You’ve read about how yoga and meditation can help you de-stress. But this is real life. Not many of us have time to do asanas and meditation every day. (If you do, kudos to you…keep it up!)
This is where this Betterful Blog comes in. We wanted to offer some real-world relaxation hacks that can help you stay calm in a stress-inducing world. Try them and let us know if they work for you!
Research shows that the simple act of looking at inspiring pictures of nature can calm you. Keep in mind that if you can get out into nature, too, that helps. Being in nature helps to boost relaxation by calming the mind, reducing heart rate, and lowering levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
Keep in mind that for some, this switching of sounds between ears could make you feel uncomfortable or even dizzy. Try it with your eyes closed while you’re lying down or sitting still. If it’s still not for you, soft music of any kind can help you feel more relaxed.
Another reason: yogurt contains healthy bacteria or probiotics, which are good for the gut. Stress can wreak havoc on the gut, depleting essential healthy bacteria.
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Yogurt is also a good source of B vitamins. It’s these vitamins that can get depleted when you’re under stress.
Another good source of B vitamins, NBPure’s Stress Away supplements. A review of research in the journal Nutrients showed that B vitamin supplementation may help stress and may improve mood.
Give your body the stress support it needs with natural Stress Away.
Another option is to take a daily multivitamin with ashwagandha in it like NBPure’s Multi Guard+. You can still drink your tea when you get stressed, but taking a daily multivitamin can ensure you’re getting the nutrients your body and mind need, while getting a daily dose of ashwagandha, too. And if you need a dose of ashwagandha, along with other relaxation-boosting botanicals try Power Down.
Try ashwagandha in our Power Down supplement with all-natural ingredients
You’ve probably heard about the benefits of deep breathing for stress. A few minutes — or even just 30 seconds — of deep breathing can help calm the mind. Do this several times a day, and you’re already ahead. Too hard to focus? Try the free Breath Ball app. You breathe to the rhythm of an expanding and deflating “breath ball”.
And the longer you walk, the calmer you’ll be during — and after — the walk. One study found that after walking for an hour, there was reduced activity in the amygdala. This is the area of the brain that fires up the body’s stress response.
If you can, turn off the news in the evening so you can relax before sleeping. And if you want to take it a step further, power down all your devices a few hours before bed. This will help calm your mind and prepare you for a restful sleep.
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Using all your senses with visualization has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. One study found that 30 minutes of visualization had the same stress-relieving benefits as a 15-minute massage. We know that 30 minutes is a lot, so if you can just do 5 minutes or even 2 minutes, you’ll still feel calmer afterward.
Next time you’re feeling stressed, know that there are simple things you can do to help. Just putting into practice one or two of these hacks can help you feel better.
