What’s inside this article: Five natural stress relievers to help you reduce work-related stress naturally. Includes an overview of the negative impact of stress on your physical and mental health, and how natural stress relievers work.
Are you dealing with stress at work? Some of the things I don’t miss from my office days – miscommunications with co-workers, lack of control, being overloaded with other people’s work, or fixing others’ mistakes.
Work-related stress affects most of us.
According to the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, work-related stress is physically and emotionally harmful. They say it happens to us when a job’s requirements don’t match a worker’s capabilities, resources, or needs.
Effects of Work-Related Stress:
- Tension headaches
- neck and back pain
- chronic fatigue
- heartburn
- chronic illness
- Depression & other mental health conditions
Work-related stress has even been linked to conditions like diabetes.
Well – most of us can’t get up and leave our jobs for a different one when we get stressed out.
Some of us chose high-stress jobs in the first place.
So – how can you reduce work-related stress naturally?
Natural Stress Relievers
There are many natural ways to reduce cortisol levels and lower stress.
Exercise
Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, which lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases serotonin and dopamine. This reduces the impact of stress on your body.
Ideally, aim to exercise regularly for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. You don’t need to hit up the gym either -a brisk walk, or a home workout will leave you feeling better.
Deep Breathing & Meditation
Breathing exercises and meditation, when practiced correctly, can drastically lower stress.
If you’re new to meditation and other mindfulness practices, guided meditation is a good way to start. You can find many different guided meditations on YouTube, and there are several free meditation apps available, too.
Limit Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks do provide temporary stress relief for many people. You might come home and crack a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine to sip after a long day at work.
But – the long-term health risks of alcohol use, the danger of alcoholism, and how it affects your general well-being don’t make it worth it in the long run.
Work is already stressful – why wake up the next morning with a headache from drinking and have the day be that much worse?
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is sometimes called Winter Cherry or Indian Ginseng. It is considered one of the most valuable herbs in the Ayurvedic medical system, dating back over 3,000 years.
Ashwagandha may be one of the best natural supplements for stress. It’s an adaptogen.
Clinical studies show that adaptogens can help boost energy and endurance, promote heart health, sharpen memory and alertness, build immunity, and help fend off and repair damage to your body’s cells.
But while most adaptogens work primarily by helping the body mobilize and maintain the physiological stress response, Ashwagandha works first by reducing the stress-related hormones in the nervous system.
It helps the body adapt to stress and may also enhance mental function and memory.
Get Outside
Research shows a link between being outside in nature and lower stress levels.
When measuring muscle tension, brain activity, and blood pressure, researchers found stress is relieved within minutes of exposure to the outdoors.
Time in green spaces significantly reduces your cortisol, a stress hormone. Nature also boosts endorphin levels and dopamine production, which promotes happiness.
Next time you’re having a hard day at work, try spending your lunch break outside, enjoying the fresh air.
Stress is a regular, unavoidable part of life. But, too much stress negatively impacts your health. If you have a stressful job, it could be affecting your mental and physical well-being.
Trying these natural stress relief remedies may reduce your work-related stress. You’ll feel better and probably perform better at work, too.
