By Stress, that ugly annoying feeling that you get when things are getting too intense or you have too much on your plate. And especially with how the world is going right now, stress is a very big thing. As a society, stress is a leading factor in health ailments, we have learned to take stress on and do nothing about it. Or we self medicate for stress. We turn to the use of narcotics to relieve stress. Turning to this coping mechanism is actually dangerous and can be extremely bad for our health. When we think about it we are using some drug to tell our brain “hey you need to chill out” and in turn, our brain becomes dependent and this and starts to only begin to relieve stress once we take the pill. With stress, it is actually not that hard to get rid of it we just have to think outside of the box. Our bodies are able to handle stress but not a lot of it. Our lives due to work and home life can actually be really stressful. So how can we handle stress naturally? And what can we implement into our daily lives to make sure that our stress levels go down? As you may know when stress is up your life feels overwhelming, chaotic, and just not fun.
How to manage stress
When managing stress it is important to know what you can do without turning to some drug or alcohol. We are trying to live a healthier and more natural life.
Exercise- When feeling stress a great way to relieve stress and some proven stress prevention is actually getting out and getting some physical exercise. As we already know exercise is key to your everyday health. But the mental effects of daily activity are amazing. When we exercise we get produce endorphins or the “feel-good chemical” that our brain produces naturally. When this is produce stress goes away. We want to make sure that our body is healthy physically and mentally. Just 30 minutes of physical activity daily can do so much for our well being.
Supplements- Supplements to help with stress are very beneficial. Now supplements are different from your typical “pill” supplements are usually natural products and are usually non-habit-forming. Sometimes our brain just needs that little extra push to help get those neurotransmitters to work. When looking for a supplement, we recommend that you look at reviews. Not all supplements are right for you. That’s why doing your research is extremely important.
Self-care- Self-care is extremely important in lowering your stress levels. Self-care can look a lot like getting a massage, manicure, or pedicure going for a hike or anything that can lower your stress. It is extremely important that you take care of yourself. Set some time daily or weekly and take care of yourself. You cannot perform properly if your stress levels are through the roof. Schedule that massage this weekend and let your stress go away.
Social gatherings- Being social is actually very important for our self-care. During covid-19 stress and depression went up a lot, simply because we were isolated from the world. Our lives need interaction and social settings. We crave friendship and communication. When we take that away depression is highly more likely to go up.
Environment- Your environment has a lot to do with stress as well. The type of environment that your in can determine if you are going to be stressed or relax. We suggest that if you are in a stressful environment that you try and remove yourself as soon as possible. We also recommend that you make sure you a place you can go to so that you can destress. This place can be your bedroom or anywhere that you feel safe.
Meditation- Meditation is key for a stressless life. When you meditate you are basically releasing any stress in the body. Mediation does not have to take long it can take as little as five minutes. A great place to meditate is somewhere that is quiet where you can focus and destress.
Therapist- Having a therapist is a great way to relieve stress. When you have someone that is a professional therapist, you have the opportunity to talk to them in confidence in areas that you might not feel comfortable talking to your friends or family about. It is essential that you feel comfortable being open with someone about any struggles that you might be facing.
We hope that this was helpful in helping to identify ways that you can release any stress that you might be having. We ask that you look past using drugs and alcohol as a way to cope and turn to more natural ways of relieving stress.
