Living a holistic lifestyle is not only about eating organic and natural foods, exercise and quitting smoking. Holistic living means balance among your emotional, physical, mental and spiritual dispositions. Achieving balance can be difficult, but it will surely result into a better you.
A holistic lifestyle would also include stress relief management to achieve that inner peace. Stress is among the most common problems in our fast-paced society. In fact, according to the research of the Foundation for Integrated Research in Mental Health done in 2007, 3 out of 5 doctor visits are caused by stressed related problems.
Living a holistic lifestyle recommends natural approaches to stress relief and management such as:
• Aromatherapy. A person’s sense of smell can stimulate feeling and memory of a relaxing moment. For example, lavender is often used because it relaxes and helps people fall asleep. Always use the most pure essential oils in your aromatherapy mix, since you’ll be breathing in the ingredients. For a quick fix, try rummaging in your kitchen cupboards for some vanilla. The vanilla smell could also trigger calmness and soothe stress.
• Warm bath. Never underestimate the power of a warm and relaxing bath. Hot water and steam can help you lessen stress levels and will also clear breathing passages especially if you have nasal congestion.
• Organize your schedule. Most people suffer from stress because the do not organize their activities evenly throughout the day. Identify the things that need to be prioritized for the day and focus on them. Also, avoid situations that you know will trigger stress. Do your best to not be reactive. Allow the stress of others to flow around you like a stone in a river.
• Say NO. Saying no is a very natural technique but can be difficult to do sometimes. Learn to assert your self and decide what would be good or bad for you. Listen to your body and learn how to articulate those feelings. Understand that you have limitations, pushing yourself too hard will result into stress and sometimes, anxiety or even worse.
• Walk in the park. Taking a short break to walk in the park will definitely help in sorting out emotions and thoughts. Exercising will reduce or burn off stress. If you combine exercise with nature, then you’ve hit the jackpot. Exercises do not have to be an hour in the gym. Consistent and regular 20 to 30 minute walks a day, five days a week, is enough to keep your body burning calories and stress.
• Vent it out. Let out your frustrations and emotional problems. You could talk to somebody about what you are feeling or have a creative outlet where you could unleash your problems. For many, that walk in nature is enough to de-stress and refocus.
• Follow a healthy diet. Following a healthy and correct diet will give your body more energy. As you begin to listen to your body you may find that your diet begins to change. Listen well, your body knows best what it needs and what it wants to be without as well.
• Sleep. Get complete sleep every night, which is usually about six to eight hours. It would be better to get the full eight hours of sleep. Power naps at daytime would help you rejuvenate your mind and body.
• Laugh. Daily doses of laughter and jokes will also help a lot in improving your disposition. Try to see the bright side of things. Look for the humor and irony in life and exploit it. Put a smile on your face before that person has a chance to look at you and just see if it doesn’t bring a smile to their face as well.
The good thing about these natural and holistic approaches to reducing and managing stress is that they cut the possibility or chance of relying on medication or drugs which would eventually cause side-effects.A holistic approach or holistic lifestyle may be difficult at first, but it will surely help you manage your stress not only for the day, but for a lifetime if if you allow it to.
