10 WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

As life gets harder, more people are stressed. Yet, simple things like talking to a friend or yourself go a long way to help you relieve stress. Besides, studies show that cannabinoids like CBD and delta- 8 THC could help you manage stress.

A little is healthy since it prepares you for flight or fight by raising adrenaline levels. Yet, too much anxiety and stress result in the overproduction of cortisol and adrenaline and is linked to health challenges. Some people have even taken their lives because of stress, which is why you must know how to manage stress. Thankfully, CBD and delta- 8 studies see potential in the cannabinoids to manage stress. Do you find cannabinoids expensive? This article shares nine other tips on how to manage daily stress. Stay tuned.

Venture into Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are the active chemical compounds in cannabis plants and include THC and CBD. CBD is non-psychoactive and will not make you high, while THC is psychoactive, and abusing it will make you feel high. Can cannabinoids help you manage anxiety and stress? According to Shannon et al. (2019), CBD can fight pain and stress, helping you sleep better. Many fans take CBD oils, gummies, and caps to manage pain. Kruger & Kruger (2022) noted that delta- 8b THC helps reduce pain and anxiety, and many fans appreciate the cannabinoid since it is mildly intoxicating.

Try Aromatherapy

Studies believe that smelling a good aroma is therapeutic, resulting in the concept of aromatherapy. According to Goel et al. (2005), good aroma activates the olfactory system and sends signals to the limbic part of the brain, resulting in relaxation. Yet, the more relaxation you are able to generate for yourself, the better placed you are to manage daily stresses that are bound to occur. Thankfully, there are many ways to explore aromatherapy. For instance, you could put essential oils into a diffuser and spray it on your room and pillow. Besides, CBD comes in the form of mist and spray, which you could opt for spraying to get aromatherapy.

Talk to Someone

Many people find it relieving to talk to a friend. Do you feel so low and stressed? You could reach out to one of your friends and talk out your emotions freely. There is power in good listening and this simple act could leave you feeling much better afterward. Some people have a problem talking to others about their issues and what is stressing them, and they'd rather die silently than feel empty after talking to a friend. If you feel so, you must choose friends wisely and talk to someone who will not talk to others about your issues.

Breathe Deeply and Relax

Do you feel so stressed that you choke? Breathing deeply will certainly make you feel better. Whether you feel stressed because of past events, the future, or someone agitated and left you feeling bad, breathing deeply goes a long way to make you relaxed. According to Jerath et al. (2018), deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes the secretion of the digest and rest hormone, helping you relax. People trivialize deep breaths and make them look like a cliché, but this could be all you need to feel better.

Talk to Yourself

Do you find it challenging to trust people because you have been betrayed in the past? If this is you, you certainly stress out more when you realize that you cannot talk to a friend. However, it is worth noting that all is not lost; there is still one thing you could do. Try self-talking. As the name suggests, you have to talk to yourself. Tell yourself how you are feeling about the current situation, the challenges it comes with, how you will manage them, and commit.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is close to the heart and we cannot overemphasize its benefits in your health. According to Hirshkowitz et al. (2015), an adult needs 7- 9 hours of sleep per day. This means that getting anything below 7 hours of sleep leaves you feeling stressed, worsening your already bad condition. Conversely, getting enough sleep allows you to wake up re-energized and positive. With this state of mind, you will be more productive and better prepared to manage stress.

Listen to Music

Do you love music? Almost every person you know of does. The genre may be different but a person likely has at least a song he likes. And like aroma, there is therapy in music. Have you ever wondered why many people play music as they work out or manage house chores? It gives them the motivation to keep going. Similarly, you can play music when you are stressed to relieve yourself.

Try Mindfulness, Visualization, and Meditation

According to the Harvard Health Publishing (2013) report, meditation helps you feel better since it activates the parasympathetic nervous system for relaxation and lowers your heart rates. Likely, studies find mindfulness, visualization, or guided thinking quite paying. For instance, Harvey & Payne (2002) noted that more and more people felt more relaxed after trying guided thinking. Still, you need to know how to do it right to get its benefits. It is as simple as channeling your mind to travel to a far safe land where all you can think about is peace and serenity, not the stressing past or anxious future.

Laugh it Off

Telling someone to laugh off something when they are stressed sounds more like a cliché. Yet, it is one of the surest methods to feel at ease and relax from your stressors. How do you do it? Travel a little into the good past with your favorite person with whom you laugh a lot. You will likely find yourself thinking about light moments when you laughed a lot, and this is enough to get you laughing.

Take a Walk

You can also take a walk when you feel stressed out. Many have tried this and have found it quite reassuring. If you live in the village and see a lot of greenery, this is more rewarding. Besides, the ocean view is a good sight you want to try during your lowest. Either way, go to a peaceful environment that encourages hope, and not pessimism.

Conclusion

Stress has become part of everyday life and thinking about the future, present, or past could leave you empty. Besides, the world conditions never seem to be getting any better and more people are stressed. Did you know that people take cannabinoids like THC and CBD to manage stress? If you find them expensive or have reservations about them, there are tons of things you could do. Try music, taking a walk, self-talking, talking to a friend, and aromatherapy, as part of the 10 things shared in this blog.

References

Elms, L., Shannon, S., Hughes, S., & Lewis, N. (2019). Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 25(4), 392–397.

Goel. N., Kim. H. & Lao. R.. (2005). An Olfactory Stimulus Modifies Nighttime Sleep in Young Men and Women. Chronobiology International. 22(5), 889-904.

Harvard Health Publishing. (2013). Meditation offers significant heart benefits - Harvard Health. Available online: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/meditation-offers-significant-heart-benefits

Harvey. A. & Payne. S. (2002). The management of unwanted pre-sleep thoughts in insomnia: distraction with imagery versus general distraction. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 40(3), 267-277.

Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., ... & Ware, J. C. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s updated sleep duration recommendations. Sleep health, 1(4), 233-243.

Jerath. R., Beveridge. C. & Barnes. V. (2018). Self-Regulation of Breathing as an Adjunctive Treatment of Insomnia. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 9(780).

Kruger, J. S., & Kruger, D. J. (2022). Delta-8-THC: Delta-9-THC’s nicer younger sibling?. Journal of cannabis research, 4(1), 1-8.