How to reduce stress and anxiety naturally

Relaxation, the natural antidote to stress and anxiety

We all get frazzled sometimes. Life gets on top of us. Too much to do, too little time. The demands of work and family. Stress of illness or uncertainty. With the lifestyle changes we’ve all made recently due to Coronavirus we may have more stress and anxiety in our lives than ever.

With thoughts swirling around our heads and the physical stress on our bodies it can feel like a cycle we can’t get out of. But there are things we can do ourselves to help reduce the effects of stress and anxiety.

Is relaxation really the answer to anxiety?

It’s sounds simple doesn’t it? Maybe too simple? But honestly if you were relaxed while you were ruminating on the past or worrying about the future how much better would it feel?

It’s not really the thoughts we have which cause the problem, it’s the way we react to them. The thoughts you have are normal, everyone sometimes wonders if they did something wrong or wonder what might happen tomorrow. The difference as to whether it overwhelms you and affects your everyday life is how thinking that makes you feel.

When we can relax while we have a thought or imagine a scenario which used to bother us, we can start to detach from it.

Have you ever tried being anxious and relaxed at the same time? It’s kind of impossible. Once you’re less bothered about the thought or the scenario your mind will begin to get the idea this isn’t something you need to worry about and the thought/idea will often fade over time.

Also relaxing helps to combat the physical effects of stress and anxiety. When we feel stressed and anxious we can find ourselves tensing our shoulders, grinding our teeth or even having an upset stomach. There are lots of physical symptoms associated with long term stress and anxiety. But when we relax we can release the physical tension and help the body to operate optimally.

So how can I relax?

Here are 3 ways to relax