3 out of 4 Americans said they had at least one stress symptom in the last month. Not only can anxiety cause unrest, but it can also cause other health issues as well, such as insomnia and fatigue.
It’s perfectly natural to have some degree of stress in your life. What’s important is you know how to manage it so you don’t wear yourself out.
But how can you do so without relying on more harmful things, like prescription medications?
To help you out, here are 7 tips to get that naturally calm feeling.
1. Meditate
Meditation is a great way to take a step back from your busy life.
Set aside 10 to 15 minutes of your day to meditate. We’d suggest doing this first thing in the morning, but other times work as well. You can also meditate multiple times a day if you feel like it’s necessary.
Sit in a quiet room, close your eyes, and clear your head of all your thoughts. Focus on your breathing; take deep breaths and make them slow and even. This will help relax your entire body.
Think about what you’re grateful for in life. When you realize how much you really have, this can help put things into perspective. As a result, you might see that you’re making a huge deal out of something that won’t matter much in the long run.
Meditation can also aid in setting a positive tone for the rest of your day.
2. Do Yoga
Yoga is like meditation, but with a little more physical activity. This activity also makes you focus on things like your breathing and how you’re positioning your body.
Whether you’re in a yoga class or learning on your own, performing these slow and deliberate movements help center you. You’ll be able to pump the brakes on the whirlwind you call life and get some respite.
Yoga can also strengthen your body. You won’t carry as much tension in your body and you’ll be able to tackle more things in your busy schedule.
3. Exercise
Maybe yoga just isn’t your thing. That’s okay! In that case, you might fare better with any other type of exercise.
Often, when you have lots of stress and anxiety, you have tons of energy to burn off. The longer it stays with you, the more stressed out you’ll feel.
Take some time out of your day to do a physical activity you enjoy; that can be anything from swimming to playing tennis or hockey. You’ll be able to blow some steam off and tire your body out.
In addition, you’ll release endorphins. These chemicals can make you feel happier and sleep better. As a result, your stress will melt away.
4. Talk About Your Stress
Bottling things up is not a healthy way to go about stress and anxiety. It may seem like you’re handling it just fine. But before you know it, all of those bottled emotions will explode in a mess that’ll be hard to handle.
It’s always a good idea to talk about your stress with someone you trust. This can be your partner, best friend, pastor, or even a therapist.
You might think you only need therapy when things are really wrong. But the reality is, therapy is never a bad idea. Even people who are happy all the time need an outside perspective from time to time.
5. Drink Relaxing Herbs
Do you usually make yourself an afternoon cup of coffee as a pick-me-up? Consider swapping coffee out for a cup of calming tea! If you don’t, still think about adding this healthy habit to your daily routine, as it’ll help immensely with stress.
Some relaxing herbs you can try include:
- Ginger
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- California poppy
- Passionflower
- Hops
- Brahmi
- Ashwagandha
- Tulsi
You can find most (if not all) in teabag form already. So you don’t even have to prepare anything yourself; just steep the tea bag and sip when the tea’s ready.
6. Take Supplements
If drinking herbs isn’t your cup of tea, then try out supplements to calm your nerves.
Many of the above herbs are available in supplement form as well. In addition, the following in supplement form can help with anxiety and stress:
- L-theanine
- Magnesium
When you’re having your breakfast and taking your other pills and supplements, just add a few of these herbal ones. You’ll soon see a difference in your stress levels.
7. Smoke Some Marijuana
Marijuana’s long been touted as a natural substance you can reap many benefits from. One of them is calmness and relaxation.
You may notice that with some people, they’ll smoke weed and start laughing uncontrollably at things. They’ll have lots of energy and creativity, which is why many artists partake in this herb.
With others, you might notice that they become super chill, melting into their surroundings. They’ll probably say very little and will have an extreme “stoned” demeanor.
This is because there’s a difference between the different marijuana strains sold. More specifically, they are indica vs sativa.
Obviously, if you want to feel more relaxed, you should go with indica or hybrid strains that are more indica-heavy. In fact, if you smoke sativa, it might actually make your anxiety worse.
Feel Naturally Calm With Our Tips
Now you have some excellent tips to feel naturally calm. Whether it’s doing some yoga or meditation or smoking some marijuana, there’s bound to be a method or two that’ll help you out.
So experiment with our suggestions to find the right ways to get a natural calm for anxiety. Once you do, you’ll wonder how you went for so long without these lifesaving hacks!
Did you like this article? Then make sure to check out our other blog posts on relaxation!