Are You Stressed Out and Trying to Find Ways to Deal with What Stress Does to Your Body, Mind, and Spirit? 10 Best Stress Relief Natural Products Could Help You Beat Stress (2021)

Stress is an adverse feeling of emotional or physical tension which can be caused by several social and economic changes and circumstances. It is our body’s coping mechanism for any challenge or need. When we encounter stress, our body is triggered to produce stress hormones that generate a reaction or response and thereby activates our immune system. Stress affects our mind and body in various ways and its effect on every individual is different. One may encounter psychological signs such as difficulty concentrating, anxiety or depression. Emotional signs are also common such as being agitated, moody or frustrated. Physical changes include high blood pressure, weight change, frequent infections etc.

One of the most common signs is behavioural changes that can have an adverse effect on all the other above-mentioned laterals as well. These can be identified in terms of poor self-care, carelessness, lack of interest or low mood, drug and alcohol use and succumbing to smoking problems to cope. Other symptoms include insomnia, change in sexual habits, smoking etc. Basically, stress changes the way we feel and may heighten or decrease the intensity of our emotions and reactions considerably.

Signs of stress could be categorised as emotional and psychological. Let us dive deeper into the signs conveying that you are stressed.

As stress affects everyone differently, for some stress makes them anxious or overwhelming dreadful. It is seen that people under stress tend to experience constant worry or fear which results in panic or anxiety attacks even in times when there are surprisingly no clear event or situation to cause them. Additionally, it is seen that people under stress may exhibit unnatural reactions to situations where one must naturally experience fear or anxiety. Stress also results in low interest or depressive mood where one experiences feelings of sadness, tiredness, low confidence and low self-esteem. None of these symptoms or the others mentioned below should be taken lightly and should be treated clinically with proper counselling and help.

Rest is essential to our body and therefore any hindrances in sleep onset, maintenance or quality leads to many problems. Sleep disorders or insomnia are seen to occur despite the presence of favourable conditions and the availability of ample time for comfortable sleep. People with insomnia may experience excessive daytime tiredness, and sleepiness, irritability and other problems when they are awake or otherwise. Additionally, stress lowers our threshold for pain, a common effect of the same are muscle aches. People under stress often experience neck and back pains, headaches, frequent and sudden flare-ups of arthritis, muscle soreness, spasms of pain etc.

Another very common sign of stress is the change in body mass. Stress affects our hormones which often leads to weight gain. The "stress hormone" cortisol is released in the body during times of stress which stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy. This increases our appetite. As the cortisol levels in our body increase thereby increasing the appetite. You must have noticed the cravings to eat your favourite food increases if you are stressed. This, therefore, increases the weight of our body.

An often-ignored sign of stress is digestive problems such as indigestion, heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea and nausea which can be attributed to the hormonal imbalances that stress brings about in our body. Some of the commonly experienced ailments include stomachache among other issues. Diarrhoea and constipation due to changes in the speed of digestion due to the elevation of cortisol levels and heart rate. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which is characterized by constipation and stomach cramps. Aggravation of stomach ulcers makes it more prone to infection.

Stress can have both short-term and long-term impact on both male and female reproductive systems. In the case of males, if the stress continues for a long time, a man’s testosterone levels can drop which can, in turn, trigger a drop in the sperm count significantly leading to issues like erectile dysfunction which could further lead to impotence. Furthermore, it has been seen that recurring stress can make a male’s prostate and testes more vulnerable to infection.

In the case of females, stress can affect the menstrual cycle significantly which could lead to making the periods more painful, irregular and recurring stress can severely heighten the symptoms of menopause as well. Stress often causes lifestyle changes and an increase in the inflammation of our body, which in turn puts our heart health at risk. The stress hormone cortisol is known to increase cholesterol and sugar in the blood and often blood pressure. These are common risk factors for heart diseases and adversely affects the health of nerves and arteries leading to heart attacks etc.

Melatonin is a natural hormone that can help with sleep disorders and insomnia. It helps in regulating our body’s sleep cycle by changing levels of hormones during the entire day to make the body “sleep” and be “awake”. An increase in the levels of this hormone in the evening to help us sleep and bring down the same in the morning to help us wake up is what the supplement does. Melatonin is naturally formed in our body but taking supplements is not known to cause any adverse side-effects in a majority of the cases. Moreover, its use can be easily stopped as per our need and choice at any time.

Try adding melatonin tablets to your daily routine and see the difference. A good option available on Nykaa is WOW Life Science 3mg Melatonin for Rs. 495.

Ayurveda texts cannot praise this herb enough. Ashwagandha is an apoptogenic herb whose origin and roots can be mapped back to India. It makes our body more resilient to both physical and mental stress, anxiety and helps with depression. Various researches have been conducted which have produces results determining the effect of ashwagandha on our body. These studies suggest that this herb helps in reducing morning levels of cortisol, a stress hormone by 23%. Many different studies claim that ashwagandha is effective in reducing anxiety, stress and fatigue.

You can consume it in a powdered form or as tablets. The Dabur Pure Herbs Ashwagandha Tablet available for Rs. 118 is an excellent option for you to try out.

Ginger is an aromatic herb that is extremely popular in traditional healing systems such as Ayurveda etc as a natural remedy for stress and anxiety. Ginger is a rich source of gingerol, an antioxidant that reduces the effect of stress on or body. Stress directly affects the production of stomach acids that are significant for the digestive system to work perfectly. Ginger ensures that enough enzymes and acids are produced in the stomach for smooth digestion.

To get its benefits, consider having ginger tea regularly. Making ginger tea is simple. Just slice up a section of peeled fresh ginger and boil it in a cup of water adequately. You now directly consume it or strain it and have it. You can also add additional flavourings such as turmeric, cinnamon or mint to the tea while boiling for a different taste.

Brahmi is popular for its anti-anxiety properties and helps in levelling up serotonin. For the uninitiated, serotonin is a chemical produced by the brain to induce relaxation and comfort therefore reducing stress levels. It stimulates a calming effect and eradicates the feeling of restlessness and panic. Popular as a mild sedative, it helps in stimulating mental clarity, wellness and increase focus.

The easiest way to consume this herb is to take supplement tablets. There are several brands available. One popular option is the Himalaya Wellness Pure Herbs Brahmi Mind Wellness Tablets that are available for Rs. 138, on 1mg.com.

This lovely stress buster kit comprises a coffee body polishing oil, coffee body scrub and a premium wooden massager. With the goodness of natural and clean ingredients like sweet almond oil, rosehip oil, coconut oil and vitamin E, these coffee-infused products provide a very healing experience. Brimming with antioxidants, pure Arabica coffee fights free radicals and keeps our skin glowing and healthy. Coffee has excellent scrubbing properties reducing the cellulite problem and is a natural body polishing agent.

Moreover, the high content of caffeine helps in toning the skin and fight other ageing signs. Talking about the aroma, coffee has one of the most de-stressing and rejuvenating fragrance which relaxes your senses and help us de-stress. The polishing oil in the kit enhances the scrubbing experience by making our body more nourished and toned. Use the premium wooden massager with two rollers that stimulate better blood circulation rendering our skin glowing and healthy. This one of the best stress relief products for the office is available on Caffeine for just INR 995.

Full-Bodied Black Tea is a popular and amazingly effective stress buster. The superior ingredients such as gooseberry, turmeric, lavender, chamomile are extraordinarily rich in antioxidants and have superior relaxing properties. The vitamins in gooseberry help to get rid of the free radicals. The turmeric helps with detoxification while the chamomile, lavender and basil renders calming and relaxing aromatherapy for the body.

In chemical terms, Epsom is a naturally occurring mineral compound of magnesium and sulphate. Magnesium is known to regulate and control over 320 bodily enzymes, curb and reduce the effects of inflammations thereby helping our muscles and nerves to relax and function better. As it acts as a muscle and artery relaxant, it also prevents artery hardening. This salt works its wonders by stimulating and controlling some hormones like enhancing the production of serotonin and reducing the effects of adrenaline which helps in stress relief. The Sulphates in Epsom salts help improve the absorption of nutrients, body detoxification and are very helpful to ease out migraine headaches. The easy absorption into the skin makes Epsom salt baths an ideal way to use its medicinal properties. You can buy Epsom salt from Nature’s Tattva available on Amazon for just INR 450.

The Aroma Kit consists of Rose Essential Oil, Jasmine Essential Oil, Lavender Essential Oil and Rosemary Essential Oil. Each of these natural oils has been derived and extracted from plants and help the body to relieve stress naturally and relax our body and mind.

Rose Oil has a calming and soothing effect on our skin making it look more radiant. Its ability to fight anxiety, depression, anger and grief makes it very popular. Jasmine oil essential on the other hand works for both our body and scalp. This relaxing oil uplifts our mood, elevates confidence, increases skin elasticity and helps with skin toning and soothing dry and itchy scalp. The calming property of Lavender essential oil significantly removes signs of acne and has great value for hair. It promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss. Last but not the least, Rosemary essential Oil helps both body and hair which makes it so useful. It lightens dark spots, reduces skin blemishes as well as prevents hair loss. Also known for helping with hair regrowth. Get this kit on organicharvest.in for just INR 1,880.

Ginseng is often praised for its anti-stress properties. Research suggests that ginseng may help stabilize the nervous system response and improve perception and mental strength for people who are exposed to high levels of stress. There are some studies reporting this to have antidepressant-like ingredients.

This is a light-weight and moisturizing body massage oil which is made of natural ingredients. It has a calming effect that helps to reduce stress by soothing the nerves. The superior combination of oils such as Geranium, Ylang-Ylang, Lavender, Jojoba, Sesame and sunflower helps in the restoration of body balance. This is also a non-sticky formula that is quickly absorbed into the skin and keeps it soft and hydrated. Buy this product on kaamaayurveda.com for INR 825 and add it to your daily routine to bring down the stress level.

The best way to overcome stress is not to let it enter your life in the first place. There are a few life hacks that will keep you miles away from the stress and anxiety even on the busiest days of your life.

Exercising regularly can largely contribute to stress relief by uplifting our mood. Stepping away from monotonous or routines serves as a distraction from worries and a break from the negative loop that ultimately increase stress. Exercises such as walking, running, swimming is highly effective in stress relief. Any sort of physical activity balances the body chemically making it more resilient to stress and situations that bring us to worry. Hormone production during exercise contributes to lowering stress levels and detoxifies the body. Let's not ignore that exercise also keeps the body healthy and in shape. It’s a win-win.

What goes on our plate can make a lot of difference in the way we feel. Eating well and healthy greatly contributes to stress relief. The food we eat significantly impacts our mood and can work both ways to positively elevate it or negatively making us feel low. Eating a lot of junk or processed food, refined carbohydrates and sugars is not only unhealthy for the overall gut health but also worsen the symptoms of stress. A wholesome and healthy diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins and antioxidants can help us better cope with stress, anxiety and depressions. It also imparts us with healthy skin and a healthy mind.

Connecting with our loved ones is a huge way to fight stress and anxiety. The more we are surrounded by the people we love and loved by, the stronger we feel and get support to fight stress and prevent us from succumbing to depression. Alternatively, if we are lonely and do not seek the help and care of family and friends, it becomes nearly impossible to prevent ourselves from going deeper into worries and stressful situations. The association with our family and friends is also known to significantly calm and soothe our nervous system. Strengthening our social life is one of the best ways to cope up with stress.