With the pandemic and the need to work from home, many people find themselves working for long hours without breaks. Also, since almost everyone now has a side hustle, no time is set aside for relaxation.
This is why so many people are dealing with stress and stress-related issues. Several symptoms point to the fact that you are stressed, ranging from body aches and pains, headaches, dizziness to insomnia and low libido. Let us explore some proven ways to alleviate stress in this post.
1. Exercise
This may be quite difficult to understand because stress most likely comes with fatigue, so exercising may be overreaching. However, regular exercise has been known to release endorphins into your bloodstream, which helps improve your mood. Consider basic exercises like walking the dog or a quick run, yoga, or dancing. Exercise will also improve the quality of your sleep if you’re suffering from insomnia as a stress-related symptom. The bottom line is that exercise is an all-rounder.
2. Caffeine
If you can’t go about your day without coffee, then you may want to consider tea if you are constantly stressed. You may not know this, but consistent intake of caffeine in large quantities could trigger anxiety and stress. This is commonly found in coffee and energy drinks. If you are used to putting in late hours at work and depending on coffee to get you through, you may be kicking yourself in the leg. Reduce your coffee intake and stay away from energy drinks.
3. CBD Oil
Cannabidiol, popularly known as CBD, is one of the chemical components that make up cannabis, the other being tetrahydrocannabinol or THC (the ingredient that makes you high). CBD oil from CFAH has been known to have calming effects, thereby relieving feelings of stress and anxiety. It is said to work wonders for people with PTSD, shielding them from replaying memories and reducing nightmares. Several countries are legalizing marijuana, and the effects and benefits of CBD oil are becoming widely known. It lifts your mood, thereby reducing your stress.
4. Tend to your Relationships
Studies have shown that when people who are stressed spend time with loved ones, whether friends or family, the body releases oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. Oxytocin is a feel-good hormone that helps reduce stress and keeps you calm. If you surround yourself with friends or people that make you feel good, the possibility of being stressed or depressed lessens.
5. Eliminate stress Triggers
This is the point where you need to be honest with yourself, do a little self-reflection, and determine what triggers your stress. For some people, it is the countless number of engagements they have committed to. Even if you cancel these engagements, chances are you will still be stressed when you resume. So, you would need to prioritize those engagements, pace yourself and call it a day when you feel like you are overstepping. Eliminating stress triggers also includes setting goals that are realistic and not far-fetched. You do not need to be the employee of the month or year at the expense of your health or body. Another trigger could be procrastination. Many people refuse or delay getting things done until they become overwhelmed, and this may lead to stress. Learn to say no to triggers at the workplace or even at home.
6. Laughter
There are many conditions that laughter alleviates, ranging from anger to mental health and even stress. It even improves your muscle tone and lightens your mood. Do you not wonder why people pay so much for comedy shows just to sit in a hall and laugh all night? Laughter is like medicine for the soul and will relieve you of whatever stress symptoms you may be experiencing.
7. Yoga
Yoga is an excellent stress reliever. This practice may be a sub-classification of exercise, but yoga has been known to improve mood and relieve stress and is also great for your mental health. Doing different yoga poses like the corpse pose right before bed can ease your stress and help you sleep better. Its efficacy is tied to the response your body gives when you do yoga. Cortisol (stress hormone) levels are lessened, blood pressure reduces, and you generally have a feeling of awareness and peace.
The above remedies for stress are indeed useless or an exercise in futility if you do not become self-aware of the things, people, or situations that trigger stress in your life. It is one thing to know you are stressed and work towards lessening it. It is another to make decisions so that you do not remain perpetually stressed or tired.
