Stress is a natural response to certain situations and events that we encounter in life. It is a normal and necessary part of life that can help us to cope with challenges and motivate us to achieve our goals. However, when stress becomes chronic or unmanaged, it can have negative effects on our mental and physical health.

There are many different causes of stress, and these can vary from person to person. Some common causes of stress include:

1. Work and job responsibilities: Work can be a major source of stress for many people, particularly if they have high levels of responsibility or feel overwhelmed by their workload. Deadlines, long hours, and conflicting demands can all contribute to work-related stress.
2. Financial concerns: Money troubles are a common cause of stress, particularly if we are struggling to pay bills or make ends meet.
3. Personal relationships: Difficult or strained relationships with partners, family members, or friends can be a source of stress. Communication breakdowns, conflicts, and feeling unsupported can all contribute to relationship-related stress.
4. Health issues: Chronic health problems or the threat of serious illness can be a major source of stress.
5. Life transitions: Major life changes, such as moving, starting a new job, or getting married, can be stressful.
6. Environmental factors: Noise, pollution, and other environmental factors can contribute to stress.
7. Personal values: Conflicts between our personal values and those of others can be a source of stress.

There are many strategies that can help to manage and reduce stress. These can include:

• Exercise and physical activity: Regular exercise can help to reduce stress and improve overall physical and mental health.
• Good sleep hygiene: Getting enough sleep and maintaining good sleep habits can help to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
• Time management: Prioritizing tasks and setting boundaries can help to reduce stress and improve productivity.
• Relaxation techniques: Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can help to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
• Seeking social support: Talking to friends, family, or a professional therapist can help to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

Managing stress is an ongoing process, and it is important to find a balance between the demands of life and the resources available to cope with those demands. By identifying the causes of stress and using effective coping strategies, it is possible to effectively manage and reduce stress to improve overall well-being.

When we say we feel stressed, what we are actually experiencing is a series of chemical reactions in our body in an attempt to meet the demands. So what are the chemicals behind stress, and what do they do?

When we experience stress, our bodies release a variety of chemicals that help us to cope with the perceived threat or challenge. These chemicals play a crucial role in the stress response, which is also known as the “fight or flight” response.

One of the key chemicals released during the stress response is adrenaline. Adrenaline is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland and is responsible for activating the body’s fight or flight response. It increases heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels in the body, preparing us to take action in the face of a perceived threat.

Another chemical released during the stress response is cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland and is responsible for regulating the body’s metabolism, immune system, and stress response. During times of stress, cortisol levels in the body increase, which can affect the body’s ability to fight infection and maintain homeostasis.

In addition to adrenaline and cortisol, other chemicals that are released during the stress response include:

• Norepinephrine: This hormone is produced by the adrenal gland and is responsible for increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels in the body.
• Epinephrine: This hormone is produced by the adrenal gland and is responsible for activating the body’s fight or flight response. It increases heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels in the body.
• Glucagon: This hormone is produced by the pancreas and is responsible for increasing blood sugar levels in the body.

While the release of these chemicals can be helpful in the short-term, chronic stress can have negative effects on the body. Chronic stress can lead to a range of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and anxiety. It is important to find ways to manage stress and maintain healthy levels of these chemicals in the body. This can be achieved through relaxation techniques, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle.

Preventing Stress With Meditation & Breathing

Meditation and breathing techniques can be effective in reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Some of the best techniques include:

1. Deep breathing: This involves taking slow, deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. This can help to lower heart rate and blood pressure, and promote relaxation.
2. Progressive muscle relaxation: This involves tensing and relaxing each muscle group in the body, starting with the toes and working up to the head. This can help to reduce tension and promote relaxation.
3. Guided imagery: This involves using visualization and imagination to create a calming mental image or scenario. This can help to distract the mind and promote relaxation.
4. Mindfulness meditation: This involves focusing on the present moment and being aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment. This can help to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
5. Loving-kindness meditation: This involves focusing on feelings of love and compassion and directing them towards oneself and others. This can help to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

It is important to find a technique that works for you and to practice regularly for the best results. It may also be helpful to try different techniques to see which ones are most effective for reducing stress.

Preventing Stress With Physical Exercise

Physical exercise has numerous benefits for both physical and mental health. It can help to prevent stress and improve mental health in a number of ways.

One of the primary ways that physical exercise prevents stress is by reducing the levels of stress hormones in the body, such as cortisol. Exercise has been shown to lower cortisol levels, which can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

In addition to reducing stress hormones, physical exercise has been shown to increase the production of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that promote feelings of happiness and well-being. This can help to improve mood and reduce stress.

Physical exercise can also help to reduce symptoms of depression and improve overall mental health. It has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression, particularly when combined with other therapies such as therapy, herbs, or medication.

Exercise can also help to improve sleep quality, which is important for overall well-being. Poor sleep can contribute to stress and other mental health problems, so improving sleep quality through exercise can help to reduce stress and improve overall mental health.

Physical exercise can also help to improve self-esteem and body image, which can contribute to a sense of overall well-being and reduce stress.

Overall, physical exercise is an important component of maintaining good mental health and preventing stress. It can help to reduce stress hormones, improve mood, reduce symptoms of depression, improve sleep quality, and improve self-esteem, all of which contribute to a sense of overall well-being.

Stress is something many of us become familiar with as kids, students, professionals, and parents. Here are some common questions about stress:

1. What is stress?

Stress is a normal response to certain situations and events that we encounter in life. It is a normal and necessary part of life that can help us to cope with challenges and motivate us to achieve our goals. However, when stress becomes chronic or unmanaged, it can have negative effects on our mental and physical health. Stress is a chemical combination that results from these pressures.

2. What are the symptoms of stress?

A full list of symptoms vary depending on if the stress is short term or long term. Symptoms of stress can vary from person to person, but common symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Chest pain
• Stomach problems
• Insomnia
• Exhaustion
• Lack of concentration
• Mood changes
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anxiety

3. What are the causes of stress?

There are many different causes of stress, and these can vary from person to person. Some common causes of stress include work and job responsibilities, financial concerns, personal relationships, health issues, life transitions, environmental factors, and personal values. Stress is usually caused when pressures exceed our comfort and we are put in a state of ‘stress’. More info on the chemicals behind stress can be found here.

4. How can stress be managed and reduced?

There are many strategies that can help to manage and reduce stress. These can include exercise and physical activity, good sleep hygiene, time management, relaxation techniques, and seeking social support. It is important to find a balance between the demands of life and the resources available to cope with those demands. More advice on managing stress can be found here.

5. Are there any medical treatments for stress?

There are several medical treatments for stress, including therapy, medication, and alternative treatments such as acupuncture or herbal remedies. It is important to speak with a healthcare provider to determine the best treatment for stress. You can see our list of herbal stress reducers in our blog here.

Yes, it is possible to get a test done to measure stress levels. There are several different tests that can be used to assess stress, each with its own advantages and limitations.

One common test for measuring stress is the cortisol test. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland that is involved in the stress response. Cortisol levels in the body can be measured through a saliva, blood, or urine sample. The cortisol test is often used to assess the body’s stress response and to diagnose conditions such as adrenal gland disorders and Cushing’s syndrome.

Another test for measuring stress is the blood pressure test. Blood pressure is typically higher during times of stress, so measuring blood pressure can provide an indication of stress levels.

Other tests that may be used to assess stress levels include:

• Heart rate variability test: This test measures the time between heartbeats and can be used to assess stress levels.
• Psychological tests: These tests, such as the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) or the Stress and Coping Inventory (SCI), assess stress levels through self-report measures.
• Psychophysiological tests: These tests measure physiological responses, such as sweat gland activity or skin conductance, in response to stressors.

It is important to note that these tests are not always reliable indicators of stress levels and that other factors, such as diet, exercise, and sleep, can also affect test results. It is always a good idea to speak with a healthcare provider to determine the best test for assessing stress levels. Wearables like an Apple Watch or a Fitbit have sensors for the skin conductance that can help measure and predict stress. They can also provide a stress score based on other physical and mental health indicators like sleep and movement.

If you want to get a more scientific and accurate look at your stress chemicals, then a lab test is required. There are at-home kits from Everlywell that will let you test the key chemical levels related to stress and sleep here.

Some herbs are believed to have stress-reducing and calming effects and may be helpful in preventing and managing stress. However, it is important to note that the use of herbs for stress management should be done under the guidance of a healthcare provider or trained herbalist, as some herbs can have potential side effects or interact with medications.

Here are a few examples of herbs that may be helpful for stress management:

1. Chamomile: This herb is often used to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety. It can be consumed as a tea or taken in supplement form.
2. Lavender: This herb is known for its calming effects and is often used to reduce anxiety and promote sleep. It can be inhaled as an essential oil or taken in supplement form.
3. Valerian: This herb is often used to promote relaxation and improve sleep. It can be taken in supplement form or as a tea.
4. Ashwagandha: This herb is believed to have stress-reducing and adaptogenic properties, which means it may help the body to better cope with stress. It can be taken in supplement form.
5. Lemon balm: This herb is believed to have calming effects and may be helpful for reducing anxiety and improving sleep. It can be taken in supplement form or consumed as a tea.

It is important to note that the effectiveness of these herbs for stress management may vary from person to person and that more research is needed to fully understand their potential benefits and risks. It is always a good idea to speak with a healthcare provider or trained herbalist before starting any new herb or supplement.

Our favorite herbal supplements to prevent stress are linked below:

We also recommend checking out the plant based and adaptogen powered ingredients found in Tok Wellness Mind  And Tok Wellness Support, which can help mitigate and manage and effects of stress.

Both acute (short term) and chronic (long term) stress pose serious issues to your wellbeing. We believe stress should not be overlooked, and are committed to reducing and helping you manage your stress. If left unmanaged, here are the negative effects of stress on your health.

Acute stress and chronic stress can have negative effects on physical and mental health.

The health risks of acute stress include:

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Headaches
• Chest pain
• Stomach problems
• Insomnia

The health risks of chronic stress include:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Weakened immune system

Both acute and chronic stress can also contribute to unhealthy behaviors, such as overeating, smoking, and substance abuse, which can further increase the risk of health problems.

It is important to find effective ways to manage stress and maintain healthy levels of stress in order to reduce the risk of negative effects on physical and mental health. This can be achieved through relaxation techniques, exercise, a healthy diet, and seeking support from friends, family, or a mental health professional.

What is stress?

Stress is the body’s response to challenges or demands. When we encounter a situation that we perceive as difficult or threatening, our body triggers a “fight or flight” response. This response involves the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which increase heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels, preparing us to respond to the challenge. This physiological response is a normal and healthy part of our biology, but when we are constantly exposed to challenging or demanding situations, our body can become overworked and overwhelmed, leading to feelings of stress. Stress can have both physical and emotional effects, and can manifest in symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, muscle tension, fatigue, and irritability. It’s important to manage stress in healthy ways, such as through exercise, relaxation techniques, and a balanced diet, to avoid negative effects on our physical and mental health.

How can I prevent stress?

There are several ways you can prevent stress. Some of the most effective strategies include:

1. Identifying the sources of stress in your life and finding ways to manage or eliminate them.
2. Practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation, to help calm your mind and body.
3. Exercising regularly, which can help reduce stress and improve your overall physical and mental health.
4. Eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep, which can help improve your physical and mental well-being and reduce stress.
5. Limiting your consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, which can worsen the effects of stress.
6. Connecting with others and building a support network of friends and family members who can provide emotional support and help you cope with stress.
7. Prioritizing your time and setting realistic goals for yourself, to avoid feeling overwhelmed or overworked.

Overall, preventing stress involves taking care of your physical and mental health, and finding healthy ways to manage the challenges and demands of daily life.

Sleep defines you. Sleeping is the ultimate weapon that helps you relax and keep the stress away. Why do you need sleep? Well, the most common reasons are- to calm yourself down, to focus on your mental and physical health, and to help yourself cope with time. A good sleep makes a good day, and a good day gives fruitful results. If you are stressed or tired, the only way to demolish them is to sleep. But sometimes, excessive stress does not let you relax or rest your eyes, which eventually develops insomnia. Many techniques such as exercises, a few meditating apps, a food diet, etc., can help you improve your sleep. Just because you have trouble sleeping does not mean you cannot solve the dilemma. To know how to improve your sleep and the techniques you can apply to your sleeping schedules, go through the article.

Why is Sleep Necessary?

Ask yourself, why is sleeping necessary? Because your mind and body need to relax, but most importantly so that your brain can conduct necessary cleaning and memory forming functions to get in a balanced and healthy chemical state for the next day. If you look at a lazy person who is a couch potato, you would know that sleeping is everything to them. An excessive amount of sleep is not healthy, but there is a limit. There is always a limit. Sleep quality has a direct impact on your mental and physical well-being. If you don’t succeed, it will significantly impact your daytime energy, productivity, emotional balance, and weight. However, many of us toss and turn at night, unable to get the rest we require.

Getting a good night’s sleep may seem like an impossible goal when you’re up a lot at 3 AM. But, you can control the quality of your sleep more than you realize. Just as how you feel during  working hours often depends on how well you sleep at night, the cure for trouble sleeping often lies in your daily routine. Unhealthy lifestyle and habits will keep you awake at night and eventually affect your daily routine. You’ll lose focus on your work, and start to suffer from depression due to lack of attention.

There are some tips and tricks that might help you improve your sleeping schedule, and by trying these tips, you can enjoy a better night’s sleep, improve your health, and improve the way you think and feel during the day.

What Ruins Your Sleep

Sleep quality can easily be improved unless the stress or insomnia is chronic. Sleeping disorder does not come naturally. It can be due to your bad schedule, stress, or genetics.

Excessive Stress

Stress is the primary factor behind sleep deprivation. Sleep quality gets ruined every time you get stressed from work, school, assignments, or society. Stress can also arise from hatred, loss of death, isolation, identity crisis, etc. It affects your melatonin levels which causes sleep problems.

Caffeine and Alcohol Consumption

If you are a regular absorber of caffeine or alcohol, you should lower the amount. Caffeine is one of the significant factors that halt sleeping time. You would notice that corporate workers often sip on coffee during the night to stop themselves from sleeping because they need to get the work done. And that is not a good thing. You can sip on coffee, but not during the night.

Food Habit

Funny to admit, but food can be the reason behind sleep loss or bad sleep quality. Fatty food, caffeinated food, or spicy food can hamper your top-tier quality sleep. Fatty food or spicy food often creates gastric in your stomach, so if you have a sensitive diet, these types of food can make you bloated. Now, how are you supposed to sleep with a bloated belly button?

Work from Home Routine

Avoid bringing work home to your bedroom because your office duty has made you too stressed to have a good night’s sleep. Working from home is the easiest way to sabotage your sleeping schedule, especially if you don’t set clear boundaries on when you wont check emails and chat messages. Make sure to keep your office somewhere outside your bedroom so your body can mentally consider the space only for sleep.

Genetic Insomnia

It’s one of the factors that can’t be solved. Insomnia can be genetic too. If you have an irregular sleeping quality due to your bad habits, it can be easily solved. But genetic insomnia is a factor that has no ultimate cure.

These are the following factors you need to avoid if you want a proper amount of sleep.

How Do You Improve Sleep?

Now, let’s focus on what can help you improve your sleep. One key improvement is to only use your bed as a sleeping area. Try not to work, watch tv, or stay awake too long in your bed. Consider other rooms or a chair for those activities, and only head to bed when sleepy. You need positivity in your life, so here are the following things that can bestow positivity on your sleeping schedule:

Avoid Exposure to Light

You don’t have to embrace darkness for this. You can survive in a room where it has a low intensity of light. High exposure can affect your eyesight and create disturbance in your mind—another reason not to fall asleep. On the reverse, make sure to get light exposure in the morning to set your biological clock for the day.

Avoid Technological Devices Before Going To Sleep

For this generation, it is tough to avoid technological devices such as mobile phones, iPhones, laptops, MacBooks, etc. Even though it is fun using the devices, the harsh fact is they are not suitable for your eyes and brain.

Before going to bed, if you use your mobile phone, your entire concentration will be on what you are focusing on your mobile screen. This is how you distract yourself from sleep.

Maintain A Healthy Food Diet

As mentioned above, avoid eating fatty food before going to sleep. No one wants their stomach to look or feel like a rock while sleeping.

Spend Time Outside During Daylight

Try to go out of your house during daylight and enjoy nature. If you are stuck in your bed 24/7, it is obvious that you won’t get to sleep when you need to sleep. 

Exercise and Meditation

Before going to sleep, try to do light exercise or meditation for 10-15 minutes. It can help your body relax and give you a night of quality sleep. Mindfulness can also help calm an active brain.

Maintain A Comfortable Sleeping Environment

Sounds unusual? It shouldn’t be! If you know about the importance of tidying up your workplace to increase productivity, why not try it with your sleep! It’s essential to see the place you are sleeping in and get familiar with it. The area that surrounds you might be noisy. Is that a good thing? No! So, you need to shift to a room with less noise. Make sure the room is cool to your liking and not too hot, and that it is dark as well.

Avoid Listening To Energetic Music

Having an exciting spirit before going to sleep might be an obstacle. Music often makes a person excited. Hence, it gets difficult for a person to focus on their sleep as their mind concentrates on the music. Podcasts for sleep and specific sleep playlists with calming music and nature sounds are recommended. If you can successfully follow these rules, it can be guaranteed that your sleep will reach the finest quality level.

Conclusion

It is not unusual to have an irregular schedule of sleep. Most people face this dilemma, and hardly any people try to solve it. Lack of sleep can develop permanent physical disorders, so to improve it, you can follow the mentioned rules or seek help from experts or friends and family.

If you are a victim of an irregular sleep schedule and looking to improve the quality of your sleep, it’s high time you do something about it. If none of the steps we mentioned worked for you, it’s time to visit a sleep clinic. You can also consider helping your body recover with additional supplements such as Tok Wellness, which uses researched adaptogens to help the body recover.

Do you often find yourself unable to focus on important matters at hand because your mind keeps wandering off to something that happened in the past or something that might happen in the future? These obsessive thoughts can be very distracting since they refuse to go away even when you want them to, and can also be stress related if you’re thinking about work or upcoming tasks you need to do.

If you are struggling with this, you might want to practice mindfulness. What is that, you ask? Mindfulness can help you focus on essential matters and disconnect yourself from concerns about other things. Keep reading the following article to learn more about what mindfulness is and how you can practice it.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of our surroundings, where we are, and what we are doing. Mindfulness allows us not to be overactive and overwhelmed and prevented us from getting distracted and judgmental. Through mindfulness, we can be aware of our feelings without being caught up and too invested in them. What is interesting about Mindfulness is that every human already possesses it and can access it through forms of meditation. It helps us focus on the present and reduces thought loops about the past or future, therefore reducing stress.

How to Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is relatively easy to practice since there is no linear way to practice it. Depending on your preference, you can practice this by sitting, walking, and even lying down. Thus, this practice can easily be incorporated into everyday life by merging meditation and other activities like yoga or other forms of sports.

It is considered mindfulness as long as you can step back from being distracted and focus on something.

How Mindfulness Meditation Works

Since mindfulness is a state of mind that reminds us to be present for the things that truly matter, mindfulness meditation helps us conjure up what it takes to access it.

However, do not have the misconception that mindfulness aims at eliminating stress and anxiety or other forms of problems. Instead, what mindfulness does is that it makes you aware of your thoughts and emotion, even if they are unpleasant, and allows you to think of ways you can handle your challenges. It teaches you to be calm and empathetic and makes you reflect on the negative emotions you have and thoughtfully respond to them.

Although this might sound very complicated, the thing with mindfulness meditation is that since everyone has the suppressed ability to do it, with proper and habitual training, people can do it without even thinking twice.

Benefits of Being Mindful

Through mindfulness, you can unlock a side of you that you never realized you had. It mainly focuses on cultivating seven attitudes of people: non-judging, patience, beginner’s mind, trusting, non-striving, acceptance, and letting go.

Now, let’s focus on the main benefits that come with practicing mindfulness.

Helps Us to Be More Focused

We often find ourselves in stressful situations that are so nerve-wracking that we start functioning on autopilot. Due to this, we usually steer away from the things we are supposed to focus on and spiral down into an abyss of obsessive thinking that does not allow us to think straight.

Through mindfulness meditation, we can tune into our inner selves that bring out our awareness by focusing on our breathing and thinking and sensing things happening within and around us. We can attune ourselves and our current state through this method, further improving our focus elsewhere.

It Allows Us To Learn To Focus On The Small Things

Since breathing techniques are such a big part of mindfulness meditation, it allows us to focus on something small, eventually leading to bigger things. During this sort of meditation, the breathing technique is that you are supposed to take deep breaths in and inflate your chest and then allow your belly to push it out.

It causes benefits your physical health by expanding your lungs, but it also forces you to be aware of yourself. Although breathing might seem like something too small and insignificant to focus on, you will be surprised how many people can not do that. The goal is to empty your mind and not let it wander off.

With practice, once you can focus on your breathing entirely, you will be able to focus on other things better without getting distracted easily.

It Allows Us To Expand Our Awareness Outwards

Mindfulness meditation focuses on the small things that might seem insignificant at first, but then it branches out to bigger things. So, with this form of meditation, you can become aware of yourself and let it spread out to your surroundings.

Through this, you can notice all the things happening to you and around you and attune yourselves to your inner selves.

Steps to Practice Mindfulness?

There are quite a few ways you can practice mindfulness through meditation, but the simplest method for a beginner would be to start by sitting down. For this, take a few minutes out of your busy schedule and find yourself a comfortable area to sit in.

1. Take a Seat

The first step you need to take to sit for meditation is to sit down. Find a comfortable space and stabilize yourself. It does not matter where you are sitting. As long as you know no one is around to disturb you, you are good to go.

2. Notice Every Detail About Yourself

What are your hands and feet doing? What are you thinking of? Are you humming a song? Are you having thoughts or feelings? You can guide your mind to focus on relaxing muscles from the top of your head down to your toes.

Take notice of all these seemingly small things. They might seem insignificant, but these are steps you need to take to become aware of yourself genuinely.

3. Maintain A Straight Posture

Make sure your feet are touching the ground, and your upper body is straight. Do not curve your spine and keep your head and shoulders straight. Allow all of your body to fall into its natural state without stiffening yourself up or shriveling yourself down.

4. Keep Your Upper Arms Parallel To Your Upper Body

Make sure that your upper arms are at your sides and on top of your legs. Keep them relaxed so that they fall naturally into the right spot, as keeping them too forward will result in you hunching forward, and keeping them far back will make you stiffen up.

5. Keep Your Eyelids Lowered

You do not have to close your eyes completely, but keep them lowered so that other distractions do not bother you. Focus on the images that come to you and notice the relationship of your inner self to those images.

6. Continue for a While

Sit still in this position and reflect on yourself for a little bit. Pay attention to everything that is happening and every sensation you feel. Keep a calm and steady breath with long inhales and exhales, considering either a 4-4-4 or 5-7-8 breathing pattern.

Once you have continued to do so for as long as you need, you can either repeat all of this or try it out another day.

Conclusion

Mindfulness is a practice that might sound unnecessary to you at first. However, it is helpful to a lot of people. So, if you want to be more self-aware and have a better focus on things, try it out today! You can also consider helping your body recover and become more resilient with additional supplements such as Tok Wellness, which uses researched adaptogens to help the body recover.