self-inducing a state of calm’ and ‘directing our focus to something’. NSDR protocols can improve learning, help you relax, reduce stress, and help you fall asleep more easily.

EFT Tapping: EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT tapping falls into the category of body-centered therapies that help in relieving stress quickly. It has its roots in Chinese practice of acupuncture, which says the body’s energy travels along specific pathways. Certain points on these pathways are stimulated to improve the flow of energy. During the 1970s, several doctors began stimulating acupressure points to help their patients deal with stress, fear and phobias. One of them, patented by Dr. Roger Callahan, is called Thought Field Therapy. Later Gary Craig simplified the process and made it available to the public under the name EFT.