Stress and anxiety are everyday experiences for most people. Research shows that seven out of 10 adults in the United States say that they feel anxiety or stress every day. The following are a few steps that people can take to combat the stress they feel.
Get up and Move around
Exercise is key to fighting stress. The idea may seem counterproductive. However, when you put your body through physical stress, you can relieve mental stress. The benefits of exercise when fighting stress are cumulative. The more you exercise, the less stress you feel.
There are several reasons this is true. They include:
- Stress hormones in the body are lower when a person is exercising. Exercising encourages the release of endorphins. Endorphins act like painkillers and improve your mood.
- Sleep improves when a person exercises. If you do not get enough sleep, it’s easier for you to fall victim to stress.
- Exercise leads to improved confidence in the way you look. If you feel confident in your body, you experience mental and emotional well-being.
Exercise need not be an arduous task that you hate. Exercise could be finding an activity that you enjoy, like rock climbing, dancing, yoga, or walking. Focus on exercise that involves repeatedly using large muscle groups if you want to get the greatest stress relief.
Drink Less Coffee
The problem is not coffee. It is the caffeine found in coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and soda. Everybody has a different caffeine tolerance level. For some people, just one cup of coffee is enough to make them feel anxious or jittery. For others, it may take a few cups.
Studies show that when used in moderation, coffee, tea, and some caffeinated beverages can be healthy. However, they are not for everyone. With coffee, most experts recommend that a person has fewer than five cups of coffee each day.
Use CBD to Calm Stressful Feelings
Cannabidiol is derived from cannabis plants. It has been shown to encourage calm and promote wellness. At present studies show CBD also produces little to no side effects in most people. Research on the power of CBD to promote good health is still ongoing. However, there is a large body of evidence suggesting that this product, when taken daily as an oil tincture, convenient capsules or tasty CBD infused gummies, can help people reduce the symptoms of stress.
Contrary to what some people think, CBD does not produce a high. CBD comes from hemp as opposed to marijuana. Hemp does not produce large amounts of THC. THC is what makes a person high when they smoke marijuana. CBD has been used to combat certain symptoms of social anxiety like public speaking. Scans of the brains of individuals who use CBD show that there are changes to the way the blood flows in the parts of the brain connected to anxiety.
Avoid Stressful People and Surround Yourself with Positive People
Being around stressful people leads to stress. High strung people have a way of making their stress your stress.
Instead, surround yourself with positive friends and family members. Positive friends and family members can create a network that produces a sense of self-worth and belonging. This can help you make it through difficult times.
Research has found that when a person spends time with friends, their brain releases oxytocin. This is a stress reliever that the body produces. Instead of the anxiety from the “fight or flight” response that people feel during stressful situations, with these positive interactions, people experience the “tend and befriend” effect.
Stress is part of everyday life. Stress can be a positive motivator. You can keep stress in its place by following the above-mentioned steps. Doing this will help you improve your overall quality of life.