Stress Chronic stress has a profound impact on regions of the brain responsible for memory. Identifying your stressors and having a plan to mitigate them as much as possible is significant step in stress reduction. Creating boundaries and saying no can be powerful tools in reducing stress.
Strategies to consider to lower stress and effects
Consider mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, or biofeedback techniques such as Heart Math.
Make sure you have a place where you feel heard and safe talking out your feelings. This could be a spouse, friend, family member, counselor or therapist.
Consider gratitude journaling daily (5-minute gratitude journal on Amazon: "The Five Minute Journal").
Use calming essential oils such as Lavender, Bergamot, Holy Basil, Geranium, Neroli, Jasmine, Ylang-ylang, and Mandarin. Place 15 drops in bathtub and soak, use in diffuser, place on handkerchief on night table, use on acupuncture points, or add a few drops in shea butter or coconut oil and rub into bottoms of feet.
Walk barefoot on grass or sand (earthing) as often as possible.
Get outside into nature daily. Exercise is one of the best ways to release stress. Aim for 150 minutes (or 20 minutes daily) of moderate intensity exercise per week.
Stress: Stress is also a major culprit in hormone problems. It affects the adrenal glands in such a way that the levels of stress hormones, in this case DHEA and cortisol, can become abnormal. Changes in DHEA and cortisol affect the other hormones. Stressors include: emotional, physical such as chronic pain or inflammation, blood sugar imbalance, chronic infections, food sensitivities, etc.