stress course

 

 

Stress impacts your life in a wide range of ways, and can either be episodic stress, acute stress, or chronic stress.

The most common type of stress is acute stress, which is temporary and usually short-term. Chronic stress is what people experience more over a long-term basis, where it keeps returning whether from the same situation or just because you don’t have a good handle on your stress. Chronic stress is often related to a past trauma that keeps coming back into your life. Then there is episodic stress specifically related to the demands you place on yourself, where it comes back in cycles.

Regardless of the type of stress you have, you might be looking for a way to relieve it, but in a more natural way. Essential oils can provide that for you, by using oils extracted from herbs to help with your stress and find relief.

What Essential Oils Can Do

As you know, essential oils are oils that are extracted from different parts of plants, herbs, and flowers. They can come from the leaves, flower petals, herbs, stems, and so much more. There are different processed used for different types of oils, such as lavender oil being extracted in a different process than say lemon essential oil.

What You Should Know About Essential Oils

If you are new to using essential oils, here are a few tips, tricks, and facts you need to become familiar with before you start using them for stress relief:

There are different ways to use essential oils. There is no single best use for any essential oil. The way you use them come down to preference, and what you are trying to benefit from. For example, using lavender oil is great for sunburns and skin irritations, so naturally you would use it directly on the skin. However, other uses for oils include in a diffuser, in the bath, and even by using them in body and skincare products. The options really are endless.

Skin contact requires diluting the essential oil first. It is really important that you dilute an essential oil before putting it on your skin. Pure essential oils are extremely strong, and much too strong for your skin. It should diluted with a carrier oil, such as grapeseed oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil.

 

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Every oil has multiple health benefits. You will find that many of the oils listed below are not just good for stress relief, but each have their own selection of benefits. Oils might be good for stress relief, along with chronic pain, anxiety and depression, soothing itchy skin, and so much more.

You need to be careful when purchasing essential oils. What you are looking for is “pure” essential oil, not fragrance oil. Make sure you pay close attention to the label and description of the oil, whether purchasing online or in person. If it says fragrance anywhere, put it back and find something that mentions it is 100% pure essential oil.

The Best Essential Oils for Stress Relief

If you are interested in using essential oils to help relieve your stress, here are some of the best ones:
Lavender – Lavender is definitely one of the most popular essential oils in general, but can also be amazing for stress, improving your sleep, and reducing anxiety. Lavender is very calming and soothing, helping to relax you, whether you are dealing with a lot of stress in your life, or just want to wind down after a long day.
Frankincense – Frankincense, like all essential oils, has many health benefits. It can be good for reducing inflammation in the body, relieving chronic pain, and yes, helping with stress. It has been used in many essential oil blends aiming at helping with stress and anxiety.
Ylang Ylang – When you look at different essential oils and blends that are recommended for stress and anxiety, you will probably see ylang ylang each and every time. This essential oil really helps to calm and relax your nervous system, which can help with the heightened levels of stress you are experiencing.
Lemon – Lemon is great because it not only helps with stress and anxiety thanks to the light sedative qualities it has, but it can be great for waking you up and helping with fatigue. For this reason, it is a great essential oil to use in the morning if you wake up with anxiety, but you also want to be more alert to take on the day.
Chamomile – This one is likely not surprising, since chamomile tea is often recommended for relaxation and to promote better sleep. Try a little chamomile essential oil or go the traditional route and have the tea to reduce your stress levels.

 

When we are under regular stress or anxiety, the body produces hormones that can suppress our immune systems therefore making us more prone to illness. (time to find your inner CHILL 🙃 ) Not to mention, stress can lead to making poor choices regarding diet, exercise and sleep. As we know, it is impossible to avoid stress altogether, but it is something we can try and manage to our best ability. Daily exercise, meditation, reducing caffeine and alcohol, eating clean and whole foods as well as using our favorite oils are all ways we can limit stress.

The Adaptiv line is my go to for this. 🥰 It is one of my absolute favorites for the diffuser and I always carry it on me to apply as soon as I feel those overwhelming feelings creeping in. Adaptiv is soothing and uplifting which is exactly why it is made for times like these! Bonus points if you utilize your Adaptiv Capsules.

Have you used the Adaptiv line yet? Tell me your thoughts?

 

Are you dealing with a lot of emotional stress? Is it affecting you physically or mentally? If so, it is time to stop dealing with your stress, and start taking action to reduce it once and for all.

Even though stress is common, that doesn’t mean it is normal. There is a reason doctors ask if you are stressed when you go in for other ailments – because of closely linked stress is to your physical and emotional health.

The first thing you can do to help reduce your stress is to start daily rituals, which include various habits that are good for your mind and body. Don’t try to get all of these down at the same time. Baby steps….Just take the first step.

Focus on Getting Good Sleep

Sleep is an integral part of being a healthy, energized, and well-adjusted person. It can also deeply affect the amount of stress you have. If you already have a good deal of stress, not sleeping is only going to make it worse. It is possible that you are struggling falling asleep or getting quality sleep because of your stress, which then causes sleep deprivation, more stress, and the cycle continues.

Stop the cycle now by first focusing on getting good sleep, whether that means shutting off your phone at night, starting a new nighttime routine, or trying natural sleep aids. That should hopefully help a little with reducing the daily stress you are dealing with.

Eat Nutritious Foods

You probably already know that having a healthy diet is important for weight management, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke, and even keeping away diabetes. It can also be tremendously helpful if you deal with daily stress.

You can’t always do much about the stress that hits you eat day from unexpected sources, but you can reduce it and help manage it by eating a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, healthy fats, and whole grains and fiber. A well-balanced diet provides the nutrients your body and mind need to handle stress as it comes.

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Go Outside Whenever You Can

Being outside is wonderful for your mind, body, and spirit. For your body, you will get both fresh air and vitamin D, both of which are really important to help reduce your stress levels. Being outside can bring you motivation and inspiration, help you relax and unwind, and give you an opportunity to be in nature and understand that the things you are stressed about are really not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Eat outside during your lunch break, take your dogs on an extra walk, play in the backyard with your kids. There are so many ways to spend more time outdoors, and your stress will be naturally reduced each day as a result.

Trade in Your Coffee for Tea

Caffeine is unfortunately going to make your stress worse as it can increase the stress hormone cortisol. If you drink a lot of caffeine from coffee or soft drinks, now is a great way to reduce it. You don’t have to give it up completely, but try switching to tea for at least one of your cups of coffee each day, then gradually increase how much low caffeine or no-caffeine beverages you have that are replaced with the caffeinated beverages.

Reduce Technology and Social Media

Have you ever noticed that your stress is worse on days when you spend a lot of time on Instagram or Facebook? This is because social media rarely has good news. Most of the time, it causes stress whether from the latest tragedy in your city or state, political or religion debates, or just drama with people you know in your life or that you work with.

Social media can be really toxic, and doesn’t help someone who is already dealing with a good deal of stress. Now is the perfect time to start cutting back on using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any other social media sites you frequent.

Have a Nighttime Self-Care Routine

Self-care is amazing for you and can really help you to relax each day. If you have a lot of stress at work or home, give yourself a few minutes every evening that are just for you. Listen to calming music, meditate, practice mindfulness, write in your journal, draw or paint, take a bath, or just do anything that relaxes you and helps you feel at peace.

Dealing with burnout or being overwhelmed are both consequences of high amounts of stress. With overwhelm, you might be experiencing stress for a long time, which leads you to becoming overwhelmed with everything you are thinking and dealing with at the same time.

Burnout is similar, though it is typically when you become so exhausted mentally and physically, then it can affect your work, motivation, and energy.

Here are some hacks and tips that will help you to overcome both burnout and overwhelm.

1. A Healthy Body Means a Healthy Mind

Getting past your burnout, stress, and overwhelm always starts with your physical health. Not just because stress can affect you physically and actually make you ill, but because when you eat right and exercise, it has a long list of benefits for you.

If you want a healthy mind, you need to start with a healthy body. This means eating a healthy, well-balanced diet with lots of fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains. Get regular exercise and don’t forget to drink your water each day.

These small changes will make a big difference in your physical health, which will in turn help your mental health as well.

2. Stop Focusing on Time

Everything is always about time. Making time for your family, making time for work, looking at the clock every few minutes during your workday, trying to get out of the house with enough time to spare. All of this focus on time, whether it is time you feel you wasted, time to get stuff done, and feeling like your time is running out, causes a lot of unnecessary stress.

There are certain aspects of life where time is relevant, such as getting to an appointment or meeting on time, but don’t make your entire life revolve around time. It can be very overwhelming.

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3. Stay Mindful of Positive Changes and a Better Outlook

When you have full-on burnout, it can be hard to use standard stress relief methods. By this point, you are having trouble just getting the bare minimum done, especially when you add in stress and overwhelm at the same time.

Instead of putting too much pressure on yourself, just start slow. One excellent “hack” to use is to be mindful during one moment every day. During that moment, give yourself a few minutes to re-focus your energy from a negative thing to a positive thing.

Maybe you are in your office after a meeting that caused you a lot of stress and tension, so you sit for 5 minutes and are mindful about something positive you feel right now.

This could be gratitude for this job you worked so hard for, happiness for your family and friends, or just understanding that the stressful situation is over and now you can appreciate you got through it.

4. Don’t Work Through Lunch

Stop working non stop! Working more is NOT going to help you overcome burnout. You need a break. Your body and mind need rest. If you work too much all week long, then when the weekend comes, you have no energy left to live your life.

One small thing you can start doing right now is taking proper lunch breaks. Stop eating lunch at your desk, and stop talking to people on your phone when you’re eating lunch out of the office. Turn off your phone, enjoy this time, be mindful of your meal, and just relax. Work will be there waiting for you when your break is over.

5. Find What Gives You Positive Energy

Look for that thing in each day that makes you feel positive and happy. This is going to encourage more positive energy, which can then help to relieve some of the stress and tension you have been experiencing.

Again, this will be unique to you and your situation. It can be related to your home, your job, people in your life, achieving your goals, having accomplished something you put your mind to, being more physically healthy, losing weight, just about anything. Sky’s the limit on this one.

6. Start Saying No

Even if you have always been the person other people can count on to help them, you don’t have to be everything to everyone. You have every right to say no to hosting a party, declining an offer to go out on your only night off this week, to doing an extra project at work.

You need to learn how to say no when you are already overwhelmed with all your own responsibilities.