Stress is a natural reaction to situations and things that trigger our flight or fight responses. However, it can also affect how we make decisions and come up with solutions.
While modern society has provided us with various ways to deal with stress, the best solutions can still be found in the natural world. If you want to feel more at ease, there are more sustainable and healthier ways to do so. Here are five natural solutions you can check out that will help you cope with stress:
1. Do yoga and meditation
Stress is often the result of losing control of the body and mind. It seems impossible on the surface, but we can train ourselves to overcome the effects of stressful environments. Yoga can help relieve muscle tension and promote relaxation. Every posture is designed to increase your flexibility and regulate the parasympathetic nervous system which directly affects the body’s response to stress. Along with yoga, mindful meditation can also help relieve stress. It allows you to purge your mind of negative thoughts and gain more clarity. It won’t cost you a cent and you don’t have to travel far to practice both.
2. Go Camping or Hiking
The ability of nature to reduce stress and lower blood pressure is well documented. In Japan, it’s called shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. The New York Forestry Department compiled the studies to find that time in forests had the following effects:
- boosts the immune system
- lowers blood pressure
- reduces stress
- improves mood
- increases ability to focus, even in children with ADHD
- accelerates recovery from surgery or illness
- increases energy level
- improves sleep
3. Get a THC fix
For years, cannabis has been touted as an effective solution to anxiety. Numerous studies such as this one from the University of Washington reported how cannabis-based products including CBD oil can help decrease anxiety due to the stress-relieving properties of THC. If you have chronic stress, ask your doctor if you are clear to take cannabis products. When you are looking for a dispensary or cannabis delivery service, make sure you are dealing with legitimate and recognized vendors.
4. Go on a beach holiday
The smell of the ocean and healthy doses of sunlight are more than enough to set your mind at ease. Being at the beach exposes you to relaxing stimuli, such as the sound of the waves and clear blue skies, not to mention the soothing feeling you get when you step barefoot on the sand and take a quick dip in the water. If you have been working overtime for several days on end, you deserve a weekend at the beach.
5. Go gardening
Creative hobbies are great for distracting your mind from stressors, but gardening has to be the most effective. Because it requires patience, gardening improves your concentration and increases your attention span. In addition, you also develop a ready source of organic ingredients, so you don’t only feel more relaxed, but also save time and money.
You don’t have to rely on drugs and expensive books on stress management to learn how to relax. Consider these tips for a natural path to a less taxing life.