Whether we admit it or not, we all feel stressed from time to time. In many parts of the world, more and more people today report that they are feeling negative experiences like physical pain, worry, sadness, stress and anger. In the world that we live in today, it’s really difficult to feel happy all the time. Chronic stress is considered the type of stress that interferes with your ability to function normally over an extended period of time, such as more than 6 months.
Most people don’t always know that they are dealing with chronic stress, because it’s not that easy to make a connection between stress in their lives and symptoms like pain and brain fog. People also tend to have a difficulty identifying what’s causing them to worry in the first place, or why they feel angry, overwhelmed or depressed. Before you lose hope, there are several ways to help relieve stress in your everyday lives.
Try these 8 natural stress relievers now:
- Exercise and Yoga. Keeping yourself physically fit is very important. Research suggests that inactive people seem to be more prone to experience stress than active ones. Yoga has similar benefits, reinforcing the “mind-body connection.” It’s a good way to relax your mind and body every once in a while.
- Meditation/Devotional Prayer. Squeeze 10 minutes of your time in your daily routine to just quiet your mind and reflect. Close your eyes and focus on your
breathing. This stress-reliever helps you deal with worry and anxiety, and you can find peace of mind.
- Acupuncture. It may not be a favorite, but it has increasingly been used to treat many stress-related conditions, which includes psychiatric disorders, autoimmune or immunological-related diseases, infertility, anxiety, and depression.
- A nutrient-dense diet. What does my diet have to do with how stressed I feel? Well, a steady supply of nutrients like essential vitamins, trace minerals, healthy fats, electrolytes, amino acids and antioxidants all help your brain handle stress better. Stay away from packaged sugary foods, too much alcohol or caffeine and refined vegetable oils.
- Challenge your thoughts with “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.” This is a type of therapeutic practice that’s been proven to lower anxiety, stress and multiple disorders. Its goal is to change patterns of your thinking or behavior about certain events in your life, similar to having a positive mindset.
- Spend more time in nature and be more social. Spending time with your loved ones and connecting with your friends is always a great stress reliever. You can communicate your feelings and feel that sense of belongingness. Being outdoors and one with nature reminds you that you’re a piece of a much larger universe and brings a sense of calmness in your body and mind.
- Keep a journal. It helps you to keep track of your emotions, both positive and negative. It’s also a great way to review the events that happened in your life that triggered them, which can help you identify what’s causing the stress.
- Use adaptogen herbs and essential oils. Several of these herbs and oils have been shown to improve anxiety symptoms by reducing the effects that stress and cortisol have on the body. Adaptogens include ginseng, holy basil, cocoa, among others. Essential oils like lavender, myrrh, and frankincense are capable of reducing inflammation, improving immunity, balancing hormones, and helping with sleep and digestion.
- Ask for help. Whether it’s for personal stuff or just things you can’t do by yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes, it would be the smartest thing to do, especially professional help. Let’s say you have a problem with mold – don’t deal with it yourself. Call the pros. Here’s a company that does mold testing in Toms River that are experts in the stuff.
