9 Easy Ways of Natural Stress Relief and Prevention

Healthful Vitality | 10/11/2021 | By NP Contributor | Natural Stress Relief

No doubt, it’s high time you knew the means of natural stress relief. Mental stress is on an alarming rise. More specifically, the era of digital screens and deadlines is leading all of us to severe stress. Then again, the countless deaths and social isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic have added harm to the hurt. Important to realize that the latest survey by CDC shows that the number of adults with anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms rose from 36.4% to 41.5% within six months (August 2020- February 2021). [1] Therefore, let us examine why it is relevant to know natural stress relief methods.

Why Rely on Natural Stress Relief Methods?

By and large, stress is an unavoidable side effect of our modern lifestyle. Therefore, it becomes essential for us to know how to control stress. With this affect, we can try some natural stress relief techniques. In general, natural stress relief is more accessible and has minimal side effects. Indeed, learning some handy ways to relieve stress naturally will be helpful. To explain, we list below some of the most important natural stress relief techniques.

Natural Stress Relief Techniques

1. Be physically active

Notably, being physically active is the best medicine for stress control. Indeed, regular exercise helps your body to withstand acute stress. [2] Most probably, you will be thinking of doing some heavy gym workouts as exercise. But, it appears, regular activities such as walking, cycling, outdoor sports, etc., will be helpful for your natural stress relief. To repeat, physical activity helps to eliminate the stress hormone serotonin from your body. Additionally, exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, the ‘happy hormones.’ Admittedly, the removal of serotonin and the release of endorphins will lower your stress levels.

2. Have quality time with friends and family

Indeed, talking to someone can significantly reduce your stress. It is important to realize that the person need not be a close friend or a relative. Surely, talk to any person who is ready to hear you. In this way, you can lower your mental burden while enriching relationships. Certainly, having quality relationships lead to a happy life. [3] Thus, talking with others can give you natural stress relief.

3. Breathing exercises for natural stress relief

In fact, breathing exercises enable a steady oxygen supply to tissues. As a result, the cells can work more efficiently. Breathing can relieve muscle tension anxiety that occur due to stress. For this, there are various breathing exercises such as [4] [5]

• Pursed lip breathing,
• 4-7-8 Breathing,
• Diaphragmatic Breathing,
• Deep Breathing, etc.

In essence, the choice of exercise is based on your body conditions. Must be remembered that you should seek expert medical advice before practicing any breathing exercises.

4. Write down your thoughts

You can write down your thoughts when you are overwhelmed with stress. Firstly, take a piece of paper and write down how you are feeling. Then, you can also write down repetitive thoughts in your mind. When using these techniques, you may experience natural stress relief in a matter of minutes. Indeed, this method is known as brain dumbing, where you dumb your thoughts on a piece of paper.

5. Have a plan

Another key point is that time management is the key to stress management. Mostly, falling short of time is the main trigger for stress. Hence, it would help if you always had a plan for your future activities. A study conducted among nursing students shows that time management skill lowers anxiety levels. [6] With this in mind, having some extra time for fun will give you natural stress relief.

6. Be addicted to a happy life

Must be remembered that don’t ever depend on addictions for your stress relief. Admittedly, mental stress can lead to alcohol addiction and substance abuse. [7] Those above, in turn, can trigger your stress. Besides that, you will be trapped in an endless loop of anxiety and addiction. On the other hand, any measure towards stopping the habit will give you natural stress relief. Under those circumstances, you can use de-addiction services available in most medical centers.

7. Retain a healthy diet plan

True, a healthy diet practice is critical for your stress control. In particular, a balanced diet is most beneficial for your mental health. [11] In addition, you should control caffeine and sugar intake. Moreover, it is vital to replace trans fat with healthy animal fats. Indeed, healthy food habits help in natural stress relief.

8. Vitamin and minerals for natural stress relief

Indeed, vitamins and minerals have a vital role in your metabolism. Studies reveal that there are many vitamins that have been helpful for natural stress relief. Below are some of the vitamin and minerals that can help for natural stress relief.

Vitamin B– A 2019 study shows B group vitamins having a role in improving mood in those with depressive disorders. [8] Thus intake of vitamin B-rich food will help you in natural stress relief. Salmon, egg, milk, shellfish, etc., are natural sources of vitamin B.

Vitamin C– Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Therefore, it can prevent the action of free radicals on cells. Indeed, it prevents oxidative stress and damage to the cells. [9] For example, oranges and other citrus fruits, pepper, broccoli, blackcurrants, etc., are natural vitamin C sources.

Magnesium– Magnesium is an essential mineral for our body. Along with that, it is the co-factor of many biological enzymes. Hence, it is a part of most of the metabolic pathways in our body. Also, evidence suggests that magnesium has a significant role in the management of mild stress. [10] Indeed, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, dark chocolates, almonds, etc., are natural sources of magnesium.

9. Medicinal and aromatic herbs for natural stress relief

Some medicinal herbs as listed below can give you natural stress relief.

Ashwagandha: Regularized root extracts of the ashwagandha help to resist stress. Also, they improve self-assessed quality of life for those with depressive disorder. [12]

Chamomile oil: is found to have various bioactive chemicals. Thus, it eases blood circulation. In addition, it has some immunity-boosting properties.[13] Consequently, it can lead to natural stress relief.

Lavender extract: is found to relieve symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Moreover, the aroma of Lavender has a mood-elevating effect. [14]

It should be noted that the above-mentioned herbs can interact with your daily medications. So, you should see an expert physician before taking any of them.

Takeaway

In summary, stress is becoming more common. In this scenario, it will be useful to know some methods of natural stress relief. Incidentally, there are many natural ways for relieving your stress. Namely, being physically active, managing time, talking with others and consuming vitamin-rich foods are some of them. In addition to that, some medicinal herbs also provide natural stress relief. Last but not least, you should talk with your physician before taking any minerals or herbs for natural stress relief.

Related Article: Stress Pregnancy Symptoms

References

1. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic-the United States, August 2020-February 2021 Weekly / April 2, 2021 / 70(13);490–494. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7013e2.htm

2. Childs E, de Wit H. Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults. Front Physiol. 2014;5:161. Published 2014 May 1. doi:10.3389/fphys.2014.00161. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013452/

3. Amati V, Meggiolaro S, Rivellini G, Zaccarin S. Social relations and life satisfaction: the role of friends. Genus. 2018;74(1):7. doi:10.1186/s41118-018-0032-z. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5937874/

4. Breathing Exercises, American Lung Association, Available at: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises

5. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), Relaxation Techniques, Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/relax.html

6. Mirzaei T, Oskouie F, Rafii F. Nursing students’ time management, reducing stress and gaining satisfaction: a grounded theory study. Nurs Health Sci. 2012;14(1):46-51. doi:10.1111/j.1442-2018.2011.00661.x, Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22293018/

7. Sinha R. How does stress increase risk of drug abuse and relapse?, Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2001;158(4):343-359, doi:10.1007/s002130100917, Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11797055/

8. Young LM, Pipingas A, White DJ, Gauci S, Scholey A. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of B Vitamin Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Stress: Effects on Healthy and ‘At-Risk’ Individuals. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2232. Published 2019 Sep 16. doi:10.3390/nu11092232. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770181/

Related Article: The Ultimate Goal of Stress Management

9. Moritz B, Schmitz AE, Rodrigues ALS, Dafre AL, Cunha MP. The role of vitamin C in stress-related disorders.

10. Boyle NB, Lawton C, Dye L. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress-A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017;9(5):429. Published 2017 Apr 26. doi:10.3390/nu9050429, Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452159/

11. Firth J, Gangwisch JE, Borisini A, Wootton RE, Mayer EA. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? [published correction appears in BMJ. 2020 Nov 9;371:m4269]. BMJ. 2020;369:m2382. Published 2020 Jun 29. doi:10.1136/bmj.m2382, Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7322666/

12. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S, A Prospective, Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Safety and Efficacy. of a High-Concentration Full-Spectrum Extract of Ashwagandha Root in Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-262. doi:10.4103/02537176.106022, Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/

13. Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol Med Rep. 2010;3(6):895-901. doi:10.3892/mmr.2010.377. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

14. Koulivand PH, Khaleghi Ghadiri M, Gorji A. Lavender and the nervous system. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:681304. doi:10.1155/2013/681304. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/