Got Stress? Home Remedies for Stress Relief

Whether the concern is economical in nature, overwork or any of the other myriad problems life throws at us, we’re all under stress. Sometimes stress is helpful; it can help us focus on a crisis situation as it unfolds. Chronic stress, on the other hand, can do a lot of harm.

Stress is our body’s reaction to negative outside stimuli. As mentioned, the stimulus may be immediate and quickly resolved or it may be long term with little chance of resolution in the near future.

Our body reacts to stress by releasing hormones. These hormones are often called “fight or flight.” Our blood pressure increases so the brain and muscles have more oxygen. The brain focuses on the cause of the stress and we tense, ready to deal with whatever is headed our direction.

That’s great if it’s a car crash or a bear is after you. It will take those hormones to help you deal with the crisis at hand, and diminish as the crisis comes to an end. What happens to our body if the crisis doesn’t come to an end can cause some serious health problems.

Immediate Actions for Stress Relief

If the immediate stress response is inappropriate, then we need to do something about it right away. As an example, say you’re afraid of the dentist but need to have your teeth cleaned. This will cause a stress reaction; it’s the way our body was designed.

It’s not appropriate to drink an herbal tea, nor is a supplement advisable. In fact, unless you have someone to drive you to and from the appointment, even prescription anti-stress medications are not a good idea. So, what do you do?

There are two techniques that could help you stay calm and reduce the stress reactions in this sort of situation. The first is deep breathing. It may be a little hard to do with a mouthful of dental equipment, so it’s probably best to do it before they start.

The method works like this. Let all of the air out of your lungs, and then inhale as deeply as you can. Exhale and repeat nine more times. This gives your body more oxygen, reduces the load on your heart and decreases the demand for more oxygen by your brain. All of this goes a long way towards relieving the stress. Be forewarned: doing this for more than ten breaths at a time can cause hyperventilation, which is not going to help in stress reduction.

The second is visualization. It is, in a way, similar to the advice to “imagine yourself somewhere else, but it is much more than that. This involves using all of your senses in this imagination. It helps to have something to focus on. You can choose a favorite passage of the Bible, a poem or even a treasured memory.

I use the 23rd Psalm, and will give you an example of how it works. I imagine the feel of soft, green grass under my bare feet. I imagine the soft sound of quiet waters lapping against a shore or tumbling over rocks. I smell the table of good food waiting for me. I see the Shepherd guarding me. It’s dropped my blood pressure from 140/98 (if it had remained there, that would be second stage hypertension) to normal in ten minutes.

Long Term Solutions

Naturally, the best advice would be to change the situation so that you aren’t under the stress. However, most of the time that’s not practical. People with jobs are overworked and underappreciated. People out of work are finding it hard to get another job. Add family pressures, bills and everything else to the mix, and you’ve got a tangle that isn’t going to resolve itself soon.

There are herbs that can help, under the right circumstances. These are mild herbs and on the GRAS list. That acronym means generally recognized as safe. Chamomile, jasmine, lavender and passionflower are the ones that I suggest most often, either alone or in a mixture.

These may seem mild, but they do cause drowsiness, there are side effects and there are some drug/herb interactions. If you choose to try them first, ask your doctor or pharmacist if they are safe for you to use.

There are going to be times when these herbs are not enough. Yes, there are stronger herbs, but they are not usually considered safe for long term use. Some of them are restricted or banned because they can kill.

If the recommendations above don’t help you, or don’t help enough, go see your doctor. Stress can cause damage to your heart, digestive system and your nervous system. You may need some sort of anti-stress medication and/or counseling to help prevent these problems. It is important that you find the right solution for your needs.


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