5 Natural Ways to Relieve
Stress and Anxiety

By Scarlet Gratton

Stress and anxiety are two common conditions with debilitating consequences such as depression and the utter lack of confidence and self-worth. However, these are not the only signs that you might be suffering from chronic stress or even anxiety, as there are numerous other consequences these psychological conditions could have on your emotional and physical well-being.

In a world where being “stressed-out” has become commonplace, and anxiety is a prevalent psychological disorder among teens, millennials, and older adults, there is a need to find new ways to lift the weight off your mind and soul and regain your happiness and zeal one day at a time. Let’s take a look at five natural ways to relieve stress and anxiety.

Start by discovering the cause

The road to a stress-free future begins by discovering the deep underlying causes that trigger the negativity, the angst, and the feelings of inadequacy. While we cannot eliminate all stress triggers in life, the least we can do is define them, recognize the ways in which they impair our self-confidence and wellbeing, and do our best to become more resilient over time. More often than not, we over-react to certain stressors simply due to chronic exposure to them, and our emotional turmoil is the outcome that brings us even more pain and suffering.

Does your work fulfill you and give a layer of meaning to your existence, or do you dread entering the office? Do the people around you tend to express purely negative thoughts, or do you surround yourself with positive, encouraging people? By discovering the roots of your anxiety, you may begin to heal with the right approach and lifestyle changes.

Improve your mood with exercise

Staying passive in the face of stress can only have a negative impact on your self-perception. On the other hand, it would be unrealistic to expect a single activity such as exercise to fix any existing issues, hence the need to build an all-encompassing plan. However, by including exercise in your weekly routine, you will start to appreciate your own dedication and nurture the feeling of accomplishment, which in turn strengthens your confidence.

Moreover, you will allow your body to naturally detoxify through sweat, you’ll experience the perks of increased serotonin and endorphin production, while you also have a safe, constructive outlet for your negativity.

Turn to healing plants

When it seems that everything from your work to your personal life exposes you to high doses of stress almost on a daily basis, it makes perfect sense to turn to Mother Nature for help. In fact, the most recent studies conducted on cannabis recognize the benefits of using this plant for battling various psychological issues, ranging from anxiety, all the way to post-traumatic stress disorder, not to mention debilitating diseases that can decrease our quality of life dramatically without proper treatment.

Even laws and regulations across the world are starting to change to embrace the practice, and recognize it as a safe, natural way to combat stress and other health issues. To that end, using marijuana flower provides a healthy alternative to make the most of this healing plant and its beneficial properties. By lowering your blood pressure, helping your body produce more dopamine, and reducing pain, cannabis is slowly emerging as nature’s most potent stress-relievers for our modern lifestyle.

Rejuvenate the body and mind with healing foods

If your typical diet consists of fast food, processed sugar, and too little water, then you may have discovered not just a way to combat stress, but its key culprit as well. By depriving your body of essential macro and micronutrients, you deprive it of the right fuel to create enough energy that will allow you to stay productive and tackle everyday challenges.

While we all have different dietary needs and health goals, the key lies in ensuring diverse, nutrient-dense foods in your menu every day. From getting enough lean proteins, healthy carbs and fats, all the way to loading your meals with vitamins and minerals, your mood, immune system, and your ability to tolerate stress heavily depend on your nutrition. As you consistently stick to a balanced eating regime, you will notice how your energy levels grow, and your ability to resist stress triggers prevails.

Regulate your sleep patterns

Having a hectic routine often leads to equally haphazard sleep patterns. Whether you sleep too little, you go to bed and wake up at different times every day, or you wake up often during the night, both quality and quantity can affect how you handle stressful situations. In addition to your diet and physical activity, sleep is the third ingredient that builds the backbone of a healthy life.

Create a before-bed routine that will help you unwind. You can replace screen-time with reading, taking a bath, meditating, or spending quality time with your family. Add to that, you can infuse your room with sleep-inducing essential oils and create the perfect atmosphere for a restful night.

As inevitable as it may be, stress and anxiety are more than manageable with the right approach. The listed five ideas are by no means the only methods that work, hence the need to keep exploring until you create your own, personalized system. This will help you achieve a balanced life, one that is not dictated by stressful events, but by your ability to handle them efficiently and safeguard your wellbeing.

Finally, here is a comprehensive resource for Managing Stress and Anxiety.

Scarlet Gratton is a passionate writer and regular contributor at ripped.me interested in fashion, lifestyle, and health. She loves traveling, you could say that she is a real travel addict, especially when she has a chance to visit some exotic destinations. She would tell you that inspiration can be found in the most unexpected places.