Three effective self-care practices for relieving stress.

Healthy self-care practices to manage your stress.

Stress is not bad but more people than ever are suffering the negative effects of having too much stress in their life. If you’re feeling a little off but not sure why, it could be the added stress of Covid or another new factor in your life. Sometimes it’s the added straw that breaks the camels back. The straw is light in itself but when added to the rest of the load, it proves to be too much.

Common negative physical effects of stress

1/ Aches and pains

2/ Chest pain or racing heart

3/ Exhaustion or trouble sleeping

4/ Headaches, dizziness or shaking

5/ High blood pressure

6/ Muscle tension including clenching

7/ Stomach and digestive problems

Common negative mental effects of stress

1/ Depression or anxiety

2/ Anger, Irritability or restlessness

3/ Feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated or unfocused

4/ Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

5/ Racing thoughts or constant worry

6/ Problems with your memory or concentration

7/ Bad decisions

If you’re self medicating with alcohol or other substances, try some healthier approaches. If your stress is not manageable with enhanced self-care practices, engage a therapist. There is no shame in seeking professional support.

Three self-care practices for relieving stress

1/ Roll your muscles

If you haven’t invested in a foam roller yet, it’s a good investment. Regularly rolling your muscles can help relieve aches and pains in a similar way as massage. If you’re not convinced, try this free mini mat to relieve muscle aches and pain. It’s also a Pilates prop routinely integrated into workouts to add a challenge or support.

2/ Soak in epsom salts

Epsom salts also know as magnesium sulfate is believed to have many health benefits including relieving stress and soothing achy muscles. Magnesium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. It supports many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.

Most people consume enough magnesium by maintaining a healthy diet. Soaking in a hot bath with some scented epsom salts should give you some relief and may also improve your heart health. Compared with people who didn’t take a tub bath more than twice a week, people who took a daily warm or hot bath had a 28% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 26% lower risk of stroke. – Harvard Health

3/ Drink herbal tea

Herbal teas are soothing and satisfying to drink. There are a lot of different flavors with potential health benefits.

1/ Peppermint: Energy

2/ Ginger: Relieve digestive Issues

3/ Camomile: Calming