Stress is something that we should not take for granted. There are many people who experience stress and they don’t even know it!
A UK-wide stress survey found that almost three-quarters of adults felt so stressed they were overwhelmed or felt unable to cope in the last year. 81% of responders were women in the study commissioned by YouGov. Stress is real and it’s not going away anytime soon.
We know that long-term stress can seriously affect our mental health, but it also has an impact on our metabolism, sleep, digestion, and fertility – you name it the nervous system rules it so the effects are literally universal.
While busy modern lives are likely to remain so, there are things that we can do for ourselves so we can alleviate the effects of stress and avoid pushing us to our limits:
Eat regularly. For women, this should be three-hourly because any more time without food and your adrenals are likely to have to release adrenaline so that your liver will release a type of sugar to keep your blood sugar levels up. Since adrenaline is one of the key drivers of the stress response, this is like adding fuel to the fire. A handful of nuts and seeds three-hourly whether you feel like it or not can really help break the cycle.
Get focused. Take 10 minutes every morning to note down your three priorities for the day and a list of tasks that MUST be done. Ditch everything else and just keep a note of it for later. Use your list to keep you on track when you lose focus. End your day having achieved your list rather than stressing about all the things you can’t. There are plenty of journals out there to help. I use The High-Performance Planner and it has changed the way I work.
Go ahead and start journaling! Create your own notebook and jot down everything – regardless of how big or small your achievements for the day, this is a great way to relax and relieve your stress.
Another great way to relieve stress is by drinking herbs.
If you have been working under constant stress your adrenals will be needing some TLC. Cut back on high caffeine drinks (which stimulate your adrenals more) and use alternatives to fuel your day. Blends like Twinings Focus help when you need concentration and clarity, and relaxing blends like Pukka’s Relax (the clue is often in the name with these things!) are helpful when you want some time out. Sleep blends are plentiful and very helpful when you are finding it hard to switch off.
Of course, medical herbalists have access to a wide range of herbs not available over the counter and can tailor a remedy specifically to you and your needs. If you have an underlying health condition, a medical herbalist will be also able to give you expert advice on safely supporting your body with herbs. Herbalist is not a protected title (meaning anyone can use that title even if they’ve only done a weekend course!) so look out for practitioners with proper training like Members of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists who have extensive clinical training, ethical standards, and ongoing CPD.
If you want more tips on where to start with herbs download my FREE GUIDE to the 5 Ways to Supercharge Your Hot Drinks and start thinking about which herbs in there would best support your wellbeing needs. Click here.