Mental health is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It can be hard enough going about a typical day without the added trouble of feeling overwhelmed by stress and anxiety. If someone is feeling overwhelmed by their mental health issues, it is important to seek professional help by visiting a doctor. Professional help is a resource that cannot be replaced, but several exercises and remedies may provide assistance with managing stress and anxiety. It is also important to talk with a doctor before performing these techniques.

Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing

A person can lower their levels of stress and anxiety simply by changing the way he or she breathes. Diaphragmatic breathing is a breathing technique that can be used to reduce stress. This technique also lowers heart rate and blood pressure. Perform diaphragmatic breathing by first sitting or lying comfortably. Then, place one hand over the belly and the other hand over the chest. Finally, alternately inhale slowly through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth. This exercise should be performed for at least five minutes at a time. The person performing this technique should feel an immediate sense of calm.

Start Exercising

Exercise is a powerful tool for reducing stress and anxiety. By getting exercise, a person boosts his or her endorphins, which in turn improves mood. Exercise also helps by improving self-confidence and ability to sleep. In addition, going to a gym or starting an exercise program improves the ability to meet others and establish social support. Although some people may feel as though they don’t have the time to perform vigorous work-out routines, even going for a short walk could help to reduce stress and anxiety.

Establish Social Support

When going through a period of stress and anxiety, it is important to avoid cutting off interaction with others. In fact, in these times it is more important than ever to reach out to others for help with these problems. People who are suffering from stress and anxiety can reach out to people they can trust and discuss their stressors. This can provide a helpful amount of emotional support. Also, planning fun activities with friends and family can be a good distraction from stress and anxiety.

Practice Mindfulness

Meditation Mindfulness meditation is a technique for reducing tension in everyday life. This form of meditation is one of the most popular in the world. The only resource required for mindfulness meditation is a quiet space where the practitioner can focus. Mindfulness meditation involves maintaining awareness of one’s thoughts and current experiences. While practicing mindfulness meditation, it is also important to be aware of breathing. People who wish to start mindfulness meditation can find local groups to join in their communities that can assist in the teaching of this technique. Practicing mindfulness meditation for only a few minutes a day has been found to have positive effects on the practitioner.

Take CBD Oil

With the legalization of cannabis in Canada and several states in the United States, the use of cannabis for treating stress and anxiety has been a major point of conversation. CBD oil has been one of the most popular forms of cannabis for problems with stress and anxiety. CBD is a component of cannabis that is responsible for producing a calming effect in users. Unlike forms of cannabis that contain significant amounts of THC, CBD does not produce a “high.” This may appeal to people suffering from stress and anxiety who only want the soothing effects of cannabis.

Finding peace of mind is not easy for those who suffer from stress and anxiety problems. Through the use of various exercises and resources, people who suffer from these problems may find relief. While none of these strategies should be used as a replacement for receiving professional help, they could drastically reduce stress and anxiety.

Nurses on Demand Can Help

Exercising, social interaction, and getting some much-needed alone-time are extremely important to your personal health and well-being, but if you’re the sole care provider to a family member or loved one, you understand that these things can often seem impossible.

At Nurses on Demand, we’ve designed a care service specifically for the purpose of giving you a break so you can focus on your own personal health.

Here are a few situations where you can take advantage of our relief/respite care services:

• An emergency arises and you need some time to address the problem.
• You’re a single parent and you would like to free up an evening for a date.
• You’re trapped at work and need someone to care for a loved one.
• You’re exhausted from working a full-time job during the day and providing care to your loved one in the evenings.
• You need a couple of hours to go out and exercise.
• You’re a personal care provider that is short-staffed and needs to contract a nurse or care professional.

Whatever your reason may be, Nurses on Demand can provide you with quality relief care you can count on! When you’re caring for your aging parent or another elderly loved one, you may think you can do it all on your own. But for most people, juggling caregiving responsibilities with one’s own needs can eventually lead to major stress and burnout.

Respite care provides caregivers an opportunity to step away and take a break, which can help alleviate stress and improve the well-being of both the caregiver and the senior being cared for.

If you need help, reach out to Nurses on Demand to get the care you need, when & where you need it most.