Banish Daily Stress: 10 Top Tips

Managing stress isn't easy, but it's both possible and essential for your physical and mental health. In this article, we'll provide you with some tips to alleviate stress naturally.

How to eliminate accumulated stress? First, stop!

Even if we don't realize it, stress, which manifests as headaches, irritability, fatigue, and anxiety, can negatively impact various aspects of our lives: work performance, social relationships, mood, sleep patterns, oxidative stress, and even our zest for life.

In most cases, we're aware of the causes of stress, but we can't seem to untangle the mess. We find ourselves in the midst of a stressful situation and remain stuck, unable to take a step forward.

This is the wrong approach. The first effective way to combat stress is to face it head-on by taking care of your nervous system.

• Relieve stress through manual work: Often, repetitive activities like sewing, pottery, or even simple tasks like washing dishes and shelling peas have a calming effect. There are also coloring books with repeating patterns, specifically created for this purpose, allowing you to meditate through a simple and precise manual activity.

• Exercise releases stress hormones: It may seem obvious, but everyone recommends it because it's true. Physical activity significantly reduces stress levels, and it does so rather quickly. Running, brisk walking, cycling, swimming - whatever you prefer works well. We recommend doing it every day, for at least half an hour. If you suffer from insomnia, it's better not to exercise after 7 PM, as it could be too stimulating and hinder sleep. If you're in Bologna or Naples, you can train for free with us.

• Eliminate stress by learning to say no: How often do we say yes to please others and not ourselves? How often do we give quality time to others? We often do it automatically, only to end up frustrated and drained. Is it really worth it? Most of the time, it's not, and stress can often be generated by our inability to set healthy boundaries. This happens in both our work and personal lives. Think about it!

• Relaxation techniques? Find your own: Mindfulness, yoga, or classic meditation may not work for everyone. Sitting in front of a white wall in a moment of stress and finding peace through breathing isn't for everyone. Find your own relaxation technique. Does painting, walking the dog, or cleaning the bathroom relax you? Great. Does going to the mountains relax you? Make time to do it at least once a month. Does reading the newspaper at a café in the morning relax you? Make time to do it every day before starting your routine of duties. Finding your own relaxation technique means learning to recognize what makes you feel good and finding time to do it.

• Recognize and address panic attacks: If you're in perfect health but going through a tough time and experiencing moments where you feel out of control, with your heart rate accelerating and blood pressure rising, you might be suffering from panic attacks. Don't worry, it's just our physical response to a major source of unmanaged stress. Managing stress is crucial in the presence of panic attacks, which, even if mild, are indicators of excessively high stress levels. Stop and get help without hesitation. Psychologists and psychoanalysts should be free and mandatory for all of us. Mental health is as important as physical health, always remember that.

• Reduce stress levels by reducing screen time: Computer and smartphone screens, as well as constantly scrolling through social networks, are a major source of stress that we often can't avoid. Turning off devices from 6 PM is a good habit that allows us to reclaim spaces more suitable for relaxation and producing endorphins. For example, reading, walking, spending time with others. Avoid having all work emails and notifications on your phone. With that constant flashing and vibrating, it's normal for your heart rate to accelerate.

• Being in nature is a remedy against stress: Make sure to spend time in green spaces at least once a week, go to the park, the mountains, a forest, or a botanical garden. Walk and breathe, rejuvenate your lungs and let the scents and tranquility of nature calm you and restore your balance. There's nothing mystical about it, it's the power of simple things.

• Combat stress with sex: Nothing simpler, more enjoyable and effective to raise endorphin levels, reduce stress levels, and take a break. Moreover, sex counts as physical activity too.

• Use essential oils: Aromatherapy can be very useful in dealing with anxiety and stress. Lavender and red orange blossom are the most recommended essential oils. You can vaporize them at home with a diffuser or smell them as needed.

• Use a stress remedy: Choosing a natural stress remedy during particularly intense periods can be of great help. We created CBDay Plus during the pandemic, looking for something more that would help us first and foremost to alleviate the accumulated stress.