In our fast-paced world today, stress and anxiety have become quite common. With increasing demands on our time, money, and resources, regaining a sense of peace can be tough. However, incorporating simple dietary and lifestyle habits can naturally help relieve stress. Personally, I’ve found great benefits from integrating these stress management practices into my daily life.
When we feel stressed, whether due to tight deadlines, traffic, or financial worries, our bodies respond as if we’re facing a life-threatening situation. This triggers the fight, flight, or freeze response, activating our sympathetic nervous system and leading to the secretion of cortisol, a stress hormone from our adrenal glands.
Cortisol impacts everything from mental health to digestion, as well as the health of our skin and hair, making it vital to regularly manage stress and its more intense counterpart, anxiety.
In this post, I’ll share my top 8 tips for handling stress and anxiety, so you can feel calm, happy, and vibrant from head to toe! For additional podcast resources, scroll to the bottom.
1. **Establish a Healthy Sleep Routine**
Managing stress and anxiety is difficult when you’re sleep-deprived. It can become a vicious cycle: stress and anxiety prevent sleep, which exacerbates stress. I’ve shared resources on natural sleep solutions, herbs, supplements, and simple hacks to enhance sleep quality. My top suggestion is to establish a bedtime routine that helps you unwind from your day. Everyone’s routine will differ, but I find that dimming the lights, wearing blue light-blocking glasses, putting my phone away, and enjoying a cup of calming tea while reading helps me release the day’s stress and prepare for restorative rest.
2. **Reduce Caffeine Intake**
I placed this tip right after sleep because not only can caffeine disrupt deep sleep, but it can also heighten anxiety. Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which can make you feel jittery. If you need your morning coffee, try to have it after eating to minimize side effects. If you crave an afternoon boost, consider switching to low-caffeine green or white tea, which contains L-theanine to counteract caffeine’s effects while improving focus. If caffeine affects you strongly, consider avoiding it after 1 PM.
3. **Eat Stress-Busting Foods**
Incorporating stress-busting foods into your diet is one of my top recommendations. I believe food is a foundational aspect of joyful health! Vitamin C supports the adrenal glands, which produce cortisol. Get it from whole foods rich in antioxidants. Enjoy foods like dark berries, broccoli, citrus, bell peppers, and cabbage. Also, ensure you’re getting enough zinc, since a deficiency can contribute to anxiety. Find zinc in pumpkin seeds, oysters, and other nuts and seeds.
4. **Boost Resilience with Herbs**
I love sharing the health benefits of herbs, especially those that boost resilience and manage anxiety. Adaptogens, natural substances from plants, help the body adapt to stress. They affect the adrenal glands, responsible for stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Some favorites for stress and anxiety include Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, and Holy Basil.
5. **Try Natural Supplements like Magnesium**
While I prefer nourishment from food and tea, supplements can provide an extra boost, especially for stress and anxiety. My top recommendation is magnesium, which helps with deep sleep and is essential when overwhelmed. Different forms of magnesium cater to various needs.
6. **Try Deep Breathing Exercises**
Deep breathing is a quick way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting you from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest mode. There are many styles; the key is to breathe deeply into your diaphragm and extend your exhale, calming the body.
7. **Learn to Say “No”**
Often, we feel pressured to say yes to everything, but this can lead to burnout. Identify activities that truly matter, and practice saying no to unnecessary ones. This helps prevent overextending yourself and provides space to relax.
8. **Practice Mindfulness**
Managing stress and anxiety is easier when caught early. Mindfulness practices help you regularly check your mental and physical state. Whether it’s yoga, meditation, or mindful walking, find a practice that grounds you in the present.
I hope these tips help you navigate life’s busy moments with more balance and calm.
For a summary of podcast episodes, see below.
Xo, Joy
