Chronic Illness

How to Cope with a Chronic Pain Flare Up

July 13, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

If you live with chronic pain, you’re probably all too familiar with chronic pain flare up days – when the pain that you already live with on a daily basis intensifies and completely levels you. In order to help minimize bad chronic pain flares, it’s helpful to know what triggers your physical symptoms and that can help you to cope with a chronic pain flare up.

How Does Weather Affect Pain?

When the weather changes to an extreme, whether from atmospheric changes or temperature fluctuations, it can affect certain types of chronic pain. This is especially true when your pain is related to your joints, such as with arthritis or fibromyalgia. If you start to keep a pain journal and record everything that occurred on the days when you had a flare-up, you might notice that your neck or knees hurt a lot worse when it rains or gets extremely cold. For others, extreme heat can trigger symptoms. Journaling can help you see what weather changes might be triggering you and help you to prepare for them in the future.

The Relationship Between Chronic Pain and Stress

Everyone experiences stress. Some women are living with chronic illness, multiple caregiving responsibilities, work demands and more. It’s overwhelming for sure but we’ve got to learn how to manage it. No matter what chronic illness you’re living with, stress will probably impact your pain levels and cause flare-ups. But be assured that while we can’t eliminate stress completely, effective stress relief methods can help to reduce chronic pain.

Hormones and Chronic Pain

For women, a big flare trigger for chronic pain might be as a result of fluctuating hormonal levels throughout the month. This might be related to PMS, where your pain is worse when you are about to start your period, or you might be experiencing more pain as you head toward menopause. This is yet another reason to keep a pain journal, since it helps you to notice these patterns. The more you know, the more prepared you’ll be for these potential triggers.

Nutrition and Chronic Pain

Eating inflammatory foods such as refined carbs, and sugar can increase symptoms for many people. Others might need to eliminate dairy and gluten. They key is to know yourself and track your symptoms. Again, a journal is going to be helpful here to track your symptoms.

How to Cope With a Chronic Pain Flare Up

Despite your best intentions, chronic pain flare ups can happen at any time. If you’re having a bad day, week or month…just step back and regroup. Think about what absolutely has to get done and let the rest go for now. If you need to spend a few days in bed, that’s perfectly fine. There are things you can do every day that help you cope with your chronic pain. Some things you might already be doing, while others are good to start getting into the normal practice of. It is important that you keep trying to make changes in your life for proper chronic pain management and mental health.

Take Intentional Action to Reduce Stress

Stress has such a large impact on nearly every facet of your life, including your chronic pain. No matter where your pain comes from, stress is likely to trigger chronic pain flare ups and make everything worse. The best thing you can do is figure out what is causing your stress and work to reduce it. Limiting time with toxic people, not taking on extra tasks at work, reducing unnecessary spending and just living a more organized life are a few ways to begin to reduce stress.

Get Those Endorphins Going to Ease Chronic Pain

You may not love exercise, but exercise definitely loves you! We all know it’s great for weight management, but it can also help to promote blood flow that helps to reduce your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. Working out also helps to release endorphins, the happy chemicals in your brain. When this happens, you not only reduce stress, but your mood will improve and you’ll probably find that you can handle your chronic pain much better. And some types of chronic pain are reduced when you are moving your body more often, like mild forms of arthritis. (This has definitely been true for me in managing the pain from cervical dystonia.)

The Danger of Using Alcohol for Pain Relief

Drinking alcohol may temporarily reduce your pain, but it is only hurting you in the long run. Not only is there a risk of addiction, but alcohol can get in the way of your sleep. Sleeping is extremely important when you are trying to cope with chronic pain, so you don’twant to get into the habit of putting a Band-aid on the pain with alcohol every day. Plus, alcohol is a depressant, so it can make your mood highs and lows a lot worse. And don’t forget how miserable a hangover can be! Finally, mixing alcohol with other meds is extremely dangerous and can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Join a Support Group for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is serious business. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by it and let it ruin your life. Unfortunately, even those who love you might not understand what it’s like. Finding a chronic pain support group might be one of the best things that you can do for yourself, whether online or local. You’ll feel less alone and much more empowered.

The Effects of Chronic Pain on Family

Chronic pain can cause a lot of family stress including social isolation, marital conflict, and feelings of anger and resentment. Be patient with each other. Let your family know where you’re struggling and ask for help with what you need. Let them know that you appreciate their support. Keep meals and expectations simple. Don’t take on any additional responsibilities. Finally, when you’re feeling awful…just do whatever nourishes your soul. Binge on Netflix, journal, listen to music that you love, take a long bath or spend some time outside. How do you like to regroup during a chronic pain flare up? SaveSave

How To Stop Stressing Yourself Out and Find Peace

July 5, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

So far in this self care challenge we’ve talked a lot about reducing stress by focusing on relaxation and other stress reducing techniques. But what’s even more important is find out and at least try to reduce the craziness that’s stressing you out in the first place. That’s how you find real peace in your life.

What’s Really Stressing You Out?

Begin by taking the time to figure out just what’s stressing you out. You’re going to have to dig deep here, so carve out some quiet time to do this so you can really think it through. For example, if you’re constantly looking for things and going crazy in the process, the root cause of it is probably lack of organization.

Go through all of your stressors until you can identify the root of the problem. Write it down in your journal, if you have one. You’ll be using this list to work through and cut out as many stressors as possible going forward.

It’s probably a good idea to make it a running list. As your life and your circumstances continuously change, new things and people will pop up that stress you out. Add these stressors to your list and review it regularly to see what you can do to get rid of or reduce the stress.

What Can You Get Rid of to Reduce Stress?

Go through your list again with the intent of find some quick fixes. One great place to start is with a solid morning routine. It’s something that you can implement right away to greatly reduce the stress it’s been causing you.

Think about what you can let go. If you’re hustling to make some extra money for extras and it’s causing even more stress in your life, then ditch it for now. If you’re an entrepreneur and you have that one client that creates constant stress and havoc, then go ahead and break up with him. There’s plenty of other clients out there!

How to Make a Long Term Plan to Reduce Stress

Now that you’ve tackled the basics and hopefully created a big of margin, you can begin to take a look at the bigger issues. Again, go through your list and see what you can start working on right way.

Some examples of big issues that stress you out could be that you’re juggling too many responsibilities. While many of them are a part of life, look for what the non essential activities are and reduce them.

For example, if you’re a busy mom, you might be overwhelmed with the pressure of getting your kids to every activity. Pick one or two activities for your family to be involved in. Then teach your kids how to occupy themselves (preferably screen free!) so you can get some much needed downtime for yourself.

If you work, you might have someone that you continually butt heads with. Finding work at a different company is certainly an option, but you might also consider looking into moving to a different department or possibly working from home.

More Ways to Stop Stressing Yourself Out

Adopt a healthier lifestyle. This can’t be said often enough. Taking time for your own good health will help you to handle whatever stressors life throws at you.

Stop worrying. I know, easier said than done. Try to live one day at a time and stop the future tripping as much as you can.

Stop running late. Don’t wait until the last possible minute to get to work, school or family event. Prepare as much as you can before, so that you eliminate the last minute stress of looking for your glasses or keys.

Keep an organized home. Again, this is going to be a process. Develop a basic routine to keep your home in order and spend a few minutes getting rid of clutter every day.

Have a regular bedtime routine. Many people try to decompress by drinking wine or vegetate in front of the TV or their tablet. A few hours before you go to sleep, shut down the electronics and indulge in a bath, reading a book, journaling or some gentle yoga. This will help to prepare your body for a good night’s sleep.

Keep working through the list and do what you can to get closer to cutting out those remaining stressors.

Natural Remedies for Anxiety Relief

June 13, 2018 by Marya 4 Comments

Stressed out? Try these natural remedies for anxiety relief

If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks but are leery of pharmaceuticals, you might want to consider natural remedies for anxiety relief. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking medication if you feel that’s your best option, but natural remedies and lifestyle changes can also be a big help in managing anxiety symptoms.

Essential Oils for Anxiety

One very popular way to treat anxiety naturally is with essential oils. Essential oils are extracted from flowers, herbs, and plants, and then you can use them to help calm you down and reduce your panic and anxiety symptoms. Certain essential oils are better for anxiety, creating a calm environment and reducing the amount of panic attacks you experience. Here are some essential iols to consider using for stress:

*Cedarwood
*Wild Orange
*Lavender
*Chamomile
*Frankincense
*Bergamot
*Vetiver

Create a calming atmosphere in your home by diffusing some essential oil, adding some drops to your bath or applying them to the bottoms of your feet.

Omega 3 Relieves Stress

You probably already know that proper nutrition is an essential part of treating your anxiety naturally. One of the more important supplements you’ll want to take are omega-3 fatty acids. Try to aim for 2-3 grams of omega-3s every day, as they will help you to lower stress chemicals, which help to decrease anxiety and panic symptoms. While you can take a supplement, it’s better to get nutrients from natural food sources. For omega-3 fatty acids, this means fish like salmon and tuna, as well as whole grains, flax seeds, and walnuts.

Get More Vitamin D

Another nutrient you need to treat your anxiety naturally is vitamin D, but you don’t have to take a supplement or even eat a lot of foods with this vitamin. The best way to get more vitamin D is actually through sunlight. Try heading outside for 15-20 minutes a day to soak up some vitamin D, and you’ll soon start feeling much better. Vitamin D will not only help with your anxiety, but will also improve your mood and energy. Try going outside for quick walks or taking your lunch break outdoors when you can.

Lemon Balm Tea

Like many herbal teas, lemon balm tea can be really helpful if you’re struggling with anxiety. It’s a great remedy to calm your mind and body. Perhaps you have a lot of work or financial stress, are overwhelmed by all your responsibilities at home, or are dealing with the stress of making major decisions. You can drink some lemon balm tea and feel more at peace, which helps you to de-stress and sleep a little better.

Not only does lemon balm tea help with insomnia, but it can also help to make you more alert. When you drink it in the morning, it can boost your energy and make it easier to concentrate.

Besides the mental health benefits, lemon balm tea is also great for your skin! It’s often been used for skin purposes, from anti aging, to having youthful and glowing looking skin. If you’re struggling with early signs of aging, try drinking more lemon balm tea to smooth out those wrinkles and prevent more from forming prematurely. The lemon balm can also help to soften yours skin and work to reduce blemishes.

Some other herbal teas to try for calming purposes include peppermint, chamomile and passion flower.

Exercise Can Calm Anxiety

A great way to combine sunlight and exercising is to go for a walk outside, go hiking, or find another outdoor activity. Even if you’re not able to get outside, getting more physical activity is great for anxiety. You get your blood pumping, distract your mind, and can de-stress as well.

How to Stop Panic Attacks

What you should know about putting a stop to a panic attack is you have to find the right method for you, and that might take a bit of trial and error. The following include some different things you can try to stop panic attacks in their tracks:

*Pray
*Listen to a guided meditation
*Find an object to focus on
*Use a body scan or muscle relaxation technique
*Visualize your happy place
* Count backwards from 100
* Say No! out loud as many times as needed
* Listen to music
* Watch a movie or television show
* Call someone on the phone who can calm you down

Use Serenity Lotion

I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers Network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.

I’ve tried so many different lotions at this point I’ve lost track. But I was happy to give Fay Farm’s Serenity Lotion a try after reading so many positive reviews about it. Fay Farms developed Serenity Lotion to provide those living with anxiety and stress a natural alternative. It’s made with organic ingredients including essential oils, organ oil, 50 mg hemp oil extract, chamomile, passionflower and skullcap. It also includes magnesium oil for relief of inflammation and nerve pain.

Fay Farms has a wonderful line of popular CBD topicals (hemp oil derived and legal in all 50 states) including a muscle rub and healing hemp lotion.

About Fay Farm

The Fay Farm is a family run farm on Whidbey Island, outside of Seattle, Washington. On the farm the family raises Nubian Goats and use the milk from the goats along with the herbs they grow from their greenhouse to infuse into their natural body care products. None of their products contain parabens, alcohol, mineral oil, or phthalates. Many of their high quality ingredients come right from their farm. The Fay Farm is dedicated to creating quality natural body care products.

Sound yummy? Let me tell you it works. One of my favorite quick stress busters now is to put some Serenity lotion on the bottom of my feet and then spend 10 minutes listening to a guided meditation. Instant relief!

Know When to Seek Help for Anxiety

Anxiety is not a normal way of life and not something you should just suffer with. If it has you avoiding social situations, affecting you at work or school, or impacting your personal relationships, then it’s time to get professional help.

There’s no shame or stigma in this. Talk to your family doctor, a therapist, counselor, or anyone else that has experience with anxiety and panic attacks to find the best treatment options for you.

Natural remedies for anxiety relief #anxiety #mentalhealth #depression

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Books and Movies to Distract Yourself from Stress

June 8, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

Getting lost in a movie or a good book is a great way to distract yourself from stress, whether it’s everyday stress, stress from caregiving or stress from chronic illness. Sometimes when we find ourselves in a particularly stressful life situation, we need a little time-out.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a break to spend a few hours forgetting about your troubles and problems. You’ll come back out of your break refreshed and ready to tackle whatever life might throw at you. You’ll quickly make up the time you spent on this stress buster with improved focus and productivity.

And even when it doesn’t work out that way, it will still have been worth it to get some peace for a little while and reduce stress.

Disclaimer: I’m a Boomer…I grew up in the 70’s and my taste in books and movies certainly reflects that!

10 Movies to Watch When You’re Feeling Depressed

Inside Out
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Good Will Hunting
Forrest Gump
The Blind Side
Up
Life of Pi
It’s a Wonderful Life
Grease
Cool Runnings

10 Feel Good TV Shows

60s Classic TV Shows

The Adams Family
Andy Griffith
The Avengers
Batman
Dick Van Dyke
Father Knows Best
Gilligan’s Island
The Honeymooners
I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
Mister Ed
The Munsters
My Three Sons
Star Trek
The Twilight Zone

70s Classic TV Shows

Welcome Back Kotter
The Odd Couple
Good Times
The Brady Bunch
Diff’rent Strokes
Get Smart
Green Acres
Happy Days
I Dream of Jeannie
All in the Family
The Jeffersons

80s Classic TV Shows

21 Jump Street
Bosom Buddies
Cheers
The Facts of Life
Family Ties
The Golden Girls
Growing Pains
Mork & Mindy
The Muppet Show
Night Court
Seinfeld
Taxi
Who’s The Boss
WKRP in Cincinnati
The Wonder Years

Books to Distract You From the World

Now let’s talk about books. Start by growing your bookshelf…maybe you have some unread forgotten books just waiting for you!

Or you can head on over to library or bookstore or Amazon Prime and find something good to read, or listen to. For audiobooks, Audible.com is very popular.You can also find and download all sorts of great books to your Kindle or smartphone from Amazon and even your local library.

You have tons of options. Your hardest job right now will be to just pick something!

10 Books to Get Lost In

The Magician’s Nephew
The Wind in the Willows
The Hobbit
The Color Purple
Lake Wobegon Days
The Stand
The Help
Pride and Prejudice
Anything Harry Potter
The Hunger Games

10 Books for Depression

Now, sometimes the best therapy for stress or depression is simply to face it and read a good about it. It’s your call! Sometimes understanding the mental processes that you’re going through are the best way to cope with depression.

Here’s a few good titles that I found:

When Darkness Will Not Lift
When Someone You Love Suffers from Depression or Mental Illness
Rewire Your Anxious Brain
Reasons to Stay Alive
A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled
Running for My Life: How I Built a Better Me One Step at a Time
The Anxiety Solution: A Quieter Mind, a Calmer You
Broken: Finding Joy in Every Day and Letting Go of Perfect
Depression & Other Magic Tricks
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Distract Yourself From Chronic Pain

There are have been many times that I’ve been homebound since my first chronic illness diagnosis in 2010. Sometimes all you can really do is just sit in bed.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you just need to be still so that your body can focus on healing. Books, TV Shows and movies are a great distraction during times like these.

And remember, don’t complicate it. When you find something you think you’ll like, just go for it. If it’s light and fluffy, that’s perfectly fine. Don’t judge yourself. If reading the occasional junk novel or a watching a zombie movie is is your thing, go for it.

This downtime is for you and for you alone. It’s supposed to be a mental health break. Please don’t use it try to educate yourself or make it a cultural experience.

Remember, you want something you can completely lose yourself in for a little while and not worry about anything else.

So find what works for you.

This list is just a jumping off point..what are some of your favorite books, TV shows and movies that help to distract yourself from stress?

The Fine Art of Doing Nothing

June 2, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

Is doing nothing ever okay in our crazy, busy and always connected world? As a matter of fact, when was the last time you did nothing?

And by nothing, I don’t mean Facebooking or binging on the latest episodes of your favorite Netflix show…not that there’s anything wrong with that!

I mean just sitting or lying quietly and not doing anything. No checking the phone, social media, games, or email.

It seems kind of crazy that doing nothing is actually a skillset that many of us need to learn.

But think about it, there’s lots of value in doing nothing at all on a regular basis. If you’re the type of person who likes to continuously multitask, this will probably present a challenge to you, as well also for the person who can only focus with background noise and lots of craziness going on around them. If this is you, I’d encourage you to still give doing nothing a try.

How to Learn the Art of Doing Nothing

If being in a quiet room by yourself doing nothing is an entirely new concept to you, start slow. Set a time to do it for just 5 to 10 minutes a day. Don’t stare at any electronic devices while you’re sitting there. Set an alarm on your phone or use a timer and then set it out of site. Trust in the fact that you’ll hear the alarm go off when your downtime is up.

You might be wondering is what exactly you should be doing while you’re sitting there doing nothing. It’s very simple…let your mind wander a bit. It will work out whatever it feels is most important. You don’t need to give the thoughts any direction, but if there’s something you’re struggling with, feel free to nudge your thoughts into that direction.

When you ask me what I’m doing today and I say nothing, it does not mean I’m free. It means I’m doing nothing.

Don’t feel guilty what you’re thinking about and mulling over. This downtime is a time to relax and go where your thoughts take you. It’s as much to give your mind a much needed break as it is to encourage creative thinking.

If you feel so inclined, this isn’t a bad time to try meditation. This can be as simple as focusing on your breath, or meditating on a simple prayer.

Now, this quiet time is probably going to feel a little strange at first and maybe even a little stressful. You might feel tempted to check your phone! If it’s that much of a struggle, leave the phone in the other room. But at the very least, silence it and lay it upside down so you can’t see or hear alerts pop up.

As time goes by you’ll begin to welcome this downtime. You can then start extending the time you spend each day in quiet free form exploration. Spend 20 or more just sitting quietly and thinking.

This down time of doing nothing will reap wonderful benefits. You’ll feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready to get on with the rest of your day. Think of it as a kind of siesta for your brain. Just remember that your mind never completely stops working.

The Importance of Doing Nothing

Doing nothing can be a great way to boost productivity. As a matter of fact Google even has a company policy that emphasizes the importance of taking free time. Sometimes you just need some time to step away from a situation to see it in a new light. Letting your mind unravel can be a really good thing for your overall mental health.

However, if your downtime starts to stretch into weeks or longer and you’ve lost interest in everything, it could be very possible that you’re depressed. If this is the case, please seek the appropriate help to cope with depression.

Like everything else, there’s a balance to be found here. We can’t just sit around waiting for opportunity to come knocking at our door. But there’s nothing wrong with taking some time to do nothing and let go.

When I take this “do nothing” breaks, I usually come out of them feeling a little more refreshed and ready for the rest of the day.

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30 Day Self Care Challenge

June 1, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

The ultimate 30 day self care challenge. Reduce stress & find a calmer you.

If you’re feeling like you need a bit of a reset lately, this 30 day self care challenge might be just what you need. We’d all love to get away from everything for a good, long retreat but life and responsibilities beckon. But you don’t need to leave home to get in the habit of intentional self care.

Self care is the intentional practice of caring for our physical, mental, and emotional health. Self care isn’t selfish. It’s essential for us to refuel our minds and bodies so that we can carry out our work and responsibilities without burning ourselves out.l

This self care challenge will help you to get start thinking about balancing your mind, body and spirit in a gentle way. And chances are, you probably have everything you need to complete this challenge around your home!

Even if your time is limited, with a little intention you can still reap the mental and physical benefits of self care. I’d love for you to come along for this 30 day self care challenge!

Why I Created This Self Care Challenge

It’s so important for women in every walk and season of life to practice self care and as a special needs mom who lives with chronic illness herself, I have to practice these principles every single day or my health suffers. I’m personally convinced that my own autoimmune issues partly came as a result of years of frenzied living without taking the time out for proper self care and relaxation.

We live in a crazy busy world where we’re always reachable, a 24 hour news cycle that doesn’t let up and is seemingly engineered to provoke us, as well as endless email and text alerts.

Not only that, but social media puts us under a lot of pressure to document the perfect Instagrammable or Pinteresting life!

Some of us might be special needs moms, juggling family and caregiving responsibilities and careers while trying to pay off student debts and mortgages.

Is it any wonder that we’re more stressed than ever and stress related illnesses are on the rise?

About the 30 Day Self Care Challenge

Once you sign up below, you’ll get daily emails for 30 days with self care and stress reduction tips that will teach your how to relax more and live more intentionally.

Begin today to learn how to relax more and take a more intentional approach to stress reduction. You’ll reap the benefits of improved mental health, reduced stress and a better outlook on life no matter what’s going on around you.

However, you must be intentional about it. Like any new habit, it will take time and consistency for it to take root and become a lasting part of your life.

Believe me, if you don’t plan it will never happen!

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Instant Stress Buster: Take a Walk

May 28, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

Instant Stres Buster take a walk

Ready for an instant stress buster that you can do anytime or anywhere? Go outside and take a walk. Did you know that you can walk yourself out of a bad mood? Studies have shown that just a 10 minute walk immediately boosts your brain chemistry that increases happiness.

Think about it..how often do you actually go out for a walk when you’re feeling stressed or need to recharge? If you’re anything like me, it isn’t your go-to when you’re feeling stressed out.

There’s lots of health benefits to taking a walk. For one thing, it’s easy to do. Just head outside with some sneakers on and you can get in a quick ten minute walk no matter where you are.

Best of all, you don’t need any special equipment!

You can certainly walk inside, but there’s nothing like walking outside in nature when you can. The fresh air and sunlight will increase the benefits you’re getting from your walk.

Take a walk and your health will benefit in so many different ways!

stress buster take a walk

Walking Clears the Mind

It gives you a chance to get away from whatever it is you are doing for a few minutes. You’re walking away from everything for just a bit. Doing this allows you to come back to your task with a fresh outlook when you get back. This can work miracles when you’re feeling stuck, are working on a tough problem, or need to proofread something.

It also gives your mind a break from whatever it is you were working on. You get to focus on simply moving your body and admiring your surroundings outside for a little while. Often when we take a break from thinking consciously about what we’re working on, our unconscious mind takes over and comes up with ideas and solutions our conscious mind couldn’t find.

Stopping work for a bit and allowing the subconscious to take over is often what brings that big breakthrough you’ve been hoping for. The rhythmic act of walking helps this process along.

Walking for Anxiety and Depression

When anxiety and depression get overwhelming, moving your body is a great way to get your mind off your thoughts. For one thing, unused energy in the body can help to create anxiety in your mind. The mind-body-spirit connection is very real.

Anxiety tends to feed off itself. When you’re worrying about how anxious you are, it creates even more anxiety.

Moving around is one of the best ways to alleviate anxiety. By doing this, you’re not thinking about your symptoms because you’re focusing on walking. This in turn reduces the amount of energy you’re giving to your anxiety and as a result, you’ll feel a lot better.

Walking Benefits Your Body

Walking is a great form of low impact exercise you can do anytime, anywhere. It gets you moving, helps to relax your body, pump more blood throughout your system, and thus more oxygen into your cells.

When you walk outside in the fresh air, this rejuvenating effect even more beneficial. A quick walk will help to reenergize you and makes you feel better.

Not only that, but walking can be an effective part of your weight loss program.

Take Your Dog on a Walk

Walking is great exercise for both of you and just being outdoors with your dog is a great way to have fun and reduce stress. Not only that, but it’s a great way to bond with your dog.

Have I convinced you? Give walking a try the next time you need to clear your head.

stress reduction for busy moms

5 Easy Breathing Techniques to Reduce Anxiety

May 26, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

5 easy breathing techniques to reduce anxiety

In the Nasty Health Dangers of Chronic Stress I talked about the effects of stress and knowing the warning signs that you’re on stress overload. As you learn to recognize the signs that you’re feeling stressed out, one great tool to have in your arsenal are easy breathing techniques to reduce anxiety.

This doesn’t have to be complicated, and it can be as simple as taking a deep breath.

Hold on to this thought…the simple act of taking a few deliberate and slow breaths can help to reduce your stress levels dramatically. Easy breathing techniques are relaxing, supply the body with plenty of fresh oxygen, and relieve any tension you may have built up.

There’s lots of different ways to practice easy breathing techniques to reduce anxiety, relax and release that awful feeling of stress.

One of my favorite things to do when I’m feeling stressed out and life feels like it’s just too much is to go outside for a quick walk. For me, this usually looks like walking around my big yard with my dogs a few times. It doesn’t even have to be long, 10 minutes at a time a few times a day is so beneficial. It releases tension, and is relaxation and rejuvenating.

You might think if it’s dragging you away from your desk that it’s a waste of time, but give it a try. Being inside or sitting at a computer for hours is incredibly draining. You’ll come back inside with more energy and a much clearer mind. You’ll get that time back and then some!

4-7-8 Breathing Technique

One of the many problems with stress is that it gives us a really short fuse. And that makes it harder to be kind and patient with those closes to us! Letting that anger out is rarely helpful. Instead, walk away and practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique. It’s really pretty simple!

Breathe in for 4 seconds.
Hold your breathe for 7 seconds.
Exhale for 8 seconds.
Repeat once or twice.

It may not seem like much, but you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel! While it may not do much to treat chronic stress in the long run, it is a quick distraction for your mind and an effective strategy to calm down quickly.

Try a Breathing Meditation

Breathing meditation techniques are very beneficial to know. They’re a very effective treatment to reduce anxiety and stress. Not only that, but they’re easy to do and you can do them anywhere…while waiting in your car, at the office, or standing in line anywhere. The basic idea is to take a few minutes to sit (or stand) quietly, with your eyes closed (if practical) focusing your mind only on your breath. Feel the air flowing in and out of your nose and try not to think of about anything else.

It’s very effective breathing technique once you get the hang of it. It does take practice, but do give it a try.

Deep Abdominal Breathing

Get in a quiet place, place your hands on your abdomen. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Try to completely expel the air.

Alternate nostril breathing

While sitting on the floor is optimal, you can also do this in the car.

Place the thumb of your right hand on your right nostril and press firmly. Take in a breathe through your left nostril.
Place the ring finger of your right hand on your left nostril and press firmly. Remove your right thumb from your right nostril and slowly breathe out.

Equal breathing

Sit in a comfortable position, either at your desk or on the floor with your spine straight. Breathe in and out for equal counts, ranging from 1-4. Once you’re comfortable, you might try it for a bit longer.

Daily Breath Awareness

Schedule a 5 minute breath awareness during a quiet time of the day. Turn everything off, tune out and just focus on your natural breathing pattern. You can even do this in 1 minute breaks if that’s all you’ve got. Being conscious of your breathing will reduce anxiety, soothe emotions and even boost your energy.

Breathing exercises of any time will help to sooth frazzled nervous symptoms. I hope you’ll give these techniques a try!

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10 Signs You Are Stressed Out

May 25, 2018 by Marya 1 Comment

Stress really isn’t a bad thing. It’s actually a natural process designed to protect or at the very least prepare us for imminent danger. Stress is what helps us run from threats or push through chaotic situations. But it’s important to recognize the signs that you are stressed out.

Also, stress can also motivate us to stop procrastinating and get our work done. It’s what makes us buckle down and get to that task that we’ve been procrastinating about.

In small doses and for a short time, stress is a good thing. It becomes a problem when we are totally stressed out and it’s constant. Chronic stress is what causes things like adrenal fatigue, high blood pressure, belly fat and heart disease.

But stress is tricky…it builds up slowly and sneaks up on us. We get used to that feeling of constantly being over worked and over stimulated.

If you have a constant wired, tense feeling, more than likely you are stressed out.

Many times we don’t even realize just how stressed out we are until something major happens and our body then forces us to slow down.

Don’t let it get that far. Learn to recognize the early signs you are stressed out. Learn to control the stress, work on reducing the stressful situation, and most importantly make time to rest and relax so you can recover from the unavoidable stress and pressure life throws at you.

Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” – Khalil Gibran

10 Signs You Are Stressed Out

A general feeling of anxiety and feeling unwell.
Trouble sleeping.
Lack of concentration and focus.
Mindless eating and snacking throughout the day. (Sweet and salty foods are particularly appealing!)
Needing a nightly glass of wine or beer to unwind.
Feeling overwhelmed.
Hair loss
Compromised immunity.
Depression and loneliness.
GI symptoms including nausea, dizziness, and diarrhea.

The problem is that these symptoms of being stressed can stress us out even more. We may respond by pushing harder, which makes us feel even worse.

How Do You Relieve Stress?

The only way to break the cycle of being stressed out all the time is to address THE problem… the stress.

We can do this by making a conscious effort to cut (or reduce) stress, learning simple relaxation techniques, and learning to give ourselves the time and rest that we need to recover.

Limit caffeine.
Don’t drink to relieve stress. Alcohol will likely make things worse.
Increase physical activity
Try meditation
Talk to a friend
Keep a journal or try adult coloring
Improve your time management
Know when to say no.
Take a day trip out in nature.
Join our 30 day stress reduction challenge for easy to implement, actionable tips to reduce stress in your life!

In this life, we’re all going to experience stress. Unchecked it can contribute to poor health.We can’t always control everything. But we can control how we respond to it.

You can’t always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.” – Wayne Dyer

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The Ultimate Guide to Power Naps

May 24, 2018 by Marya 2 Comments

Throughout our 30 Day Stress Reduction Challenge, I’m going to be sharing some of my essential stress busters with my readers. These are quick and easy stress reducing tips that you can put to work right immediately to relax more and stress less.

You might not love all of them, but I’d like to encourage you to give each of them a try. Keep the ones that work well for you and put them to work whenever you’re feeling especially stressed out. You’ll feel better and more capable almost immediately and you’ll feel encouraged to have some coping mechanisms in place when life gets crazy.

In yesterday’s post I talked a little bit about the importance of adequate rest and sleep in particular. Everyone needs sleep to recover from busy and chaotic days. During times when you don’t get enough rest, and are sick or just plain feel worn down, one of the best things you can do to stay healthy and productive is to take a nap.

Naps aren’t just for babies. They’re just as important for frazzled, stressed out moms. You might tell yourself that you’re too old for naps, don’t need them, or can’t sleep during the day.

Totally false.

Believe it or not, there are many cultures around the world where it’s totally acceptable and even common to nap during the day. Research shows that napping is incredibly beneficial and will actually help you get more done. It’s been shown to be so powerful that some companies now encourage employees to take power naps work.

You don’t even have to actually get to sleep to benefit from napping. Just lay down, get comfortable, close your eyes and chill out for a bit. This rest instead of actual sleep will still be helpful. And if you do go to sleep, you don’t have to stay asleep for very long to benefit from a nap. Sleeping as little as two to five minutes is enough to refresh your brain.

If you’re worried about waking up groggy, try a coffee nap. You heard me right. The idea of a coffee nap is to drink a cup of coffee right before you lay down for a short nap. Because it takes your body a while to process the caffeine, you’ll be able to take a short nap and wake up alert and ready to tackle the rest of your busy day. Bulletproof coffee naps are a great way to fuel your afternoon.

My Tips for the Best Afternoon Power Naps Ever

Know your body’s rhythms. For many people around 1:00 – 3:00 is the best time for a power nap. A typical power nap can be from 10-20 minutes. Some people might need 30-60 minutes. These might leave you groggy, however you might want to have some coffee ready when you get up. (If you live with chronic illness, you’ll probably need longer naps. Sometimes I need 90 minutes to 2 or more hours. There’s nothing wrong with this. People with chronic illness fatigue faster and need more restorative time than the general population.)
If you can, dim the room and lower the air temperature to under 70 degrees.
Keep a pen and pad of paper close by in order to jot down anything that runs across your mind that might keep you from fully resting. You’ll know where that thought is and be able to follow up with it later.
Turn your cell phone ringer and notifications off. If you have to be up at a certain time, set an alarm.
Use a sleep mask will help to create a dark environment to fall asleep faster.

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