A Guide to Stress Relief
When you’re stressed, you don’t have time for bubble baths and facials, which don’t even cut it anyway. That’s why I carefully created this list of totally-doable ways to reduce stress and anxiety. Not only are the things on this list doable, they are also evidence-based. Whether you are having an all out panic attack or just experiencing increased anxiety, these methods work fast to soothe and calm.
Nourishment: I hit this one hard in this guide, because I really believe nutrition is one of the most potent ways to shift your mood. Now, I know that it is also hardest to eat healthy when you’re stressed. I encourage you to be gentle and compassionate with yourself knowing that eating a burger and fries every once in a while is not the worst thing ever. At the same time, it is true that what you eat directly affects how you feel, your response to stress, and brain function. Try to eat foods that are going to nourish and lift your spirits, and if necessary take a supplement to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need. The following nutrients are particularly potent for stress support:
Omega-3’s: The consumption of omega-3 fatty acids has been connected with reduced inflammation, anxiety, and depression. Get your omega-3’s by eating fish, avocados, seeds, and nuts or take a daily fish oil supplement.
Probiotics: Probiotics have been used in medicine for thousands of years. However, an increased interest in gut health has really boomed in recent years. Early research has shown that mice without probiotics in their systems had reduced sociality and heightened caution. Conversely, mice treated with probiotics had improved mood and reduced anxiety behaviors. Take a daily probiotic supplement and seek out fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha.
B Vitamins: These nutrients have shown promising results in reducing stress, particularly when multiple B vitamins are taken together. Eat your B vitamins in whole grains, meat, eggs, dairy products, legumes, seeds, nuts, dark green leafy vegetables, avocados, and fruit. You can also get them in a daily vitamin.
Ashwagandha: Multiple studies have shown that the Ayurvedic herb, Ashwagandha, is effective in treating stress and anxiety. One study in particular demonstrated that human subjects treated with Ashwagandha experienced lower anxiety levels than a placebo. Ashwagandha can be taken via tea or daily supplement.
Tea: Tea has long been known to improve mood and focus, particularly caffeinated tea. Because it contains lower doses of caffeine than coffee, tea still contains the positive benefits of caffeine without the jitteriness. Research into the effects of tea on mental health is only just beginning, but early studies show promising results. In one study, black tea drinkers were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, even after performing a stressful task.
LMAO: Spontaneous laughter is known to improve mood, depression, anxiety, and stress. In one early study, subjects were tested for the stress-hormone cortisol before and after watching an hour-long comedy video or waiting an hour. Those who watched the video had significant reductions of cortisol after watching. When you are stressed, it’s helpful to periodically lighten the mood by looking for humor in the small things. You can also watch stand-up comedy or a funny movie to induce a laugh.
Move yo body: Regular exercise has been connected with a lower incidence of mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, one study showed that regular exercisers had a lower heart rate and a more positive outlook than sedentary individuals when faced with a stressful task. Exercise is also incredibly flexible. You can go for a stroll with your kids or even on your lunch break. You can do some yoga while the baby is down for a nap. All it takes is at least 20 minutes of movement to make a difference in your mood.
Spend time with a furry friend: Being in the presence of a cat, dog, or other pet has been shown to decrease cortisol in stressful situations. In addition, many other studies have shown that spending even 10 minutes with a therapy dog is enough to reduce blood pressure and cortisol, which are both characteristics of the stress response. If you don’t have a pet to spend time with, many pet stores and animal rescues allow pet time for free. Also, many counselors have therapy dogs. If it’s important to you, seek out a therapist that does animal assisted therapy.
Stimulate the Vagus Nerve: This is sciency. Just go with me here. The vagus nerve is a “wandering” nerve that gathers information from the heart, pancreas, spleen, etc. and contains parasympathetic fibers. The parasympathetic nervous system plays an important part in slowing our stress response and stimulating bowel function (we literally stop digestion when we are in fight-or-flight mode). Doing things that stimulate the vagus nerve (like chewing gum, diaphramic breathing, singing, humming, and laughing) assists in telling your body that you are safe and can relax.
Delegate and Assert boundaries: Sometimes we experience stress because we are literally taking on more than we can handle. It is good self-care to recognize our own limits and ask for help when needed rather than stressing ourselves out trying to do it all on our own. Similarly, having someone walk all over us can stress us out. Big emotions like anger can be a sign that more firm boundaries need to be put into place. The process of asserting boundaries may be scary at first, but in the long run it will reduce the overwhelm.
Music: Listening to music has been proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress, and anger, and to induce relaxation. What we listen to matters though - heavy metal has been shown to have the opposite effect on our mood. The beautiful thing about music as a coping skill is that it’s very portable - you can listen almost anywhere on your phone via headphones and you can listen while driving or working if you need to. Listen to music that is soothing to you and find that inner calm.
Nature: Speaking of music, listening to nature sounds have also proven to be helpful in reducing stress symptoms. Most of the research out there on the impacts of nature on the psyche has focused on sight - seeing grass, trees, mountains, beach, animals, etc. Even viewing pictures of nature or looking through the window at natural sights is enough to improve your health and mood. However, we all know just looking at pictures or listening to nature sounds does not completely compare to the whole experience of actually being in nature. Spending time in nature does not have to involve a large amount of time either. As little as 10-50 minutes in a garden, park, or other outdoor space has been shown to make a positive impact in mood, focus, blood pressure, and heart rate. Find a way to experience nature on a regular basis for the purpose of calming and grounding.
Reach out: Healthy relationships have been shown to be protective factors against common mental health problems, including anxiety, stress, and depression. Sometimes talking through our stress and anxiety with a trusted person is just what we need to help us feel better. Reach out to a friend or therapist for support.
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. For a consultation appointment, go here.