Harmful Side Effects Of Stress And How to Chill Out

Our bodies are in a constant search for balance. So, when we experience stress or fear of any kind... There is an immediate response within the nervous system, responding by releasing a surge of stress hormones, preparing the body for emergency action. The heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper.


This may all feel like the new normal, but there are some side effects you might not know can be prevented by managing your stress levels, and coping mechanisms for over all well-being.


Stress can cause:

  • Chronic sleep issues

  • Pain causing inflammation

  • Skin Issues like Hormonal acne + Eczema

  • Hair loss

  • Autoimmune disease

  • Rapid weight changes

  • Irregular menstrual cycles + Reproductive issues

  • Memory issues + Mental clarity

  • Digestive Distress + Blood Sugar Fluctuations

  • Lowered Immunity


These issues may not be showing up in your life currently, but that might not mean you have a handle on your stress quite yet. Stress can effect us in different ways, and the way in which stress shows up in the body can change over the years. We’d like to urge you to get proactive about how you manage your stress, cause once we start seeing some of these symptoms, it becomes harder for body to return to balance. Here are some tips we have gathered to help you stay proactive about stress management. 


Revaluate Your Diet

Eating a diet of primarily whole/clean foods is one of the easiest and most beneficial ways to destress. Whole foods are those that remain close to their state in nature, containing only one ingredient. They do not have starches, flavoring, added sugars or other manufactured ingredients. These foods remain rich in vitamins and nutrients the bodies systems need to function, and most importantly do not cause much inflammation in the body or further disrupt our naturally occurring hormones. If you’d like a more personalized diet evaluation, we have holistic nutrition consultations available. 


Develop A Clean SkinCare Routine

Using clean and organic skincare products are super important. Almost as important as diet. Not only can skincare products rejuvenate and illuminate the skin, but they can also calm, balance and heal. The skin has no filtration system, which means, whatever you place on your skin is immediately absorbed into your blood stream. This can exacerbate skin issues and disrupt hormones, causing more inflammation and more of what we were trying to heal in the first place. If you’d like a more personalized skincare evaluation, please contact us to set something up!


Breathwork, Meditation + Yoga

Breathwork is more than just breathing correctly or with intent. Leaning into breath awareness gives us the tools for major healing. It encompasses a broad range of whole body therapeutic practices and techniques used to relieve physical, mental and emotional tension. The benefits of deep breathing are immediate. By breathing deeply, you activate your parasympathetic nervous system, not only bringing a sense of calm, but slows down your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure. Deep breathing relaxes your neck and chest muscles, engaging your abs… allowing larger amounts of oxygen to reach your cells and organs. In the still, is a perfect time to clear your mind or focus on a mantra, affirming awareness and intention. All thoughts are energy and all energy is creative, so make it a good one. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of breath work, we suggest a breath work coach or class. Krishna Avalon and Dr Andrea Millen are our local go to’s.

Here are some other tips for stress relief:

  • Joyful movement + Avoiding over exercising

  • Wind down ritual + Sleep schedule

  • Limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine

  • Connect to your community

  • Set up routine and structure in your routines and make space for changes

  • Set a regular check in with your family/community

  • Find time to take a break

  • Set Boundaries + Agree to disagree

  • Tap into source (nature, god, spirit etc)


Plants are gifts from our planet. We should be utilizing their magic to help support our systems. Both internal and topically, the following herbs, adaptogens, and nutrients help to relax the adrenal glands and nervous system… calming inflammation, reducing anxious energy, increasing adaptogenic power, regulating cortisol, increasing immunity, aiding in sleep, and digestive distress.  Look for the following herbs and nutrients in your food and in your skincare.  Some of these plant goodies are available in supplement form, teas and tonics. (Please consult a wellness professional before adding any supplements into your routine)

  • Lemon Balm

  • Ashwagandha

  • Passionflower

  • Kava

  • Chamomile

  • Calendula

  • Magnesem

  • Calcium

  • B Vitamins

  • Vitamin C

  • Turmeric

  • Reishi

  • Nettle Leaf

  • St. Johns Wart

  • CBD

  • Licorice

  • Rhodiola Rosea