8 Healing Ways to Beat Stress

Stress is your body’s reaction to perception. And it’s a natural reaction to situations that life throws at us when we’re not expecting it. It can cause physical and psychological problems, even escalate to panic attacks if not dealt with. That’s why it’s so important to beat stress in natural and healthy ways.

One of the first treatments conventional medicine suggests for people with severe stress is some type of medication. But the medications don’t work for everyone and many times there are nasty side effects.

So if “popping pills” just isn’t your thing, you’ll be happy to know there are other ways to beat stress. Here are 8 healing and body-benefiting ways to beat stress.

1. Take a long walk. Most people equate exercise with sweat and huffing and puffing. But a leisurely walk can clear the mind and alleviate stress. You may only need as little as fifteen to twenty minutes to improve your mood.
2. Give your mind a break with guided meditation or self-hypnosis. Our brains take in lots of information all day every day from the moment we wake up to the moment we head off to dreamland. And even though your brain is an amazing organ, it’s not immune to information and stimulation overload. Listening to guided meditation, self-hypnosis, or even relaxing music will ease the racing thoughts and help us to think clearly when we return to our problems. You can download a FREE guided relaxation from Christy here.
3. Find a hobby to do and be sure to make time for it at least once a week. Everyone needs to get out of the negative mindset that comes with dealing with the problems and decisions in our lives. By focusing on something else, you can gain a sense of accomplishment in an area of your life when other areas aren’t feeling so great.
4. Treat yourself to a massage. Stress can cause your muscles to tighten and ache, making your stress worse. A massage can loosen up those muscles, which will loosen up the tight and restricted patterns of thinking that are keeping you stuck.
5. Don’t be afraid to let your emotions surface. If you’re so stressed that you want to cry, then let those tears flow. Be aware of the language you use with yourself and treat yourself with compassion. Just because you are an adult doesn’t mean that you always feel like an adult.
6. Consider writing or journaling about the things that are bothering you. Venting your frustrations on paper slows the mind down and allows the subconscious to create its own solutions.
7. Tap it out. One of the most effective tools against anxiety is Emotional Freedom Techniques, which helps correct the negative biofeedback caused by chronic anxiety. By using techniques such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), you can reprogram your body’s reactions to the unavoidable stressors of everyday life.
8. Adopt an aromatherapy habit. Aromatherapy soothes your mind and body for both sleep and de-stressing. Scents are a powerful element of our lives, and you can use the power of it to help you feel more rested. Start off by choosing the right scents for you to unwind, let go of the anxiety the day brought, and get a good night’s sleep. You want to look for scents that soothe and relax. Here are some possibilities: Bergamot, Chamomile, Jasmine, Lavender, Rose, or Vanilla. You can use candles, diffusers, wall plugins and more. Some people like to create or buy a special mist that they can spray on their pillows at night (or put on their wrists) before bed.

We want to control our stress before it starts to take control of us. Medications are one answer to alleviating the stress, but they’re not the only answer. Our goal is to find what works best for you and eliminate the greatest causes of stress in your life.

What have you found that works really well for you?