The modern world can be a very stressful place for us to live in. In recent years, most people have experienced such intense and prolonged stress that they have to find ways to deal with it.

The long term stress is bad for your mental health as well as bad for your physical health.

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Unfortunately, many people experience stress beyond their control. Here are some tips on how to calm yourself in a healthy way, to minimize the negative impact stress can have on your mind and body.

Tips for Calming Anxious Minds

Take care of your adrenal glands.

When you feel stressed or anxious, your adrenal glands release a burst of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) into your bloodstream to help you cope with the current situation.

Unfortunately many people lead chronically stressful lives, and this actually forces their adrenal glands to pump out high levels of hormones throughout the day.

If this continues, some degree of adrenal gland fatigue is inevitable. Unfortunately caffeine, sugar, and nicotine also stress the adrenals, and people who are stressed usually rely on these substances.

Try to minimize sugar

Most people don't realize how much sugar can spoil their mood.

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If you eat a lot of sugar or foods that are digested into sugar (such as breads, breakfast cereals, pasta, rice and starchy foods), your blood sugar levels will rise after eating them.

If you eat these foods regularly, your blood sugar levels will fluctuate throughout the day. This can be a major trigger for anxiety, depression, and mood swings.

Try to base your diet on vegetables and protein (fish, poultry, eggs, meat), fruit, nuts, seeds and good fats like olive oil, macadamia nut oil, animal fats and organic coconut oil.

Many people can't afford moderation when it comes to sugar. Once they start eating it, they can't stop. Don't start with sugar or high-carbohydrate foods. Your future self will thank you.

Make sure you get enough magnesium

Lack of magnesium can relax the nerves and muscles of the body. Magnesium is found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

If you are in optimal health and you are a calm person, you may be able to get enough magnesium from these foods. However, feeling stressed makes you lose magnesium from your body.

When you feel stressed, your adrenal glands release adrenaline into your bloodstream. Adrenaline increases the loss of magnesium from your bones, into your urine and out of your body.

Therefore people who have experienced long-term stress inevitably become magnesium deficient. A magnesium deficiency worsens anxiety and tends to make you feel restless, tense, and prone to insomnia.

Magnesium is then needed in supplement form to correct the deficiency. People who take acid-blocking drugs do not absorb magnesium as well from food and may need supplements.

Beware of muscle tension

When anxious, in a hurry, or stressed, your shoulders tend to rise to your ears. If you stay like that throughout the day, you will develop a lot of muscle tension in your shoulders and that can affect sleep quality or cause headaches.

Try to consciously relax your shoulders throughout the day. Also, people who are stressed and anxious tend to hold their breath or breathe shallowly. Try to slow down your breathing and remember to take full, deep breaths.

Don't rely too much on caffeine

Caffeine is found in many foods and beverages; not just coffee. There is caffeine in tea, chocolate, some sodas, some sports drinks and some diet pills.

Caffeine increases the level of stress hormones in the bloodstream. Even if you stop to enjoy a cup of coffee, it will increase the level of stress hormones and in the long run this will make you feel more anxious or stressed.

If you are prone to anxiety, don't drink more than one caffeinated beverage per day and drink it before lunch. Green tea is much lower in caffeine and full of antioxidants, so you can drink several cups a day if you prefer.

Supports optimal neurotransmitter production

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that allow the brain to function, and determine mood and state of mind.

Most neurotransmitters are made of amino acids; That's why consuming enough protein is very important. People call it a tyrosine mood food because the brain needs it to produce the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline. They help you stay calm, focused, and motivated.

Do one thing at a time

You may think you're more productive by multitasking, but you're actually more likely to feel overwhelmed and rushed and more likely to make mistakes or have accidents.

Try to focus on what you are doing while doing it. Complete one task completely before starting the next. This usually means that you will complete each task in less time.

Exercise can help you get out of your mind

Try to do something physically active every day. This can help calm anxiety and make you more productive throughout the day.

Relaxing walks, yoga and stretching will help relieve tension stored in the body; However, exercise that leaves you gasping for air and sweating releases a lot of endorphins into your bloodstream.

Endorphins act as powerful sedatives and can keep you cool throughout the day if you exercise vigorously in the morning.

That's the article Tips For Calming Anxious Minds. May be useful!