Natural Ways to Relieve Stress


It is almost impossible to be someone who doesn’t deal with any type of stress, day in 
and day out. After all, we live in a fast-paced society that values the ability to keep going 
without having to take any breaks or deal with any personal issues. 

However, many women are unable to reach these ridiculous expectations and instead 
have to deal with the negative consequences on a daily basis. 

What are some of the consequences that an overly-stressed woman has to deal with? 
Well, for example, a woman who is stressed could deal with hair loss, weight gain, 
irregular periods, depression, and decreased fertility, to name a few. Stress is a serious 
health problem that plagues many of today's women and needs to be treated as such. 

Here are some of the negative side effects that stress can have on your mind and body:

Reduced sex drive 
Stomach issues
Fatigue
Chest pain
Irritability
Depression
Increased anxiety
Lack of motivation
Focus issues
Mood swings
Muscle tension
Overwhelm
Sadness
Overeating

And many more!

Therefore, we have created this guide to help you find some ways that you can relieve 
your stress naturally. If you are feeling over-stressed and you are suffering because of 
it, here are a few methods that you may want to try at home. 

The following information is going to provide insight into some natural ways to relieve 
stress, especially for women. They include remedies like:

1. Practice Mindfulness
2. Switch to a Healthier Diet
3. Add Exercise to Your Daily Schedule
4. Consider Aromatherapy
5. Grab a Journal or a Friend
6. Be More Selective About Your Time
7. Consider Rescuing a Pet
8. Find Something That Makes You Laugh
9. Get Organized
10. Ditch the Caffeine
11. Embrace Intimacy
12. Get a Massage
13. Take Herbs and Supplements
14. Make Getting Better Sleep a Priority

Keep reading to find out more about each of these natural stress relief methods and 
how they might be able to help you improve your quality of life.


1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness exercises are all the rage these days. Exercises that include mindful 
breathing methods and periods of relaxing silence or peaceful music have been proven 
to improve the way that you handle and react to stress. 

The best part about most mindfulness exercises is that you can do them anywhere. 
Whether you are in the office, the grocery store, or in your bed, you can always fit in a 
mindfulness exercise. What are some these exercises? 

Meditation

Meditation is the practice of quieting the mind and focusing on the physical rather than 
on the mental. All you need to do to meditate successfully is to find a quiet spot, let your 
thoughts move freely through your mind, focus on your breath, and practice for at least 
5 minutes each day.

Meditation is really easy to get into, so you don’t need to worry about being perfect right 
from the start. Just like anything else, it does take a little practice.

Coloring Art Therapy

Coloring books are great for artistic people who are suffering from high levels of stress. 
Why? Some psychologists say that is a form of art therapy or color therapy that is 
designed to reduce anxiety. You can find adult or zen coloring books everywhere and 
there are plenty of designs for you to choose from. 

The great thing about coloring art therapy is that it is inexpensive and can be done on 
anything. All you need are some coloring books or sketch pads, and whatever you like 
to color with, from colored pencils to markers or even crayons. 


Mindful Breathing

Your next option is mindful breathing, which is similar to meditation, but it focuses more 
on relaxing breathing exercises. While meditation and breathing often happen together, 
this is not always the case. Mindful breathing is a very effective method to calm the 
body's nerves and provide you with relaxation anywhere. Here is one that we 
recommend.

Journaling

You can also use writing as a way to embrace mindfulness, by writing about what you 
are feeling or experiencing right now in this moment. Journaling has so many benefits, 
especially for stress, that it is often recommended for everyone.

With journaling, you are able to jot down your thoughts and feelings to keep you 
mindful, but it can also be therapeutic for many other reasons as well, including figuring 
out why you are dealing with so much stress in the first place.

This is by no means a comprehensive list and there are plenty more mindfulness 
exercise ideas on the web. 

One common issue (and one thing that should be mentioned in this section) that people 
encounter when doing mindfulness exercises is an apparent lack of benefits. They go 
through the motions of the exercise and feel that there is nothing happening to reduce 
their stress. Then, they quit just as quickly as they started and never return to these 
exercises. 

While some exercises do not work for certain people, a lot of these exercises take time 
to work on some people. For example, you cannot sit down, meditate, and expect to feel 
all of the weight lift off of your shoulders. 

Meditation is an exercise that must be practiced consistently in order for you to 
experience a change in the way you feel. Don't get discouraged if something is not 
working for you immediately. Stick with it for a while and see if that changes. If it doesn't 
try another exercise until you find something that does work for you. 


2. Switch to a Healthier Diet

The type of foods that you consume can affect your stress levels more than you might 
think. If you eat junk, you are going to feel terrible. If you make healthier food choices, 
you are going to feel better physically and mentally. In some ways, there are foods you 
should avoid, but others are simply good to add to your diet. 

Here are a few suggestions that will get you on the path to a better diet: 

Don’t be afraid of dark chocolate – It provided antioxidants and can help you feel like 
you are getting a treat without the guilt of other forms of sweets.

Have nuts and berries – These are both good for you and contain a lot of important 
nutrients that will not only do your body good, but help reduce stress as well.

Choose fruits with vitamin C and antioxidants like oranges. These are easy to add to 
smoothies, fruit bowls, or just have on the side.

Other healthy foods you should feel free to enjoy are oatmeal, avocado, and fish.

It's often the foods that keep you full and focused that are good for your stress levels. If 
you think that you probably shouldn't be eating it, then it probably isn't good for your 
stress either. However, that doesn't mean that you can't treat yourself every once in a 
while. If you feel like eating a tub of ice cream or a whole funnel cake, go ahead. Just 
don't make a habit out of it!

Skip the Diet

If you have an unhealthy relationship with food and have a habit of emotional eating, 
you might not want to have a strict diet, even if you are trying to lose weight. 

Dieting often restricts categories of food, which might work in the short-term, but long-
term can have adverse effects on your stress levels. While you are dieting, it can 
exacerbate your stress by making you feel like you are missing out. Then if you over-
indulge or binge after a period of dieting, that also makes your stress worse.

Instead of dieting, make small, healthy changes to your daily routine, and keep 
restricting to a minimum. Focus on balance and adding in healthier foods, instead of 
taking away certain types of foods.


3. Add Exercise to Your Daily Schedule

It's no secret that exercise is the remedy for almost any kind of malady. Exercise 
produces endorphins which help to give you a mood boost that fights off the negative 
side-effects of stress. It also helps to battle the physical effects that come with high 
levels of stress. 

The great thing about exercise is that it is available for everyone no matter what your 
age or level of experience is. Taking a walk every day will produce the same effects as 
going to the gym and lifting heavy weights. However, it is important that you remain 
consistent in your efforts and that you try to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. 

Unless you are trying to lose weight or improve your physique, this should be plenty of 
time to help you relieve stress and improve your mood. Also, be careful not to overexert 
yourself. If you are overweight or if you have other health problems that prevent you 
from engaging in difficult exercises, don't try to push through them. This can result in 
injury. Do what is best for you and listen to your body. 

Recommended Exercises

While any type of physical activity can be good for managing your stress, there are 
some highly recommended by people who have used exercise to help reduce their 
stress naturally. This is by no means a complete list, but just some suggestions if you 
are not sure where to start:

Yoga
Pilates
Walking in a scenic area
Running
Hiking
Dance class
Walking the dogs


4. Consider Aromatherapy for a Quick Fix

Aromatherapy has become so popular that you can pretty much walk into any store and 
find essential oils or machines designed for it. What is aromatherapy? It is a form of 
therapy that uses calming or energizing scented oils for baths, massages, or just for 
smelling. 

If you decide that this is something you would like to pursue, some essential oils that 
come highly recommended for stress relief include:

Lavender 
Rose 
Sweet orange 
Chamomile 


5. Grab a Journal or a Friend

Natural stress relief is just a phone call or a book away for most. Journaling and venting 
are both great methods that people can use to reduce their stress levels. However, 
these methods will not always be effective for everyone. 

Let's imagine, for example, that you have had a terrible day and you are venting to your 
friend. As you explain to them what has happened, you become angrier and angrier. 
The anger doesn't go away. Rather, it continues to boil inside of you and you focus on it 
rather than focusing on solving the underlying issues behind the anger and stress. 

The same goes for journaling. Writing down your issues with the intent of focusing on 
the problems rather than a solution can do more harm than good. If you decide to use 
either of these venting methods, make sure that you are approaching your stress with 
the proper mindset. 

When it comes to venting to a friend, we have no advice to offer. (Except that you 
should find someone who is trustworthy and who will listen intently.) When it comes to 
journaling, however, there are plenty of great prompt recommendations for stress relief. 
Here are a few of our favorites: 


What Are Some Things in My Life That Are Negatively Impacting My Mental Health?

What Are Some Ways That I Can Better Care for Myself?

What Are Some of the More Positive Things Taking Place in My Life?

What Am I Grateful for? 

What Are Some of My Greatest Challenges Right Now and How Can I Overcome 
Them?


If you find that these are working great for you, there are plenty more examples 
scattered across the internet!


6. Be More Selective About How You Spend Your Time

It's easy to become stressed when you are filling up your plate with too many things to 
do, especially when those things are extremely stressful. Some things, such as work or 
your family, can't be bypassed. Other things, on the other hand, can most certainly be 
cut out of your schedule if they are only contributing to your growing stress problems. 

Take a look at your daily life. What type of activities do you fill your days with? Which of 
these activities are adding stress to your life rather than happiness? Can you go without 
these activities? While I don't recommend cutting everything out of your life at once, try 
getting rid of these activities one at a time and see how you feel after they are removed. 

If they are impacting your life positively and no problems arise as a result of their 
removal, keep them out. If life becomes more difficult because you're lacking a certain 
activity, bring it back into your life. 

That being said, you definitely shouldn't tolerate overwhelming stress in any area of 
your life. For the activities that you can't remove, sit down and think about the ways that 
you can reduce your stress levels when engaging in these activities. 

There are always tricks you can use to reduce stress in even the most difficult 
situations. The only limit to what you can come up with is yourself!


7. Consider Rescuing a Pet

If you haven't already welcomed a pet into your home, you may want to consider it for 
stress relief. Being around pets is a method that has been proven to lower the hormone 
known as cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone. 

This form of stress relief, however, is not recommended for everyone. If you have 
allergies or if you prefer not to be around animals, there are plenty of other 
recommendations on this list that will produce the same benefits. 

Also, some pets are extremely energetic or suffer from separation anxiety and are prone 
to getting sick or destroying things when you are gone. These types of issues can add 
more stress to your life rather than reducing it. If you are wanting to bring a pet into your 
home, make sure to do your research and consider these points before you decide to 
take care of an animal.

Do Your Research!

The most important aspect of adopting a new pet is doing your research. If you don’t 
have the time or energy for a pet at home, then an animal requiring a lot of effort like a 
dog or cat might not be for you. However, if you do decide on a pet, rescuing is one of 
the best things you can do for them.

Find a Pet That Works for You

The next important thing to keep in mind when it comes to rescuing an animal is 
choosing one that works for you and your lifestyle. Just because you think rabbits are 
cute, doesn’t mean nit is the right pet for you. 

Visit different shelters in your area, get to know the types of animals out there, and 
really think about how you can care for them and the type of needs they require before 
choosing.






8. Find Something That Makes You Laugh Regularly

Laughter is the best medicine. It's true! Laughter is the result of humorous situations 
that have the ability to relax our bodies and mind, release endorphins, and fight off 
negative emotions such as anger and sadness. It also feels amazing to do and almost 
anything can make us laugh if we look hard enough. 

For some people, it can be hard to start laughing daily, especially if you are not 
accustomed to laughing. You can start trying to laugh daily by watching hilarious videos 
in the morning or by seeking out funny situations in your everyday life. Once you get 
used to laughing regularly, it will be impossible to stop. 

Even better? Laughing with other people! Get your family together for a weekly movie 
night or have friends over for drinks and a game night. Go out to the movies or just have 
some conversation over coffee with your co-workers. All of this will help tremendously 
with managing your stress levels.


9. Get Organized

Stress can sometimes be the result of poor organization. For example, let's assume that 
you work in a demanding job that requires you to schedule appointments, deal with a lot 
of paperwork, constantly speak with clients, and handle the financial aspects of 
business. If you don't have proper organizational systems in place, it can be easy to get 
overwhelmed and stressed out. 

Look at each area of your life and ask yourself, am I unorganized? Maybe you need 
more organization and structure in your relationship. Maybe you need to be more 
organized when it comes to your personal goals and desires. 

Whatever aspect of your life is messy, take some time to sit down and figure out how 
you can put it in order. This will take time but once you have systems in place, you will 
feel a lot better. 


10. Ditch the Caffeine 

I understand that this is probably one of the tips where quite a few people draw the line. 
Ditch my caffeine!? Go through my mornings tired and unable to focus!? Yes, caffeine is 
definitely one of the most used and most valued substances in our fast-paced society. 
However, it may be one of the substances that are also adding to your stress levels. 

As Dr. Christopher N. Ochner states in one article on the Shape website, “Caffeine is 
one of the safer stimulants out there. Unfortunately, any stimulant carries with it the side 
effect of anxiety, which obviously ruins your concentration. Caffeine in particular can 
make you jittery, nervous, and worrisome, which can occupy some of your thinking 
capacity.”

Caffeine is also known to cause issues with your ability to sleep soundly and can cause 
dehydration when you drink too much of it. Rather than having to deal with these 
problems every time you drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks, try turning to healthier 
drink alternatives. 

For example, having a smoothie mixed with vegetable and fruits or brewing a cup of 
herbal tea can help you to feel energized without causing you to feel anxious as a 
result. If you have your heart set on having caffeine every day, try drinking a cup of 
green or black tea. This drink has caffeine but in much lower amounts that are less 
likely to affect you negatively.


11. Embrace Intimacy

Although it is still sometimes seen as an awkward topic to discuss, masturbation and 
sex are both wonderful methods to naturally relieve stress. You don't really need 
direction here so we won't provide any but we do recommend that you have sex with 
your partner at least once a week. 

If you don't have a partner, that's no problem. Masturbation is just as great and can be 
done with even more frequency since you decide when to do it. 

Even if you are in a committed relationship, masturbating by yourself can have a host of 
other health benefits that will also help to relieve stress. For example, women who 
masturbate regularly have an easier time reaching orgasm during sex and experience 
less pain during their menstrual cycle. "Regularly" means different things to different 
people but you should squeeze in a couple of self-love sections each week to reap the 
health benefits. 


12. Get a Massage

Massages have been used for centuries as a method to reduce stress and improve 
overall well-being. In fact, one study conducted on 22 volunteers found that after five 
minutes of massage therapy, the heartbeats and the amount of cortisol in the saliva of 
the volunteers had experienced a significant decrease. 

Better yet, there is a large variety of massages that you can choose from. No matter 
whether you are someone who wants a Swedish massage or someone who needs a hot 
stone massage, try to squeeze in a session at least every week or two weeks to reap 
the benefits. 

However, don't allow yourself to break the bank trying to seek out the best massage 
sessions. If the cost of a massage is a little out of your reach at the moment, a massage 
from a friend or another tip on this list will do just as well. 


13. Take Herbs and Supplements to Relax and Improve the State of 
Your Mind

Herbs and herbal supplements are great for people who do not want to take medication 
or who suffer from serious side-effects when taking medication designed for stress and 
anxiety. Some supplements that you should seek out if you want to treat high-stress 
levels at home include: 

Magnesium
Theanine
Kava Kava
Turmeric
Basil

Please keep in mind that herbal supplements are not always safe. Although they are 
natural alternatives to chemical medications, they are still natural chemicals and have 
the ability to cause real damage if you don't follow directions carefully. Do plenty of 
research and speak with your doctor before you attempt to add any herbal supplements 
to your daily diet. 



14. Make Getting Better Sleep a Priority

You might be over-stressed because you are trying to accomplish too much during the 
day after getting almost no sleep at night. According to experts, anyone from the age of 
18 and onward should be getting at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night. That 
being said, there are people who can function on only a couple of hours. However, this 
is most likely not you and you should make sure that you stick to the recommendations 
above. 

It should also be mentioned that quality of sleep is just as important as the number of 
hours that you get each night. If you have a mattress that is affecting your sleep and 
your body, seek out a mattress that supports you better and helps you fall asleep faster. 
Also, try to find sheets, blankets, and pillows that make you feel more comfortable for a 
better sleep experience. 

Stress is difficult to deal with. If it is allowed to go unchecked for too long, it can have a 
serious impact on both your mental and physical health. 
