Natural Ways To Relieve Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety is rampant in our cultures and lives, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless to stop it. Here, we offer some natural ways to relieve anxiety and stress.
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Work has piled up, the kids are fighting again, the house is a mess, and you haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since 2016. Stress is awful and like a malignant hydra that grows two heads for every one you chop off. The more stress you have, the more it multiplies. This can make it feel impossible to fight.
But just because we don’t have a magical golden sword doesn’t mean we can’t chop the head off our anxiety. We can prove it with these natural ways to relieve anxiety and stress.
Massage
Most people think of a massage as something they splurge on when they’re on their cruise. But a massage is more than just a spa treatment, especially where stress and anxiety are concerned.
When we get a massage, it reduces the stress-causing hormone cortisol and increases the production of feel-good hormones, like endorphins and dopamine. Additionally, massages also help target some of the physical effects of anxiety, like muscle tension, shallow breathing, and increased heart rate.
CBD
It seems like people use CBD for just about everything nowadays. But if there’s one thing people use it for above all else, it’s anxiety, and for a good reason.
CBD works with your body’s endocannabinoid system. This series of receptors and neurotransmitters helps regulate several functions in your body, including your mood and nervous system. In other words, it can potentially raise your mood while moving you from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest, making it a natural way to relieve anxiety and stress.
Pro-Tip
Since CBD is underregulated, it is tricky to find good-quality oils. If you’re nervous about buying from a business and have access to industrial hemp, you can invest in an ethanol recovery machine and extract it yourself at home.
Laughter
It turns out the adage, “laughter is the best medicine,” isn’t just a phrase to add to your embroidered throw pillows. Laughter, like a massage, helps the body cut back on cortisol, buff up those feel-good hormones, and lessen those physical stress symptoms. Additionally, it can help break up cycles of anxious thoughts.
But it isn’t always easy to laugh on command. So, if you’re stressed, take a step back and try one of these activities:
- Put on a funny TV show
- Recall your favorite inside jokes
- Get together with friends with a good sense of humor
- Go to a restaurant on karaoke night
- Spend time with kids and animals
Get To the Root
Anxiety can feel like it’s falling out of a clear blue sky, but it usually does have its roots somewhere. However, sometimes the roots aren’t in the circumstances but in yourself.
For example, let’s say someone gets anxious every time someone at work gives them a critique. It’s possible this anxiety is rooted in a deep-seated belief that their value comes from their performance. If you know that root, you can relieve the anxiety at the moment by reminding yourself what’s true. “It’s OK if I didn’t get it perfect. I’m still valuable.”
Anxiety’s awful, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless against it. By taking small steps, you can bring yourself closer to the day you defeat it once and for all.
