How Everyday Rituals Relieve Stress

Novelist Charles Dickens, who gave us such classics as Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol, could only sleep with his head facing north. He always carried a compass to position himself, believing that this sleeping pattern enhanced creativity.

Perhaps he was onto something. Dickens was not only a literary giant but a great social reformer. He facilitated the creation of homeless shelters for abused women, the first pediatric hospital in the United Kingdom, and the field of orthopedics (Kryger, M. 2012).

Source: Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash

The great author/poet Maya Angelou needed to write in a plain hotel room with pictures removed from the walls. She wrote by hand on legal pads on the bed. She also required a bottle of sherry, a Roget's Thesaurus, and a deck of cards to play solitaire. The ritual replicated her humble beginnings, and the solitaire game allowed her to arrive at a "place of enchantment" that stirred memories. In addition to her literary work, Angelou's professional work included dancing, singing, and Broadway performances. Without completing college, she became a college professor (Lupton, M. J. 1998).

Professional athletes perform repetitive rituals both before and during games. Dennis Grossini, a pitcher on a Detroit Tiger farm team, would touch the team letters on his uniform before each pitch and straighten his cap after each ball. Tennis great Rafael Nadal's elaborate rituals include checking that his chair is precisely aligned and that his socks are even on his calves.

Coping With Uncertainty

The unknown stirs feelings of a loss of control. It's daunting to face uncertainty every day. So, we attempt to bring control to the chaos of life. Rituals provide a sense of predictability, certainty, and stability. They comfort us (Lang, M. et al. 2020).

Humans need a sense of control or certainty about their daily lives. Studies show that the more uncertain we feel, the more likely we are to see patterns where none exist. Patterns tested include visual illusions, superstitions, and conspiracy theories (Whitson, et al. 2008). Affirming our sense of control helps buffer the tendency to see patterns where they don't exist.

Religious rituals, like reciting Psalms from the Bible, have been shown to lower anxiety and stress for those in war zones (Sosis, R. et al., 2011). The ritual of reciting the rosary was found to have greater stress-relieving benefits than a religious lesson (Anastasi, M.W. et al. 2008).

Allison Wood Brooks and colleagues defined a ritual as "a predefined sequence of symbolic actions often characterized by formality and repetition that lacks direct instrumental purpose." She and her colleagues made up several different rituals that resembled magic spells in a study of performance anxiety. Experimenters measured both physiological and psychological stress around math test anxiety and singing karaoke in public. Those who performed the ritual experienced significantly less stress than subjects in the control group (Brooks, A. W. 2016).

To sleep better at night, experts recommend a sleep routine before bedtime. A bedtime ritual helps you separate yourself psychologically from the business of a workday and prepare yourself for rest. Washing, changing into bedclothes, dimming the lights, and sipping an herbal tea can help you calm down and feel sleepy.

When Rituals Go Too Far

Individuals who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) also engage in rituals. With OCD, ritual behaviors feel compulsory, interfere with daily responsibilities, and do not provide sustainable relief from anxiety (Boyer, P. et al. 2008).

When rituals interfere with your relationships and daily life and intrusive thoughts torment you, it's best to seek help from a licensed psychotherapist. You can obtain referrals from your physician, the Psychology Today Therapy Directory, or your insurance provider list.

Those who don't suffer from OCD can find comfort in rituals. It's part of what makes us quirky and interesting. Talk to any author, and most will share a procrastination ritual that helps them cope with the scary uncertainty of a blank page. My writing procrastination ritual includes cleaning the kitchen, straightening my desk, and pouring myself a cup of green tea before I turn on the computer.

What stress or uncertainty are you wrestling with today? Are there any rituals you currently use to help you feel grounded, comforted, and in control? Perhaps you can begin incorporating a ritual into your daily life. Borrow from family traditions and spiritual practices, or make one up that feels meaningful to you. I highly recommend including a warm cup of green tea.