Maintaining healthy stress levels can be tough as we navigate the demands of work, family and social lives. We spoke to Christina Hanley, Qualified Nutritionist at Mr Vitamins for her tips on ways to reduce stress naturally.
Juggling all the tasks and responsibilities in our lives can be a balancing act. When we experience times of high stress, it can take a toll on our bodies and often, we can experience burnout. This can affect our cortisol levels and lead to conditions like adrenal fatigue. Constant stress can put you at risk of high blood pressure; poor memory, recall and concentration; low energy and mood; as well as affecting our appetite and sleep.
Thankfully, there are supplements and strategies that can help lower your stress levels and get you through the stressful situations of life.
1. Take time out to disconnect
This can mean switching off devices and technology as part of your daily routine. During this time out, I would recommend spending time out in nature, getting cosy with a cup of herbal tea (caffeine-free so you are not stimulated!), and immersing yourself in a novel or even journaling. Whatever it may be, choose something that enables you to completely switch off and unwind.
2. Aromatherapy
Incorporating essential oils into your day can help you destress. You can use essential oils in diffusers around your home; you can even carry the oils with you during the day to inhale. I recommend placing a few drops on your wrists and breathing them in during stressful times, or adding them to a relaxing bath to soak in. If you don’t know where to start with aromatherapy and which essential oils are the most effective for stress reduction, I recommend Lavender, Jasmine and/or Clary Sage.
3. Supplements
There are formulations that have a mix of both vitamins and herbs, which can help reduce your stress levels and maintain a sense of calm throughout the day. A great option would be choosing a Vit Kit Soothe or Sleep, which have been conveniently and caringly curated to reduce stress and enable sleep.
4. Meditation
Meditation or mindfulness is a helpful tool to recenter yourself in the moment and create a sense of calm in the mind. Meditation involves becoming aware of our thoughts and feelings, which can help us gain a new perspective on stressful situations. You can increase your self-awareness, focus on the present, improve sleep quality, and lower the resting heart rate and blood pressure by practicing meditation regularly.
5. Find a hobby
There are many different activities you can get involved in, but no matter what you choose to do, you want to be able to find something you can completely immerse yourself in and not have it revolve around stressors within your life. Bring out your creative side by attending classes where you can paint dance or draw. Perhaps it’s spending time in the garden or going for a walk-in nature. The goal is to find some time out of your week to destress!
6. Sleep
Getting more sleep and/or improving the quality of your sleep can be helpful to reduce stress levels. Resting more can significantly reduce cortisol levels and restore balance to your body’s systems. To reduce stress, it’s best to get between seven to nine hours of sleep a night, which can avoid the rise in hormone levels and reduce existing feelings of stress and anxiety. If you struggle with getting to sleep, staying asleep or getting enough REM sleep, Vit Kit Sleep has a trio of supplements that can help.
Christina Hanley is a Qualified Nutritionist based in Melbourne. Graduating from Endeavour College in 2018, Christina began her career working as a Nutritionist in Sydney with Mr Vitamins in 2019. Currently, Christina works full time as an Online Customer Support Manager, Education Coordinator and Content Creator on projects with the marketing team, including the Mr Vitamins Podcast. Christina is fascinated by the gut/brain axis, meaning she is particularly passionate about gut health. Over her career, Christina has helped clients with conditions related to poor gut health affecting their digestion, skin health, nervous system, mood and sleep.
About Mr Vitamins
Mr Vitamins is Australia’s #1 Vitamin, Supplement, Sports Nutrition & Health Food retailer with great value leading brands both online and in stores across Sydney, New South Wales. With over 25 years of experience in the natural care industry, Mr Vitamins’ mission is to provide our customers with the best range of the highest quality vitamins, supplements, health foods and sports nutrition supplies – together with the best expert advice from our certified Naturopaths, Nutritionists and Sports experts. Mr Vitamins’ Wellbeing Clinics offers one-on-one consultations with qualified natural health practitioners and are located in Mr Vitamins stores in Chatswood (394 stores), Ashfield and Parramatta.
Maintaining healthy stress levels can be tough as we navigate the demands of work, family and social lives. We spoke to Christina Hanley, Qualified Nutritionist at Mr Vitamins for her tips on ways to reduce stress naturally.
Juggling all the tasks and responsibilities in our lives can be a balancing act. When we experience times of high stress, it can take a toll on our bodies and often, we can experience burnout. This can affect our cortisol levels and lead to conditions like adrenal fatigue. Constant stress can put you at risk of high blood pressure; poor memory, recall and concentration; low energy and mood; as well as affecting our appetite and sleep.
Thankfully, there are supplements and strategies that can help lower your stress levels and get you through the stressful situations of life.
1. Take time out to disconnect
This can mean switching off devices and technology as part of your daily routine. During this time out, I would recommend spending time out in nature, getting cosy with a cup of herbal tea (caffeine-free so you are not stimulated!), and immersing yourself in a novel or even journaling. Whatever it may be, choose something that enables you to completely switch off and unwind.
2. Aromatherapy
Incorporating essential oils into your day can help you destress. You can use essential oils in diffusers around your home; you can even carry the oils with you during the day to inhale. I recommend placing a few drops on your wrists and breathing them in during stressful times, or adding them to a relaxing bath to soak in. If you don’t know where to start with aromatherapy and which essential oils are the most effective for stress reduction, I recommend Lavender, Jasmine and/or Clary Sage.
3. Supplements
There are formulations that have a mix of both vitamins and herbs, which can help reduce your stress levels and maintain a sense of calm throughout the day. A great option would be choosing a Vit Kit Soothe or Sleep, which have been conveniently and caringly curated to reduce stress and enable sleep.
4. Meditation
Meditation or mindfulness is a helpful tool to recenter yourself in the moment and create a sense of calm in the mind. Meditation involves becoming aware of our thoughts and feelings, which can help us gain a new perspective on stressful situations. You can increase your self-awareness, focus on the present, improve sleep quality, and lower the resting heart rate and blood pressure by practicing meditation regularly.
5. Find a hobby
There are many different activities you can get involved in, but no matter what you choose to do, you want to be able to find something you can completely immerse yourself in and not have it revolve around stressors within your life. Bring out your creative side by attending classes where you can paint dance or draw. Perhaps it’s spending time in the garden or going for a walk-in nature. The goal is to find some time out of your week to destress!
6. Sleep
Getting more sleep and/or improving the quality of your sleep can be helpful to reduce stress levels. Resting more can significantly reduce cortisol levels and restore balance to your body’s systems. To reduce stress, it’s best to get between seven to nine hours of sleep a night, which can avoid the rise in hormone levels and reduce existing feelings of stress and anxiety. If you struggle with getting to sleep, staying asleep or getting enough REM sleep, Vit Kit Sleep has a trio of supplements that can help.
About Christina Hanley
Christina Hanley is a Qualified Nutritionist based in Melbourne. Graduating from Endeavour College in 2018, Christina began her career working as a Nutritionist in Sydney with Mr Vitamins in 2019. Currently, Christina works full time as an Online Customer Support Manager, Education Coordinator and Content Creator on projects with the marketing team, including the Mr Vitamins Podcast. Christina is fascinated by the gut/brain axis, meaning she is particularly passionate about gut health. Over her career, Christina has helped clients with conditions related to poor gut health affecting their digestion, skin health, nervous system, mood and sleep.
About Mr Vitamins
Mr Vitamins is Australia’s #1 Vitamin, Supplement, Sports Nutrition & Health Food retailer with great value leading brands both online and in stores across Sydney, New South Wales. With over 25 years of experience in the natural care industry, Mr Vitamins’ mission is to provide our customers with the best range of the highest quality vitamins, supplements, health foods and sports nutrition supplies – together with the best expert advice from our certified Naturopaths, Nutritionists and Sports experts. Mr Vitamins’ Wellbeing Clinics offers one-on-one consultations with qualified natural health practitioners and are located in Mr Vitamins stores in Chatswood (394 stores), Ashfield and Parramatta.
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