Reduce Anxiety & Stress Naturally

Did you know we actually have more control over our anxiety and stress levels than we sometimes feel like we do?

We are doing things every day that either contribute to our anxiety and stress being worse OR help keep them low and manageable- maybe even non-existent!

What could these things possibly be you ask? Let me give you a few examples...

You're either getting good quality sleep OR you're facing each day like a zombie after hitting snooze 5 times because you couldn't get your mind to shut off the night before.

You're either eating foods that keep you satisfied and energized OR you're grabbing whatever is quick and easy (maybe even skipping meals) and using caffeine as a lifeline just to manage some kind of productivity that's paired with scatteredness, overwhelm, and fighting off the urge to cry a little bit.

You're either getting some type of movement in each day OR you're telling yourself you're too tired to do anything after work but feel too amped up to wind down at night.

The list goes on, and different things will apply to different people.

A lot of your struggles with anxiety and stress have to do with your behaviors, thought patterns, beliefs, and perceptions.

It's imperative that you take responsibility for these because if you don't, then you're only going to keep yourself locked in the cycle of flying by the seat of your pants, ignoring your own needs, getting overwhelmed, hitting your limit, and having yourself a nice little menty B.

Here's how to reduce anxiety and stress naturally (and no, you won't find supplements on this list):

1 Improve your sleep

This one might be a no-brainer, but at the same time it can feel so hard to change. Keep in mind that improving sleep doesn't have to be going to bed earlier. It could be giving your wind down routine a refresh. It could be setting up a comfier sleeping space. It could be letting go of trying to get up earlier if it isn't absolutely necessary. Getting up at 5 or 6 am doesn't magically make you a healthier or more productive person. Getting good sleep and waking at a time that fits your lifestyle will.

2 Eat in a way that supports your mental and physical health

There are several ways to do this and it's going to be very individualized, but these are some of the common shifts I've seen in myself and clients that make all the difference:

-Eating enough food and not skipping meals

-Paying attention to hunger and fullness cues

-Noticing when that jittery, scattered, unable-to-focus feeling hits after drinking caffeine so you know your limits

-Learn how to plan and prep meals and snacks. This one is HUGE. Meal prep doesn't have to take forever or be complicated. And no, you don't have to eat the same thing every day.

-Pay attention to how what you eat affects you. So often we just eat and go on with our days then wonder why our energy is tanking or why we're hungry again so quickly.

Two important things that will make a life changing difference in your nutrition are awareness and planning ahead. You have to get off of autopilot and stop winging it. Reducing anxiety and stress with your nutrition requires intention.

3 Make movement a normal part of your everyday life

This requires being flexible. I bet you have an idea in your head of what daily movement looks like. Maybe you're thinking it's being in the gym 6 days a week with a long walk on the 7th day. Maybe it's a 4 day workout split with yoga on the other 3 days. Nothing wrong with those if they fit your lifestyle and goals. If you work full time, have kids in activities, and you're a single mom either of those options are preposterous. For you it might be a 10 minute walk on your lunch break at work with Pilates on YouTube a couple of nights a week. That's great! Even if you'd like to be the 4 day split gym person don't not do anything at all because it doesn't make sense for you right now. BE FLEXIBLE. Just move!

4 Normalize self-care

This one can be hard for a variety of reasons. Time for yourself can be laced with guilt. Guilt over "not being productive" or not spending time with family or somehow it just being selfish. BALDERDASH. Self-care is productive because it makes you better. It teaches your family that you value yourself and that they should also value themselves. It could encourage your family to join you in self-care practices as well. It's also important to keep in mind that self-care practices don't have to be a weekend away or a 2 hour massage. Sometimes it's just a few minutes of stillness that can do the trick.

These are all things we already do every day of our lives. We have to sleep. We have to eat. We have to move. We need self-care. The last two sometimes get looked at as optional, but they really aren't.

All of those can be used to help you reduce anxiety and stress naturally. This applies whether or not you've been to therapy or used medication (though they aren't a replacement for either of those).

The idea of working on any of this might feel overwhelming to you and I'm sure you're already overwhelmed enough! I get it! But you don't have to do it alone!

This is why I created the SNAP Method. I've had to figure this out over years of therapy and making the connections between these natural methods and how they've impacted my anxiety and stress levels.

And they WORK!

Right now, I have my first round open for the SNAP Method Group Program which starts on October 13th. It's limited to 6 women and I would love to bring you into the group so that you can learn how to become more resilient against anxiety and stress.

If you're interested in learning more simply send me an email at janna@jl-wellness.com.