Stress is part of everyday life for many

Everyone has complained about stress more than once in their life. For many people, stress - whether professional, personal or both - is part of everyday life. Constant deadline pressure, too much work and little time to rest make us feel stressed all the time. This is detrimental to our health, which is why we should not simply stand by and watch. Instead, we should actively look for solutions to reduce stress in a targeted manner.

This is what is meant by stress

The dictionary provides the following definition:

"Stress is an increased physical or mental tension / strain that causes certain reactions and can lead to damage to health"

Stress is first of all a sensible mechanism, because it puts us in a heightened state of readiness to act. Initially, cortisol and adrenaline are released, two of the body's own substances that trigger various reactions.

Increased blood flow to the brain activates it and sharpens our senses, our breathing becomes faster, our pulse and blood pressure increase, our muscles tense up and energy reserves are made available for quick use. Perfect conditions for a fight or flight.

Once the danger has passed, the system is shut down again and the relaxation phase begins. At least that's how it should be.

Constant stress

The problem in our society, however, is that these relaxation phases are missing or at least come far too short. We are in a constant state of stress that pulls us downwards like a whirlpool. Until we are completely burnt out - this is called burnout. People who feel that they are suffering from constant stress are often helped in the first step by first measuring their stress level. This provides clarity and leads to concrete measures to reduce stress.

Symptoms of stress

However, there are also many intermediate stages that can manifest themselves in different symptoms:

The tense muscles cause tension and headaches. In order to relieve the strain, a relaxed posture is adopted, which in turn can lead to tension and, in the long term, postural damage.

A constantly high pulse and high blood pressure put enormous strain on the blood vessels. The consequences are cardiovascular diseases, dizziness, tinnitus and, in the worst case, heart attacks and strokes.

The permanently increased energy requirement reduces the willingness to perform and you feel overwhelmed.

The permanent tension causes sleep disorders, which are reflected in mood swings ranging from irritable to aggressive or depressive.

Cortisol suppresses and weakens the immune system, resulting in an increased susceptibility to infection.

And last but not least, the gut is affected and becomes leaky(leaky gut), which in turn triggers a chain reaction that further exacerbates the problems mentioned above. intensified. It's a vicious circle from which it is difficult to escape once it has progressed.

The effects of stress are manifold and particularly harmful to health in the long term. I find it all the more surprising how many people dismiss constant stress as normal and see hardly any ways to combat it.

Reduce stress: What you can do specifically

Tips for your private and professional life

Turning your back on constant stress completely would be a dream state, but it won't work for most of us, myself included. You'd probably have to emigrate to a desert island... So it's all the more important to introduce effective relaxation phases into your life if you don't want to get caught up in this spiral.

How do you do this? Start by breathing consciously in a very "banal" way. We are actually using a characteristic that we often automatically use as a valve anyway. After all, we often take a deep breath after a stressful situation. Why not do this more consciously? Just "take a deep breath" more often. Very deeply. And feel how the oxygen flows through your veins right into the smallest corners of your body. And when you exhale, release all the pressure and waste (including emotional waste) to the outside.

Start your day by doing this. Even before you get up, breathe consciously while lying in bed. Set yourself in a positive mood. If you start to think "oh, how am I going to get everything done today? I have to think about this and that", the stress starts before the day has even really begun. So rather think "today will be a great day! I'll master all the challenges that come my way today!". And if not - so what? No big deal!

At work, you can set an alarm on your cell phone to remind you to stretch every 1-2 hours. Don't phone your colleagues at home, visit them more often. On the one hand, this will give you a short run and get your circulation going, and on the other hand, it promotes communication ;-)

Slow yourselfdown from time to time. If you notice that you're getting under pressure, take a step back. Take a step back, maybe take a sip of water, tell yourself "you can do it, take it easy" and do one thing at a time. You'll see that things usually get better. And don't put yourself under pressure to perform. You are also allowed to have worse, less effective days. Learn to take control of yourself! Don't let others move you back and forth like a puppet. YOU determine your life. No one else does.

If you have forced breaks, such as longer waiting times because you're stuck on the phone or your boss is keeping you waiting again, use them instead of getting annoyed. Think about your last vacation, your dog, your cat or anything else that gives you a blissful feeling of well-being.

Don't be permanently available and find one or more hobbies that you really enjoy. Of course, something sporty would be helpful, but if that puts you under pressure again, you'll increase the stress again. So go for a walk in the woods more often or meet up with friends and laugh. Laughter is one of the best relaxation methods there is!

Another very good way to relax is to sleep. But what if your head is spinning in the evening and you just can't switch it off? Put the one Put a pad and pen next to the bed. Write down everything that comes to mind. Even in the middle of the night if necessary. Everything you put down on paper will no longer haunt your mind. You should also ban all technical devices from your bedroom, but you've probably read this many times before. Electrosmog also triggers stress.

Natural remedies or supplements

If all these tools are not enough, there are some natural remedies that can help. I love passionflower, for example. My husband always says they are my happy pills. I always try to explain to people: it's a bit like pressing pause in your head. Passionflower can have a phenomenal effect on stress, but it's not always the drug of choice.

Various amino acids, especially tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylalanine, can also have a very positive effect on stress. They are the building blocks from which the substances serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline are made. Depending on the catecholamine, it also requires various vitamins and minerals as cofactors.

Cannabis, for example in the form of our CBD oil Regular, naturally without the THC, can also be very helpful for stress in various ways. The cannabinoids and terpenes support and modulate the immune system, it has a relaxing effect and helps you to fall asleep better. I will report on this topic in more detail in January's blog article.

It is also important not to forget the gut during these times. Who hasn't experienced that when you're under a lot of stress, you often get diarrhea on top of everything else? One way to prevent this is to take Arktibiotic Stress Compens. This probiotic contains 9 carefully selected cultures of lactic acid bacteria in a particularly high-dose combination, which stabilize the intestinal mucosa. Other ingredients are folic acid and B12. Folic acid contributes to normal mental function and the normal function of the immune system and vitamin B12 contributes to the normal function of the nervous system.



There are many other ways to reduce stress. But the most important thing is probably: don't put yourself under pressure! Because that often happens at the beginning. And then you have exactly the opposite effect. Just don't let stress get the upper hand and don't miss out on your life because of all the stress and imbalance!