Experiencing stress is a normal and even healthy part of everyday life. But too much stress can affect your health and stop you from participating in activities you enjoy, so it is best to have options to alleviate stress. For those who have anxiety disorders, OCD, or other mental health issues, stress can amplify their symptoms. If you have been experiencing a high amount of stress lately, alleviating sources of stress can help improve your physical and emotional health. Health & Wellness Clinic helps our clients to take charge of their health and utilize chiropractic care as an option to help alleviate stress. Read below for more stress-relieving options.
1- Get Physical
Moving your body helps to increase energy and will help you to clear your head. Exercise can help improve physical health, which may take the stress off of your shoulders in other areas. Even if you are not feeling up for a whole workout, walking, dancing, or yoga can help release stress-relieving endorphins to your brain.
2- Take Time Without Your Phone
An easy way to alleviate stress is to take a step back from social media and screens. Our worlds often revolve around cell phones and can make us believe that instant gratification is ideal. Time away from your device will help you to stop comparing yourself and give you free time to spend with loved ones in real-time.
This time can also be a time to practice another stress reliever that is good for you, such as reading, exercising, baking, serving in the community, and more.
3- Take Vitamins Or Supplements
Our mental and physical health are more connected than most realize. If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, you could be missing important vitamins. Stress is often a sign of magnesium deficiency. A study has shown that 264 people over 8 weeks with low magnesium, after taking 300 mg daily found that their stress was greatly reduced.
Other vitamins that could help include Rhodiola, ashwagandha, B vitamins, and L-theanine.
4- Visit A Chiropractor
It is common to carry some physical tension when you are stressed. Chiropractors can help alleviate stress by working with your strained muscles and helping your body support your weight with an aligned spine.
The spine plays a major role in how you deal with stress. We may start to hunch or our muscles contract when we are overwhelmed, which can cause difficulty sleeping, emotional stress, joint pain, and more. Chiropractors can align your spine and solve many problems in a short amount of time.
5- Form A New Hobby
Are other endeavors adding stress to your life? Trying out something new may help improve your mood. There are many self-care hobbies that can help clear your mind and give you something productive to focus on. Some options include yoga, reading, cooking, knitting, writing, or playing a sport.
6- Reduce Caffeine
Overconsumption of caffeine can increase feelings of anxiety and interrupt your sleep. Everything in moderation is ok, but when you are overly stressed it can help to limit the amount of coffee, tea, or soda you consume.
7- Spend Time With Friends And Family
Building a social network of support can help offer advice and a shoulder to lean on when life gets tough. When you feel overwhelmed it may be second nature to withdraw from those around you, but seeking out family and friends could help remind you of more positive times and alleviate stress.
If your social circle is small and you find yourself lonely, joining a club sport, a book club, or an actual support group can help improve your mental health. Volunteering can also be helpful if you choose a cause that is important to you.
8- Avoid Procrastination
Putting off important tasks can lead to stress down the road. Putting off assignments until the deadline, avoiding cleaning, or forcing yourself to finish something late at night can disrupt your sleep and put extra unnecessary pressure on you. If you find yourself procrastinating regularly, try making a to-do list or setting alarms to remind you to do things. Give realistic deadlines and reward yourself for completing tasks.
9- Try Yoga And Stretching
Yoga is gaining more popularity for its stress relief benefits. Several studies have shown that yoga can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and help your nervous system communicate effectively with all parts of your body.
Yoga can also help lower cortisol levels and your heart rate. Lowering stress hormones through breathing, stretching, and meditation can all help alleviate stress. Deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system which controls your relaxation response.
Chiropractic Care With Health And Wellness Clinic
Our team at Health & Wellness wants to help our patients be stress and pain-free. Chiropractic care is a great non-invasive treatment that has immense benefits. Improving your health starts with taking charge of it and asking for what you need. We only perform treatment that you really need and work to develop an individual plan for all patients.
Want to feel less stressed and improve mobility? Contact our chiropractic office today!