Stress is a killer. Study after study has shown us that stress is bad for our minds and our bodies. Over time, high stress levels can make us more susceptible to physical issues like heart disease and mental illness and can even cut our lives unnaturally short.
That’s why it’s time to act if you, like so many other Americans, are suffering from high stress levels. You need to do something about your it.
Here are four steps you can take right now.
Take a vacation
Caring for your mental health can sometimes be as simple and enjoyable as taking a cruise. Yes, time off really matters, and enjoying a wonderful vacation someplace warm, relaxing, and beautiful can absolutely be considered an investment in your health.
Americans are notorious for working too hard and taking too few vacation days. This makes us tired and less productive, and it also wears on our mental health and puts us at risk of burnout, depression, anxiety, and (of course) high stress levels. Fight back by taking a break and taking a stand for your work-life balance. When you’re paddling around in the ocean or relaxing on a Florida beach, you’ll feel calmness taking over.
Start taking CBD
What you put into your body matters. To get a healthier mind and body (and to reduce your stress levels), you should try to steer clear of unhealthy processed foods. Choose whole foods instead, especially fruits and vegetables.
Supplements, too, can help your body and mind combat stress. One of the most popular and powerful options right now is CBD, a cannabinoid derived from the drug marijuana. Unlike marijuana itself (and some other cannabinoids, such as THC), CBD will not get you high on its own. But it may help reduce your stress and anxiety levels, some studies suggest. Turn to reliable producers such as CBDfx,
for quality edibles, tinctures, vape oils, and more. You can find a lot of ways to make CBD a part of your healthy routine.
Get some exercise
To some of us, just the idea of exercising is stressful. So why would we try to break a sweat to reduce the stress that other things in our lives are causing us?
Because, simply put, exercise works. You may not be exercising regularly right now, but changing that will give you a healthier body and a healthier mind, both of which will help your body relax. Plus, exercise releases dopamine and will give you something productive (and fun) to focus on instead of your worries and anxieties. A regular aerobic exercise program provides many health benefits.
See a psychologist or psychiatrist
You don’t need to have serious anxiety issues to seek help from a mental health professional. And it’s important to remember that stress is itself a serious mental health issue. So if you wouldn’t avoid the doctor while nursing a broken leg, then you have no excuse for avoiding mental health professionals as you experience high stress levels and look for solutions to the stress-related issues in your life.
Psychiatrists can offer you antianxiety medication if your condition merits it; psychologists and therapists can help you work through your issues and develop strategies for combating stress and anxiety (or reacting to those feelings in a way that is healthier for you). Don’t neglect your mental health.
Dealing with stress is something we all do. But if your stress levels are particularly high, or if you don’t deal with your stress in the right ways, it could come back to haunt you. You could end up facing a negative health consequences as a result of feeling too stressed too often. So fight back. Invest in your mental and physical health, and lower your stress levels with the techniques we explored above.
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