How to Manage Stress Naturally – No Pills Needed!

How does stress affect you?

Stress, unfortunately, is a huge factor causing many problems for people of all ages, especially for students, parents, and teachers at exam time. It can affect your physical, emotional, cognitive health as well as influence your behaviour in less than savoury ways. Sometimes you may not even realise that the headache, migraine, low energy, sleep problem or digestive problem is related to stress. They can seem leagues apart, but stress impacts your health in a multitude of ways and these symptoms are just the physical ones. Emotional symptoms can include feeling overwhelmed, irritable, moody, or withdrawn. You may have difficulty concentrating or making decisions. Worrying, racing thoughts, or negative thinking patterns could be affecting how you function on a daily basis or can keep you awake at night. Stress can affect your appetite or cause you to increase your use of alcohol, smoking, or caffeine in order to cope. Stress really can affect all aspects of your life.

Pill free stress relief

If you are looking for natural ways to relieve stress, but you cannot take supplements or herbal remedies because of medication, a health condition, or difficulty swallowing pills, then flower essences could be a good option for you. Flower essences are a natural support to help you keep calm in stressful situations. They are known as vibrational healing essences and work to help balance your body’s natural healing process. They can help you feel better even though the situation you are in has not changed, allowing you to adapt.

Many of you will be familiar with Bach Rescue Remedy. It contains a mixture of five flowers that focus on reducing stress, panicky feelings, and the effects of shock. It can also help support relaxation in nervous/high anxiety situations like flying, doctor visits, exams, driving tests, or when coping with a bereavement. Rescue Remedy can help you relax, feel calm, less stressed, and more focused. You can choose from drops that you add to water, spray, pastilles, or for night time, there are drops, or liquid melts that melt on your tongue. The drops are the most popular, you can add them to water and sip or take them directly on your tongue. I find the drops handy to add to my bottle of water so I can sip on it throughout the day and I choose the pastilles for when I am out and about as they are easy to pop in your mouth without anyone noticing.  Everyone has their favourite one to use. They are small, convenient, and easy to take with you wherever you go.

What flower essences are good for stress?

Rescue Remedy is made up of 5 flower essences and is by far the most well known of the flower essences for stressful situation, but, there are 38 essences that you can choose from. You can take one single essence or you can take a mixture of up to six. This way you can create your own personalised remedy to suit your needs. Aspen is one of the essences to consider as it is the remedy for fear for no known reason, or when you have difficulty naming the cause of stress or anxiety. Symptoms you may be experiencing can include palpitations, racing heart, sweaty palms, poor concentration, stomach pain or nausea. Aspen can help you breathe again, relax, and feel in control.

White Chestnut is one that is perfect for when your mind is racing. It can feel like a hamster on a wheel with your thoughts going around and around in your head. These worrying thoughts, such as “why did I comment on what Mary was wearing?” or “I haven’t studied enough for the exam tomorrow.” can really affect your sleep. White Chestnut can help calm your mind down so you can shift your focus back to the present and allow you to get a restful night’s slumber. And help with daytime worries too.

Elm is my choice when there is overwhelm. You may have a plethora of things going on in your life or your everyday life is so busy that it gets overwhelming to the point that your confidence and ability to complete these tasks can feel compromised. Maybe you have to get yourself and kids ready in the morning, you have a busy day at work riddled with deadlines, then to add to it you’re having car troubles or trying to plan when you can even get to the doctor. Maybe you are studying and struggling to juggle a healthy work-life balance or you may not be able to name what’s wrong, but you may feel tired, irritable, weepy, not yourself, or your confidence feels shot. Elm can help you get back on top of your game.

Each flower essence balances a certain emotional state, so you can match the emotions that you are experiencing with the essences and make your own combinations to find the right fit for you. They are perfect for young child and adults, even your pets could benefit from the healing, calming effect of the right flower essence.

You could also consider mindfulness, relaxation, or breathing exercises these techniques may help reduce your stress. A healthy lifestyle, including diet, exercise, and sleep, will also contribute too.

Sometimes simply talking helps. Why not share your burden and have a chat with a good listener today. Before you know it, you will be on your way to achieving a happier, healthier you.