If you are like most people, you’ve probably succumbed (at least once) to an advertisement that was guaranteed to solve whatever issue you were dealing with at the time. And only for $19.99 to boot! Plus, if you ordered within the next ten minutes, you’d get two for the price of one—you know the spiel. Well, rest assured, I don’t have anything to sell. In fact, what I’m going to offer you today is free. And that is to share with you nine natural stress and anxiety relief tips that really work.
Who doesn’t like free stuff? I certainly do.
Everyday life can be stressful, especially in these uncertain times we find ourselves living in lately. People everywhere are looking for ways to live less anxiously. Below I’ll share some free valuable tips that will help you do just that.
Nine Natural Stress And Anxiety Relief Tips That Really work
1. Eat real, nutritious food
Our diets over the ages have come to include “food” that is overly processed, full of artificial ingredients such as dyes, refined sugars, industrial seed oils, and additives that are so harmful to our health and nervous system.
So let’s start with some basics first. We all have to eat. If you choose to eat nutrient dense, balanced, real food, you’ll be taking a step in the right direction to achieve overall health and wellness, including mental health.
Now, this doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing undertaking. Start by taking a look through your refrigerator and pantry to see what processed food you can start systematically swapping out for more raw, fresh, and organic items. And then continue to build upon that until your diet consists more of non-processed and healthier food.
2. Use vitamins and supplements
Okay, I guess this isn’t exactly free, but neither is eating nutritious food. So, in a sense, I could just lump this tip into being part of your healthy daily diet, right?
Along with good nutrition, using various vitamins and supplements can also help to reduce anxiety. Here are the seven best vitamins and supplements to help you combat stress. Also, probiotics can do wonders in reducing anxiety.
3. Ditch the caffeine, alcohol, and smokes
So, I know these common, popular substances can be challenging to consider giving up. But if you have chronic anxiety, these substances are not your friend. For instance, caffeine which is a stimulant can cause nervousness and jitters.
Smokers often reach for a cigarette when stressed, but research indicates that people who use tobacco are actually more stressed than those who don’t.
And alcohol which is a depressant, tricks people into thinking it a reliable cure for anxiety. And indeed, taking a drink might calm you down at first, but once the buzz is over, the tension can return with a vengeance. If this is your method of calming your nerves, overusing it can even increase anxiety.
*Do you see what I did here? With this tip, you will recoup the money you spent on vitamins and supplements. It’s a win-win situation.
4. Use relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and meditation
There’s a whole range of relaxation practices that can help you power down and de-stress but here are just a few to try:
5. Get your move on
I know exercising does not sound like much fun for many people. But when I say exercise, I’m not talking about walking on your treadmill in the dark recesses of your basement.
Exercising can be fun if you make it so. Try to incorporate fun activities like playing basketball, biking, golfing, or swimming that will elevate your heart rate to release endorphins in your brain. These are the feel-good chemicals that will help you cope with stressful situations healthily.
Any exercise can help, but here’s a list of the 12 best activities to ease stress and anxiety. Try some today!
6. Listen to soothing music
We live in an age of constant mind bombardment. If we want our minds and bodies to last, we have to give them rest. And music has been found to have powerful effects on our minds and bodies. In fact, some studies suggest that music can reduce blood pressure and heartbeat, directly impacting how stressed a person feels.
When I am stressed, I have found that listening to nature’s sounds helps me relax and feel less stressed, but what works for one might not work for all. So try making a playlist of ten songs you find relaxing.
To get you started, here is a song called Weightless by Marconi Union that was voted to be the top song to produce a more significant state of relaxation than any other music tested to date by research conducted by Mindlab International.
7. Spend time with your pet
Now, this is a fun one. It has been shown that having a pet may help reduce stress and improve your mood by releasing oxytocin, a brain chemical that promotes a positive mindset.
Having a pet also gives you purpose, keeps you active, and provides you companionship —all qualities that help reduce anxiety. So spend some time with your pet for a relaxing, enjoyable way to reduce stress.
8. Make it a point to get quality sleep
Anxiety can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, but lack of sleep can cause an increase in stress. So what’s a person to do? Because of how sleep is intertwined with other areas of your health, try focusing on what lifestyle factors you need to change to improve it.
That’s why these other natural stress and anxiety relief tips are so important. Things like a healthy diet and exercise will encourage better sleep. And relaxation strategies such as calming music, deep breathing, etc., can boost your mental health leading to better sleep management.
9. Laugh
I saved the best tip for last. This is my favorite one because I absolutely love to laugh. There are so many benefits to laughter. It brings people together in ways that provoke healthy physical and emotional changes in the body.
It strengthens your immune system, lessens pain, lifts your mood, and protects you from the adverse effects of stress.
Laughter is strong medicine, and best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.” – Dan Millman
I believe these nine natural stress and anxiety relief tips can help reduce the stress in your life and give you some strategies that can create effective, long-lasting ways to overcome anxiety. However, if you would like someone to come along beside you to help, working with an anxiety coach through breakthrough coaching is a great way to go. They are trained and skilled in helping you make significant, even difficult, lifestyle changes while assisting you every step of the way.
Hi, I’m Kris Henderson, LPC. I want you to know that I am here to help. The easiest way to start taking control of your anxiety is to take the FREE 5-Day Anxiety Detox Challenge. If you would like more personalized support, I invite you to contact me or make an appointment online. I’d love the opportunity to cheer you on as you discover and master stress and anxiety relief techniques as you train your brain to stay calm and look at life from a more balanced and less anxious perspective.