The process of aging makes us more vulnerable to the physical and emotional effects of stress, which is a natural human reaction to unexpected situations in life. It can cause physical as well as emotional problems and can escalate to severe anxiety attacks if these issues are not addressed early on.
Excessive stress can cause chemical imbalances in the brain and lead to hyperactive “flight or fight” response to ordinary situations. If you’re suffering from frequent bouts of anxiety, your body and mind are telling you to slow down and restore the natural balance.
Frequently, stress or anxiety disorders are treated with a class of antidepressant medication known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Popular brand names are Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, and Luvox. Other anti-anxiety drugs include Valium, Ativan and Xanax.
However, these drugs carry the risk of addiction and there are possible side effects like drowsiness, poor concentration, and irritability. So stress reducing or anti-anxiety drugs are not recommended for long-term use.
If you would prefer natural remedies for stress reduction, you do have several options. Best of all, these are all home remedies without harmful side effects and there’s no risk of addiction.
Your do-it-yourself stress reducing options include:
- Timeouts: Take frequent timeouts throughout the day while working or doing your chores. A good rule of thumb to follow is a five-minute break for every 45 minutes worked. Adjust your breaks and frequency according to your own pace.
- Deep breathing: This is a simple, yet powerful, relaxation technique that you can do anywhere. You want to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs and inhaling more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less stressed and anxious you will feel. (Learn How to Use Deep Breathing for Stress Relief from ehow.com)
- Exercise regularly: Taking a long walk to clear your head is one of the best ways to alleviate stress. Walking is also an excellent form of exercise for your body as well as your mind. You can walk and work out your frustrations in order to come back refreshed and tackle your problems from a new perspective.
- Listen to relaxing music: Our brain has to process a lot of information from our surroundings. However, information overload can happen from things we read, hear and see every second of every day. This can cause stress to escalate and bring about a number of problems. So give your brain a break by listening to soft and relaxing music to ease the racing thoughts and help you think clearly and normally.
- It’s okay to vent: Pent up anger and bottled up emotions can lead to a lot of stress. Learn to vent your feelings in a way that releases stress without doing any harm to you or someone else. If you’re so stressed that you want to cry, then let those tears flow. If anger is your first reaction to the stress, let it come out in a controlled situation like a punching bag.
- Stay occupied: 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 mindset of having to deal with problems and making tough decisions in their lives. By giving yourself something else to focus on, you can gain a sense of accomplishment in an area of your life where you feel you have more control unlike a job.
- Soothing massages: Another option you could try is to 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 and put your mind at ease. You’ll be ready to face life’s challenges feeling refreshed and renewed.
If time and money stop you from getting a professional massage, you can practice some simple self-massage techniques. These can help release tension and promote relaxation.Self-Massage Techniques
| Scalp Soother | place your thumbs behind your ears while spreading your fingers on top of your head. Move your scalp back and forth slightly by making circles with your fingertips for 15-20 seconds. |
| Easy on the Eyes | close your eyes and place your ring fingers directly under your eyebrows, near the bridge of your nose. Slowly increase the pressure for 5-10 seconds, then gently release. Repeat 2-3 times. |
| Sinus Pressure Relief | place your fingertips at the bridge of your nose. Slowly slide your fingers down your nose and across the top of your cheekbones to the outside of your eyes. |
| Shoulder Tension Relief | reach one arm across the front of your body to your opposite shoulder. Using a circular motion, press firmly on the muscle above your shoulder blade. Repeat on the other side. |
Source: Northwestern Health Sciences University
Control your stress before it starts to take control of you. Medications may be one answer but they’re not the only answer. Find what works best for you and beat that stress in your life.
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