So you know stress and hormones are interrelated. How do you combat stress?
Hello! Stress is everywhere and knowing how to deal with it in a healthy way is a good tool to have in life! If you missed how stress impacts hormones, go back and check it out here. This is Part 2 with some of my favorite ways to destress. :) Maybe it'll help you and give you some new ideas or provide you some additional motivation to continue to constantly keep the stress as low as possible.
-Meditation: I love meditation. For my mind that seems to always be thinking about SOMETHING, it really helps to shut down the dialogue and really help me center and relax. I love falling asleep to a visualization or hypnotherapy (usually surrounding personal development or relaxing) and will often times listen to a morning meditation as well. I have the Breethe app and highly recommend splurging on the Premium membership!
-Breathing: There's literal science that supports breath work in all areas of your life! If we're being honest, I'm more of a mouth breather when I work out and sleep (according to my boyfriend), but I've read that breathing through your nose is so much healthier! There's breath work for basically everything and my favorite breathing for stress is box breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, exhale for eight seconds, and repeat for four cycles.
-Movement: Notice how I didn't say exercise? Any sort of movement is good for your brain and stress. I prefer working out by lifting weights because it makes me feel strong and empowered. If you like to dance, golf, play other sports, walk, do yoga, etc, then find a move you love to do and stick to it! I find when I go to the gym, my mental health is so much better than when I skip days. However, I will also prioritize sleep over working out if we went to bed late. Read more about sleep and hormones here.
-Essential Oils: You didn't think I would leave this one out, would you?! ;) There's tons of research that links smell and oils to emotions and mental health! Some of my favorites for stress include Lavender, Frankincense, Valor, Vetiver, and my all-time favorite CBD Calm roller. Read more about oils here and grab some yourself here!
-Steam Room: My boyfriend and I make steaming a priority! We like to go Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Not only is it good for reducing stress because it's so warm and relaxing, it's also good for immune support, muscle recovery, lowering blood pressure, clearing up skin, helps congestion, improves circulation, and more. It's really good for sweating out toxins too! When I'm in there, I like to imagine releasing all of my negative thoughts and emotions. It can really weigh you down, and we don't need any more negativity in our hormone healing process!
-Breathing: There's literal science that supports breath work in all areas of your life! If we're being honest, I'm more of a mouth breather when I work out and sleep (according to my boyfriend), but I've read that breathing through your nose is so much healthier! There's breath work for basically everything and my favorite breathing for stress is box breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, exhale for eight seconds, and repeat for four cycles.-Movement: Notice how I didn't say exercise? Any sort of movement is good for your brain and stress. I prefer working out by lifting weights because it makes me feel strong and empowered. If you like to dance, golf, play other sports, walk, do yoga, etc, then find a move you love to do and stick to it! I find when I go to the gym, my mental health is so much better than when I skip days. However, I will also prioritize sleep over working out if we went to bed late. Read more about sleep and hormones here.
-Essential Oils: You didn't think I would leave this one out, would you?! ;) There's tons of research that links smell and oils to emotions and mental health! Some of my favorites for stress include Lavender, Frankincense, Valor, Vetiver, and my all-time favorite CBD Calm roller. Read more about oils here and grab some yourself here!-Steam Room: My boyfriend and I make steaming a priority! We like to go Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Not only is it good for reducing stress because it's so warm and relaxing, it's also good for immune support, muscle recovery, lowering blood pressure, clearing up skin, helps congestion, improves circulation, and more. It's really good for sweating out toxins too! When I'm in there, I like to imagine releasing all of my negative thoughts and emotions. It can really weigh you down, and we don't need any more negativity in our hormone healing process!
That's all for now! Tell me in the comments below if you've tried any of these stress-reducing activities or what your favorite one is. I'm always on the lookout for new ideas! :)
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