Tips to reduce stress and anxiety of everyday life

Stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia… are all diseases of modern life. The reasons that can cause these emotional distress are various and quite unlimited: a typical situation that produces stress is a frantic rhythm at work or at school, or a persistent feeling of insecurity, the loss of job, an unexpected change in family (such as a death or a birth), or the lack of confidence about future. But also a vacation or the misuse of modern technologies may be a source of psychological or physical distress.

Stress is basically the reaction of our body that is not able to adapt to a particular situation or a rapid mutation generated by external factors. The most common symptoms of stress are tiredness, irritability, lack of attention, headache, anxiety, digestive disorders, insomnia, depression and nervousness. These physical illnesses are really debilitating and deeply affect the quality of life.

Of course, to treat stress you should definitely eliminate the cause that determines the effects. But it is not always possible. So, you should follow these simple tips to naturally reduce or get rid of those symptoms.

Change your lifestyle

First of all, try to think positive focusing on your problems and evaluating them from the right perspective. Ask yourself if the situation is really worthy of so much concern! Have some breaks during the day and at work, go to sleep early and wake up half an hour before, so you will not have to do everything in a hurry.

Communicate: cultivate your friendships and relationships, talking about your problems with people you trust and listening to others in your turn. Last but not least, take care of your body with some gymnastics, running, swimming, an any other physical exercise.

Follow a balanced and healthy diet

A proper nutrition is one of the key factors that allow the organism to deal with any situation in the right way. A correct intake of vitamins, minerals, fibers, carbohydrates, and proteins is essential for metabolism, intestinal regularity, digestion, energy and quality of sleep. Overeating, undereating, drinking alcohol, taking too much caffeine and smoking make stress and anxiety get worse.

Eating well-balanced meals help to manage these symptoms and some foods in particular seem to be extremely beneficial to fight stress because of their specific nutrients (with calming properties) or the reliable source of energy they give you: not only chamomile or green tea, but also asparagus, spinach, oatmeal, oranges, almonds, avocados, blueberries, milk and many other foods. There are some herbal remedies too, which could help you to combat stress: lavender or licorice root reduce irritability and anxiety promoting relax and sleep.

Passionflower and Kava Kava are other herbs with relaxer and analgesic properties. Moreover, an oil extracted from hemp that contains an anti-panic substance, called cannabidiol, can alleviate anxiety disorders and depression. CBD oil is becoming very popular among people suffering from many diseases, like pain or seizures, but – as many consumers claim – it seems to be useful to support human organism in its physiological functions, thanks to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-depressant power.

Ease stress with meditation techniques

Meditation has a huge positive impact on health, as many researchers found over the years. As a matter of fact, it reduces anxiety disorders, but relieves also skin problems, pain, heart disease, asthma, whilst it boosts the immune system, so it can be useful if you have a medical condition too.

The emotional benefits of meditation don’t end when your exercises end, but they continue to reduce negative emotions and build skills to manage your stress. There are many types of meditation techniques, but they all have the same aim: to give relax and achieve inner peace. Yoga is probably the most practiced technique, but you should consider also Tai Chi, Mantra, Qi-gong, Mindfulness or Transcendental meditations. These techniques are helpful and can be experienced whenever you need.