Showing posts with label Tips For Stress Relief. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips For Stress Relief. Show all posts

Saturday, January 29, 2022

Herbal Body Lotions That Help Reduce Stress And Improve Sleep

Four plants that help against anxiety, insomnia and sore muscles



Lavender lotion, valerian lotion, eucalyptus lotion, passion flower lotion

There are thousands of body lotion products available on the market these days but there are a few that provide real benefits for helping us reduce our stress levels, especially when used in combination with other stress relieving activities. These four plant based herbal supplements can be found in products made by Hempz, Aveeno, Jergins, Burts Beezs and Nivea just to name a few. Any over the counter product will do, it's really just a matter of preference. These are all intended to be used later in the day as I believe they all have effects on the body that are best achieved just before sleep. 

In my opinion all these products should be applied after a warm or slightly hot bath as this will open up your pores and increase absorption. Be sure to wash them off thoroughly the next morning or you may be in for a slow start to your day.

As always be sure to check with your doctor before using any new product. Check for allergies and try to find the percentage of these substances in the products you are using and always do further research before making anything a permanent part of your routine. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should always take extra precautions. Remember just because something is natural does not make it 100% safe.

Lavender helps fight inflammation and treats anxiety, also helps with sleep

LAVENDER

This herb comes from a plant that grows in parts of Africa and the Mediterranean. It has been used by many ancient civilizations for its medicinal properties. It has many benefits that have been proven through research. Although treating anxiety and stress have not been proven in wide ranging studies many people swear by this plant

It has been proven as an effective anti-inflammatory and this may be who so many people believe it helps them reduce stress. I sometimes use it myself after a hot bath as i prepare for bed. The bath opens up my pores so the lavender can be better absorbed.

If you use this type of lotion make sure it's a brand that uses real lavender and not an essential oil.

Eucalyptus fights arthritis and can sooth sore muscles so you can sleep

EUCALYPTUS

This is an evergreen plant native to Australia. Yes, this is the same plant eaten by koala bears. It is another medicinal plant with antiinflammatory properties but in this case it has been proven to help sooth sore muscles and joints as well as help alleviate some of the symptoms of arthritis. Of course using a good lotion with this ingredient in it daily will help you get much more rest and thus reduce your stress levels significantly. 

Again with this plant you need a pure extract not an essential oil. You can actually do your body great harm by using the oil forms because they may be too strong. There have been a lot of studies that show this can harm you if it's not properly deluted. It's best to just use a name brand lotion you trust.

Herbal valerian lotion can calm you down and promote sleep

Valerian

This plant has been called natures valium. It had been used since the middle-ages as a sedative and can be very effective for that purpose. Out of all the natural medicinals published here I believe this plant should be used with the most caution. When used too much it can cause insomnia. I would suggest only using this one or two times a week

Herbal passion flower lotion is good against insomnia


Passionflower

This perennial climbing vine is native to Southeastern North America but in modern times also grows in European countries. This herbal supplement has been used to treat anxiety, insomnia and nervous disorders.

These are only four of many dozens of plant based herbal ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store or purchase online. Making a description of them all in one post would be exhausting but maybe someday I'll try. Remember to always do your own research and find what's best for you. Everyone is different and will have different outcomes with each substance.




Images provided royalty free from pixabay.

Monday, January 17, 2022

Using Warm Or Hot Baths To Relax And Improve Your Quality Of Life, Jacuzzi Stress Relief

 These days we are all under a great deal of stress. Even with all the advancements and technology that the modern world offers us we find ourselves overworked and under greater pressure. As we grow older it becomes even more important that we take care of our health not only to reach a ripe old age but also to maintain our vigor so we can keep working and maintain a high quality of life well into our golden years.

One of the most overlooked ways to maintain health and youth is to reduce stress in our day to day lives. Too much stress can cause the body to over release hormones that are normally only released in our fight or flight response. These hormones have a negative effect on our overall health. These negative effects can range from high blood pressure and type II diabetes to skin diseases and even lower bone density in old age. We will talk in more specifics about these hormones and their effect on the body in a later post but for now let's get into one of the best ways you can reduce stress in your daily life.

HOT OR WARM BATHS - JACUZZI STRESS RELIEF

Beautiful Asian model relaxing in her hot bubble bath after stressful day


The benefits of heat and warm water for the body have been known since prehistory. Both the ancient Greeks and Romans made use of hot springs and heated baths to both reduce stress and increase their health and vitality. We now know that taking a hot bath has benefits for people suffering from depression because it decreases cortisol, the bodies stress hormone and increases serotonin, the happy hormone. This of course is good for everyone, not just those individuals dealing with some type of chronic depression.


Laying in a warm or slightly hot bath is probably the best way to lower stress. It also has benefits for the heart and brain because it increases the uptake of nitric oxide, a neurotransmitter that helps blood vessels relax and increases the vitaly needed blood flow to both organs. When done just before bed it can have many other benefits. Among them is allowing the body to reach a cooler state so that a larger amount of melatonin can be released as the body rests so that a deeper and more restorative sleep can be reached. 

Of course if you you have access to a jacuzzi you can gain even more benefits as the soothing jets of a hot jacuzzi bath are even better for relaxation than a normal bathtub. Be sure to use your favorite scented bubble bath formula or bath bombs for an added bit of luxury, but all you really need is good warm water for this simple relaxation tactic.

Two side notes about taking hot baths. You should be careful about making your bath to hot, the temperature should be comfortable to you or just a little bit on the hot side. You don't want to boil yourself, your not making lobster. Some people with heart issues can have extreme reaction to ultra hot baths as well. Ask your doctor if you're unsure. They can also dry out the skin so be sure to use a good body lotion after you take one. This also leads to our next stress relieving tactic. You'll hear about that in our next post.


Image for this post provided royalty free from pixabay.

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