6 Ways to Naturally Relieve Stress and Anxiety

6 Ways to Naturally Relieve Stress and Anxiety

This is a guest written article provided by Mollie:

It’s only recently that society as a whole has started to become more aware and educated regarding mental health. While we, as a society, still have a long way to go towards completely destigmatizing mental health ailments, we have, in fact, come a long way from where we once were 20 years ago. 20 years ago, many people wouldn’t be caught dead walking into a therapist’s office, now, however, it’s more normalized and even encouraged in some areas. Even though having and going to a therapist is no longer a hushed and negatively viewed affair, many times people don’t wish to take that step unless things become unbearable; be it, lack of time, energy, money, or simply not determining their own mental health to be that severe yet, there are quite a few methods you can try before taking the step of speaking with a therapist. If you’re looking to better your mental health, relieve stress, and naturally, reduce anxiety, try one of these great natural tips.

1.     Get Moving
This one probably the tip people hear the most often, but that’s only because it’s so true! Exercise is one of the best natural stress relievers and can really help those with high stress and anxiety. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore either, it can be something simple, or even something you like to do. You don’t need to be a major Crossfitter to reap the benefits of exercise. If you’re experiencing high stress or anxiety and don’t currently exercise, try simply implementing a twenty to thirty-minute walk into your routine. The natural endorphins released will boost your mood and reduce your stress for hours to come.

2.     Try Essential Oils
Essential oils have been around for hundreds of thousands of years in a variety of forms and have been touted to cure different ailments depending on which essential oil you’re using. Today, there are tons of different ways to utilize essential oils, from burning incense to using a diffuser and even to simply dabbing some on your wrists, many different oils have relaxing properties that will instill a feeling of calm and peace. If you’re specifically struggling with high stress try lavender, rose, or sage. If you’re especially struggling with anxiety try lavender (again), jasmine, or sweet basil. You can find the right way to use your essential oils here.

3.     Create a Comfortable and Relaxing Space
Having somewhere specifically designated where you can relax and unwind is of the utmost importance. We know that logically your whole home should be that sanctuary for you, however, for some that is not always the case. And even if it is, it’s not always a matter of having space but instead, it’s a matter of specifically designating said space for unwinding. That way, when you go into that room, relaxing and destressing is the only thing your mind wants to do because you’ve trained it to associate that specific room with relaxation and destressing. Some of the best things to have in your relaxation room in order to optimize the comfort level. Fuzzy blankets, over-sized pillows, a heater, candles, and maybe even a small fan or noise machine!

4.     Book a Massage!
While this may not be in the budget for everyone, if it is in yours, it’s one of the best ways to treat yourself and practice self-care. Not only is a massage great for relaxing, reducing anxiety, and distressing, it’s also good for your body physically as well. You’ll get rid of knots, built-up stress, and kinks that have been sitting in your back for ages causing you grief and stress without you even realizing it! If you can’t justify paying full price for a massage right now, try looking for coupons on Retail-Me-Not. And if you can’t swing that, you can still implement this tip! Offer to trade massages with your spouse or significant other! You’ll get some of the great effects and you’ll get to spend quality time with a loved one!

5.     Watch What you Put in Your Body to Get Good Out.
This simply means that what you’re putting into your body is affecting the results of what you get out and how you’re feeling every single day. If you’re struggling with high stress or anxiety, try keeping a food and feelings journal. Track the foods you’re eating throughout the day and then also regularly log how you’re feeling throughout the day as well and pay special attention to when your stress or anxiety is spiking. Is it after a night of drinks? Or maybe it’s a few minutes after your morning coffee? Alcohol, caffeine, and greasy foods with trans-fat are known to exacerbate high stress and anxiety and make them worse so be on the lookout for typical triggers in your daily diet.

6.     Get More Sleep.
Lack of sleep is one of the leading causes and chief exacerbators of poor health. Without enough sleep, you’ll feel sluggish, unmotivated and get sick more often. This is the same for high stress and anxiety. This is especially true if it’s something you’re already prone to. Lack of sleep makes any minor irritation a full-blown problem. Make getting enough sleep and getting quality sleep a top priority! If you’re not sure how to, start by tracking your sleep cycle. This will allow you to see how much sleep you’re getting and what quality. From there you can make adjustments to your sleeping habits and try different methods in order to improve your quality of sleep.
No matter how mundane you may feel your high stress and anxiety, if you can’t seem to pin down the problem or find ways to curtail it, it’s always best to see a licensed professional. In the meantime, we hope some of these top tips help to lessen your stress and anxiety.

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