Stress and anxiety affect nearly everyone. While the majority of these feelings are a normal part of life, they can sometimes become so intense that it ends up being debilitating. Taking active steps to manage these feelings may be easier than you think. Here are six activities you can try to help you manage your stress and anxiety.
Watch What You Eat and Drink
What you eat and drink can have a detrimental effect on your stress and anxiety levels. Many people find that cutting down on their caffeine consumption can make them feel better. This is particularly true if you have a sensitivity to caffeine in general, triggering these negative feelings.
There are also a variety of chemicals and food additives that may cause mood swings that can exacerbate stress levels. For instance, too much sugar can create manic feelings. Keeping a food journal can help you to determine what types of food and drink may be making you feel this way. As always, it is a good idea to focus your nutritional efforts on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Look Into THC
Some of the benefits of THC include reducing stress and anxiety. Regardless of what state you live in, you can enjoy the stress and anxiety-reducing THC products by looking into ways to find legal Delta 9 online.
Delta 9 THC works by binding to the cannabinoid receptors in the body, delivering a euphoric response that can help to alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress. Your doctor will be able to guide you about choosing the right amount of Delta 9 THC for your needs so that you see the greatest benefit to your mental health.
Gardening and Growing
Studies show that interacting with nature has a positive effect on our mental health. Therefore, another way to strengthen our mental health is to reconnect with nature by digging, playing in the dirt, and growing a garden. You can grow vegetables, flowers, there are even ways and tips to grow indoor cannabis. Taking care of a garden will help you build and stick to a routine because now you have something in your life that depends on you. Gardening may help you become more mindful and help give you purpose. Plus, seeing how your garden changes and grows will be rewarding. Gardening may also help with the concept of nature-deficit disorder which is the view that humans are spending less time with nature which may cause some behavioral or mood changes.
Engage in Deep Breathing and Meditation
One of the best natural ways to control stress and anxiety is to engage in deep breathing and meditation exercises. Being purposeful about taking slow and deep breaths regularly can help to support your efforts to manage stress and anxiety. Taking long and slow breaths will help to counteract the quick and shallow breaths that some people experience when they are having an anxiety attack.
In addition to practicing deep breathing, you may want to consider engaging in meditation. Mindful meditation will help you to rid your mind of stressful thoughts and put peaceful thoughts in their place.
Move Your Body
Do not discount the power of exercise in your quest to manage stress and anxiety. While it may sound counterintuitive, putting your body through physical stress in the form of exercise can actually help to reduce your mental stress. Implementing a regular exercise program can deliver immense help when aiming to control these negative feelings. Nearly any type of exercise will work, giving you the flexibility to choose the workout that appeals the most to you.
Working up a sweat lowers the level of stress hormones circulating in the body. Exercise also releases the feel-good endorphin hormones, helping to regulate your mood and work as natural painkillers. All of this adds up to a significant benefit to your mental health, including your ability to keep harmful stress and anxiety at bay.
Get Social
Having a strong support system in place is also highly beneficial. This makes it important that you are purposeful about spending quality time with friends and family. Some studies have discovered that spending time with the people that you care about releases oxytocin, naturally relieving stress in the process.
Related to this is the fact that simply laughing can help to relieve stress. A good laugh works by relieving tension as the muscles relax. Taken together, it is easy to see how being intentional about scheduling time with friends and family can help you feel better.
These five practices will go a long way in your goals to get stress and anxiety under control. As a bonus, there are also healthy life practices to abide by, providing an additional layer of benefits to your physical and mental health.
Stress and anxiety can be debilitating and frustrating. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, sad, or angry, just know that whatever you are feeling is valid and that you are not alone. The world is going through a difficult time right now so remember to be kind to yourself. Use these six activities as suggestions to help you manage your stress and anxiety. Challenge yourself to try one of these and if it doesn’t work it’s okay. Try another. Just keep exploring and trying different things that bring your joy. Be well!
