Natural Ways to Calm Stress
What is Stress?
Stress is the body’s reaction to pressure, tension, and change. Recognizing the early signs of stress and learning to deal with them can make an important difference in the quality of life. Life without stress can be dull and uneventful. Life with too much stress can be debilitating and distressful.
Signs of Stress: Cold hands, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, headaches, neck and low back pain, muscle tension, spasm, poor sleep, decreased immunity leading to susceptibility to illness.
Natural Ways to Calm Stress: Walking, swimming, yoga, Tai chi, meditation, and short naps. Practicing slow hobbies like: gardening, painting, music, photography, making sand castles, and reading.
Reducing Stress Through the 5 Senses
Seeing- when we look in the distance vs. at our computers or phones, we balance our eye muscles and at the same time “get out of our heads”, relaxing our minds and clearing our inner and outer vision.
Hearing-listening to soothing music, to the sounds of nature, or our deep breaths in silence, naturally calms us. I recommend the CD by Jon Kabat-Zinn: Mindfulness, Meditation and the soothing music CD by Carlos Nakai- Canyon Tryilogy- which you hear on this website and in the office.
Taste– Certain foods and herbs are naturally calming: berries, bananas, apples to name a few and also chamomile and mint tea.
Touch– the entire body is represented on the ears, so massaging the ears is an easy way to relax.
Smell- we can see and hear something at a long distance, but our sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than our other senses. Lavender calms the mind and anxiety, grapefruit and mint- clear frustration, lift our spirits, and help us re-focus. Put 6-10 drops of Aura Acacia Essential oil in a spray bottle with 6 oz of water. You can spray the lavender spritz on your pillow or mint or grapefruit in the air around you at work or the car.
Acupuncture, Acupressure, and Chiropractic, release muscle tension, blocked circulation and qi/energy flow, thereby harmonizing and balancing the body and emotions, creating a deep sense of calm…naturally.