Aromatherapy is great! Grow some herbs. The smell of lavender can calm and center you for the day.
Many people do not take care of their mental “selves!” They may eat well, and they may do some exercising, but their mental state is a disaster.
Are you stressed out all of the time to the point of exhaustion? Do you suffer from intense stress that can affect your health? Did you ever think that you were having a heart attack, but it turned out to be a panic attack? Do you have a lot of accidents such as falls or bad things happening to you all the time??
Stressed out people seem to have more trouble in general. It is probably because they are so concerned with trying to de-stress that just the thought of all the stress~~stresses them out even more!!
If any of the above is all about you, then you may need to learn how to tame that stress that may be keeping you up at night.
Sometimes you may just get caught up in life and do not realize that you need to deal with issues. You may just need to plan your life events better, focusing on becoming more structured and planned with daily events.
Sometimes the overwhelming events in your life may get out of control, and you are not able to stop the constant feelings of stress.
What happens if you don’t do anything about your stress?
Over long periods of time, stress begins to build up. This constant tension can affect your health and possibly contribute to health problems such as mental difficulties like post traumatic stress, or physical problems such as ulcers, allergies, high blood pressure and stroke. There is also some research that suggests that stress can contribute to cancer, and even the common cold.
What can we do to prevent Chronic Stress Reactions?
Because stress is so overwhelming and damaging when it is unrelenting. stress relievers like aromatherapy, meditation and imagery can help.
To protect yourself from chronic stress which can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, if the stress is unrelenting, you may need to protect yourself and build some relaxation breaks into your schedule right away. Examples include:
1. Imagining Calm-Imagine for a moment a place that you really enjoy such as a beach or a mountain cabin that you vacationed at.
2. Take deep, slow breaths to calm yourself. Studies have found that rapid, shallow breathing can contribute to anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, and depression.
3. Sweat it out: Exercising that leads to sweating can help with depression and anxiety.
4. Stilling your mind can improve your mood: Meditation and yoga practice can help you with ~ being quiet, contemplation and relaxation along with other emotional problems.
5. Stop and Smell the Lavender: Many people find that the scent of lavender enhances their mood. You can grow it yourself, buy it in pure essential oil or brew some tea. Just smelling lavender can leave you feeling relaxed.
Taken in part form: Berman, A.F ( 1998) Women’s Choices in Natural Healing. Drug-Free Remedies from the World of Alternative Medicine. Emmaus, PA, Rodale Press