How to enter a flow state

How to enter a flow state 

 

 

 

 

8 Natural Ways to Reduce Your Stress Hormones

How to De-stress


Of course you’d like reduce stress so you don’t, you know, feel stressed out — we’ve all had our days so busy that we start crying on the drive home, right? But there’s also a scientific reason you should work on reducing those stress levels. Cortisol (the stress hormone) effects many things in your body, including blood pressure, inflammation, and managing how the body uses macronutrients (like fat, protein, and carbohydrates). Too much cortisol not only makes you feel stressed, it also puts stress on your body, resulting in weight gain, fatigue, decreased immune system, and worse.
Working on reducing cortisol is not only a mental health issue, it’s a physical one, too. Everything from random weight gain/loss to your weird breakout to irregular periods to that unexplained reoccurring symptom could be explained by excessive cortisol. Instead of quick fixes or unhealthy stress reducers (like a Netflix binge and a carton of cookie dough), here are easy, natural, healthy ways you can lower your cortisol levels every single day.

1. Sleep right

You know that getting at least seven hours of sleep is crucial for optimal health, but everything from your diet to exercise routine can impact your quality of sleep, no matter how many hours you’re in bed for. Rotating shifts in sleep patterns can disrupt hormone levels and insomnia causes high cortisol for up to 24 hours. Keep a regular bedtime as much as possible (that means limit those late weekends, too!), avoid caffeine past 3pm, try melatonin, turn off screens two hours before bedtime, limit light, and don’t sleep past nine hours, ever (it will throw off the next sleep cycle).

2. Have a go-to relaxation technique

Chronic stress is now linked to basically every health problem or complication out there. When we’re under a tight deadline, have a fight with a friend, or get road rage in traffic, the brain produces cortisol and sends chemical signals around the body, including to the heart, lungs, digestive system, etc. That’s why your heart pounds or your stomach aches under stress, but the stress on the body can also cause more serious problems long-term. You might not always have control over situations, but you can have control how your brain reacts. Have a go-to technique that helps you relax, like breathing techniques, listening to a certain kind of music, or meditation to reduce the cortisol levels your brain releases in moments of anxiety or stress.

3. Exercise the right way

You already know that exercise is great at decreasing cortisol — you’re all too familiar with that feeling after a really good yoga class or an outdoor jog. However, exercise that is too intense can actually temporarily increase cortisol. While this isn’t a big deal because it decreases in the long-term, if you’re having symptoms related to high levels of cortisol, you might want to decrease the high intensity workouts. A good rule of thumb should be that you should leave your workout feeling refreshed, energized, and happy — if you’re feeling depleted or exhausted, you’re doing your body more harm than good.

4. Use adaptogens

Adaptogen herbs have been used for centuries to decrease stress and improve health. They may be the latest wellness trend all over your Instagram, but there’s also a lot of powerful benefits backing up these ancient superfoods. Certain adaptogens can help fatigue, balance blood pressure and blood sugar, work as an antidepressant, and reduce inflammation — all things that help to reduce and control cortisol levels. Herbs like ashwaganda, holy basil, and cordyceps have all been proven to lower cortisol levels, so stock up on the powdered form to add in your coffee, or a pill version to take with your probiotic.

5. Focus on eating hormone-balancing foods and an anti-inflammation diet

High levels of inflammation and high or low blood sugar levels can contribute to hormone imbalances, including excessive cortisol. Stick to unprocessed foods that are high in fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, while limiting processed sugar, caffeine, and alcohol (which cause inflammation). Also make sure you’re getting enough healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

6. Practice mental health every morning

So you have a skincare routine, a wake-up ritual (a morning stretch and five minutes of Instagram scrolling, thank you very much), and maybe even a coffee schedule (a cup before breakfast, a cup after, and a cup in the afternoon if it’s a Monday). So why not also include some mental health in your morning routine? Studies show that meditating in the morning (especially when it’s in placement of bad habits, say, five minutes of Instagram scrolling), has dramatic effects on the brain throughout the day — including boosting self control, improving productivity, and decreasing stress or anxiety.
If meditation is not your style, you can also go for a walk in nature, journal morning pages, or pick a daily mantra. Not only will adding mental health to your morning routine change your brain for the rest of the day, but your long-term cortisol levels will drop, too.

7. Use essential oils

You’ve heard of essential oils to add to your skincare routine, make your house smell good, and help you relax (shout out to lavender!), but did you know that essential oils can be used to reduce cortisol levels as well? Oils like myrrh, bergamot, and lavender contain active ingredients that reduce inflammation, improve sleep quality and digestive function, balance hormones, and boost immunity, all of which also helps to improve cortisol levels. Sniff from a jar when you’re feeling stressed, diffuse through your home throughout the day, or DIY bath soaks and lotions to add to your beauty routine.

8. Laugh

Laughter has been proven to reduce levels of all stress hormones, including adrenaline, dopamine, and yes, cortisol, while also releasing feel-good hormones (like endorphins) that also happen to have their own health benefits. Besides just what happens physically in your body when you laugh, having a sense of humor is good for you too. Humor offers a more lighthearted perspective — if we’re able to laugh at ourselves when we trip in front of the whole office, or see the humor in a date that went bad, our brain doesn’t view those experiences as bad, meaning less release of cortisol than if these moments stressed you out. Life really is what you make it, so make it without increasing your stress levels!

How do you like to de-stress?

Why Powerful Women Lean on Meditation

Why Powerful Women Lean on Meditation


 This article is interesting and enlightening.


Regular meditation and mindfulness practices have changed the lives of many of the biggest names in business and entertainment. Not only does it help many to reduce stress and anxiety, but it supports focus and concentration as well. Lena Dunham says, "[Meditation] has made it possible for me to weather certain challenges and storms and public moments that I didn’t ever imagine would be in my life. It gathers me up for the day and makes me feel organized and happy and capable of facing the challenges of the world, both internal and external.”

How Meditation Benefits Your Body And Mind

How Medittion Benefits Your Body And Mind

To still and mind and the body can only have beneficial effects on your health.

Story at-a-glance

• Evidence shows your mind and body are intricately connected, and that your mind has a direct impact on your physical health. Thousands of genes have been identified that appear to be directly influenced by your subjective mental state
• Meditative practices have been shown to lower your heart rate, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, cortisol and overall stress level, all of which help reduce your risk of heart disease
• The American Heart Association recently issued its first guidelines on seated meditation, suggesting it can be a valuable adjunctive intervention in combination with other recommended lifestyle and medical treatments
• Stress-related problems account for as much as 70 percent of the average U.S. physician's caseload. Research suggests that practicing meditation and other relaxation techniques could save the average patient between $640 and $25,500 a year in medical costs
• People who received eight weeks of relaxation-response training reduced the number of doctor’s visits by 42 percent, lab use by 44 percent, use of procedures by 21 percent, and emergency room visits by 46 percent a year after the program.

 
 
 
Could Meditation Delay The Onset Of Alzheimers 
 

Could Meditation Delay the Progression of Alzheimer’s Symptoms

by DailyHealthPostOctober 25, 2017

Many people have experienced the benefits of meditation in coping with the stresses and strains of daily life. Recent research has suggested that the changes to the brain which are associated with meditation could be a factor in delaying the progress of a number of cognitive disorders including Alzheimer’s disease.
The first author of the study, neurologist Rebecca Erwin Wells, wanted to further explore the implications of the changes which take place in the brains of people who meditate.

7 Essential Habits For Peace

7 Essential Habits For Peace

On Monday a new 21-day FREE Meditation will start with Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey.   They have done quite a few such Meditations in the past and they have been of great value.

Deepak Chopra has written the above-mentioned article which may be of interest.

Click on the link to read it.

4 Tips For Practicing Mindfulness In The Office

Practicing Mindfulness

There's a lot in the media these days about being mindful, meditation and Yoga.  Mindfulness is about stopping the constant chatter in our head about where we have to go, what we have to do.  We are also bombarded with so much information and impressions on a daily basis that becoming mindful is not a bad idea.  It can certainly alleviate stress and get us centred and reminded about what's really important in our lives.

Easy Techniques For Mindfulness And Meditation

Techniques for Mindfulness And Meditation

 The helpful, relaxing practice of meditation cannot be stressed enough:

• Meditation helps you take a deliberate break from the stream of thoughts that are constantly flowing in and out of your mind
• Practicing “mindfulness” means you’re actively paying attention to the moment you’re in right now, which is ideally done regularly throughout your day
• After an eight-week relaxation program, participants’ use of medical services dropped by 43 percent compared to the previous year

6 Techniques To Quieten Your Mind

Anyone involved in Meditation will welcome these tips in this article.  They are very helpful and valuable.  Often when we are stressed, it is so difficult to quieten the mind and concentrate as things that worry us go round and round in our mind.


6 Techniques to Quieten Your Mind

Meditation for Anxiety and Depression?

 Meditation has been proven to be beneficial to people  to relax and clear the mind.  It is a great stress buster and helps not only for Anxiety and Depression but for a multitude of other symptoms.  Just 5 to 10 minutes a day are so relaxing.  When I meditate in the morning I am full of energy and rearing to go.  It is worth a try especially in these days of unbelievable haste and anxiety about finances and other issues.

Meditation for Anxiety and Depression?

It's worth a try!

Adele Bantle
International Style Coach