Relax – It’s Only Natural Stress Relief

It should come as no surprise to anyone that it’s a stressful world out there. With family, career, bills and a hundred other daily worries, it’s only natural to get stressed. But stress is bad for your health, which can lead to more expenses and worries for you, in turn creating more stress. You can feel caught in a vicious cycle; but you don’t have to be. There are many things you can do to get lasting stress relief. So as not to stress you out even more than you already are, this article will concentrate on natural stress relief remedies rather than medications that may worry you.

Take a Breath

The easiest, quickest and most inexpensive natural stress relief you can get is to take a deep breath. A series of deep breaths not only relaxes your body, but brings more oxygen to your brain, which may help your thinking abilities. Check yourself when you are really stressed – you start to pant or hyperventilate which tenses your body up and lowers your oxygen.

Just how deep is a deep breath? Inhale to the count of five, hold it for a count of five, and then exhale to the count of five. As your body relaxes, you can gradually lengthen these counts to seven or even ten. You only need to do it for a minute or two in order to give your body a time-out. That’s all there is to it.

Wake Up and Smell the Natural Stress Relief

If you don’t get enough sleep, you will be stressed. Without enough sleep, it can very difficult to make decisions or put anything into a proper perspective. Check with your doctor to see if there’s any help he or she can give you for your sleep problems. While you wait for your appointment, here are a few things you can do to help promote better sleep.

Cut back on caffeinated drinks at least three hours before bedtime. Darken the windows, even if you have to nail a dark colored towel over it. Sounds silly, but this helps a lot of people. Use scents that promote deep breathing and relaxation. Essential oils are best, even the smell of chamomile tea can soothe. Each person reacts differently to each essential oil, but lavender and frankincense are generally proven to promote deep breathing, relaxation and a feeling of serenity. Find the scent that helps relax and comfort you.

Make ‘em Laugh!

Another easy and inexpensive natural stress relief remedy is to laugh. Go ahead; laugh out loud now for no reason at all. Feel better, don’t you? And you probably made passersby laugh, too, helping them to de-stress. That’s the best natural stress relief of all.