Stress is inevitable in certain situations or stages in life. It can be positive or negative, mild or severe, it can affect your overall health or it can be just temporary. How stress affects you depends on how you mentally manage it. Yes, that’s right! Any type of stress can be manageable and there are a few stress management activities you can do to better deal with it.
What is stress
Stress is the body reaction to a challenge or demand making you feel more alert, angry, nervous, or frustrated. Stress comes in many forms and it can be positive or negative. In a short period of time, it can help you avoid a dangerous situation or overcome a challenge. However, if the stress lasts for a long time, it can become chronic and negatively impact your body potentially causing medical issues such as immune system disorders.
Learn how to manage your stress
As we said, stress is always there in different forms. The way you see it and manage it is key to not let it become a problem in your day-to-day life. We give you tips and some activities you can do anytime and anywhere to make you feel better when stress hits.
Breathe. It may sound cliche but it’s true. Breathing is a great way to release stress. There are multiple breathing exercises that you can try. Belly breathing, roll breathing and rolling breathing are the most popular ones.
Exercise. Although some people find exercising a hard, painful, and even fearsome endeavor, it proves to be very effective in fighting stress. Exercising releases endorphins which are called the “runner’s high”. You’ll feel less stressed, happy, and energized even after a good workout. Plus, you’re getting into shape so it boosts your confidence.
Eating right. What you eat plays an important role in your overall health and how you mentally feel. Eating intuitively and a diet based on wholefoods should help your body balance hormones including those associated with stress.
Laugh. Laughter is the best medicine indeed. Remember when you had a bad day but someone told you a joke and for a moment you forgot what made you feel bad? That’s the effect of laughing, it instantly makes you feel good and science proves it. Research indicates that laughing releases endorphin and lowers cortisol levels which is the stress hormone.
Meditate. People have been practicing it for thousands of years. It was born as a way to connect to a deity. But modern meditation is more about connecting to the inner you and listening to your body. Being alone, closing your eyes and breathing helps you relax and keep your stress level low. Do it for about 10-15 mins a day and you’ll see the results.
Take a long bath. We always have things to worry about; work, family, money. But most of the time we neglect ourselves. It is very important to dedicate at least 1 hour a day to yourself. A hot bath can be a good option and adding a CBD bath bomb can make it even more relaxing. The warm temperature changes your core temperature which relaxes your body decreasing stress levels.
Sleep. As said in the former statement, sleeping helps you manage your stress. Feeling well-rested and resetting overnight is crucial to function properly and be able to be yourself. Are you getting enough sleep?
What about sleep?
Sometimes getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge often caused by stress. So if you need to sleep to better manage stress but you’re not sleeping because of stress… How do you break this cycle?
Your body is wired to find the balance between waking up and falling asleep, eating and fasting, working and resting, finding holistic homeostasis which keeps you healthy and in tip-top shape. Any imbalance will have a domino effect in all systems in your body.
When this happens it can be difficult to get back on track on your own if you’re experiencing stress or anxiety for a long time. In this case, it’s a good idea to explore natural ways to help you get quality sleep. Get yourself into a consistent bed routine, make sure to stay hydrated, and find herbal remedies to ease your mind. Cannabinoids can be helpful when balancing your body. CBN or Cannabinol is one of the cannabinoids found in hemp that has sedative properties calming your mind and body while bringing balance to your Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Having a balanced ECS can improve your immune system, pain response, and hormonal activity including cortisol.