How many times have you heard the not so encouraging news that stress kills? The sad truth sounds especially grim if we think about how stress seems to happen to us so automatically--without our permission. But what if we could re-wire our body's automatic response so that we stress less? We can....and it isn't as hard as you think. Read on to learn five easy things you can do every day to keep stress from taking over your life.
Step One -Get Your Tools in Hand-
Oils from the citrus family have long been studied for their stress reducing effects--especially when used aromatically? One recent example is found from a study conducted by Vanderbilt Hospital--one of the largest ERs in America- and no doubt one of the most stressful environments as well. In the study, researchers diffused doTERRA® citrus oils such as lemon, grapefruit, lime, wild orange and citrus bliss. After several months, hospital employees reported feeling significantly better. In fact, the study showed that simply inhaling essential oils reduced stress levels up to 80% among hospital employees.
The most direct way to reduce stress is by inhaling any citrus oil. You can form a tent over your nose and inhale, place a drop on a cotton ball and stick it in your car vents or place a few drops in a diffuser to enjoy throughout the day.
Step Two-
Practice Mindfulness
is the art of self -awareness. Have you ever noticed that what causes stress for one person, does not elicit the same response in another? A stressful situation is often triggered by past experiences that we painful enough that we don't want to repeat them. The practice of mindfulness takes us out of the cycle of repeated brain patterns and brings us into the present moment so that we don't judge our present circumstances through the lenses of the past. Mindfulness opens a space for us to describe our situation differently so it doesn't scare us so much. (Watch for more blogs about this--this is a big deal in the field of Psychology.
Essential oils can also help with this practice. The grounding blends are best for this practice. These blends often come from tree oils that root us into the ground. Place a drop of doTERRA® Balance blend behind each ear or on your forehead (Third Eye Chakra) and bring your awareness to your body. Notice its response, notice any sensations you are having. Try not to judge it, just imagine that you are a witness, watching and transcribing the experience as it is happening.
Step Three
Do One Thing at a Time
Do one thing at a time. It's actually impossible for our brains to focus on more than one thing at a time and when we try to do so, we actually do both things poorly and get stressed out and overwhelmed in the process. "But wait!"--I can already hear you arguing with me: " I do two things at once all the time, for example, I can chew gum, talk on the phone and tie my shoes all at the same time." Yes...but, you can't FOCUS on two things at once. For example, try reciting a poem and answering an email at the same time. Unless you're typing the poem into your email, it's an impossible feat. Trying to multitask also adds a huge load to our stress levels unnecessarily. We can accomplish so much more when we let go of things that distract us and put our full attention on the task at hand. Isn't it comforting knowing that, as the expression goes, we don't have to "eat an elephant in one day?"
By the way, Basil is the oil to use when you're feeling overwhelmed. You can place a drop on your adrenals or your kidneys. Or place a drop on your thumb and place it on the roof of your mouth.
Step Four .
Breathe and Surrender
In a typical fight or flight tress response, our breathing becomes very shallow, our adrenaline spikes, and blood rushes to our extremities so we can run from or face the danger. One of the best ways to short circuit this run or face the music response is to breathe. It signals to your brain that you are no longer in danger and you can go back to rest and relaxation mode. Any oil that opens up respiration is helpful with this. If you are in a situation that also requires you to surrender, then Wintergreen is my first choice. (I actually have another blog about this--I can tell you from personal experience that Wintergreen really works)! Simply place a drop in your hand and take in a deep breath. Be sure sure to include your diaphragm to get as much air into your lungs as possible. Count to ten and notice how much better you feel.
Step Five
Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep and Stress can be a Catch 22. Stress can cause us to not sleep and lack of sleep can cause us to feel extra stressed--and can put our body's even more at risk for breaking down. This is where essential oils can really serve. Lavender for example, happens to be the most widely studied oil for its calming and sleep enhancing properties. My absolute best advice ever for sleep is to use the doTERRA® sleep combo pack. My two daughters swear by it. The pack includes the essential oils Serenity Blend and the Serenity Sleep Soft gels. The Serenity Blend includes a perfect blend of oils --including lavender--that calm the nervous system, reduce brain chatter and assist the body in going into a deeper REM cycle. The Serenity softgels are natural supplements that include L-Theanine--another natural product known for its sleep enhancing properties. I am so happy to share this solution--because it's become the answer for so many people who have struggled with sleep--and because it's all natural, you don't need to worry about side affects or addictions.