Causes of Stress

If the stress you are feeling is not relieved by such common methods as talking with friends, exercising, or settling into a hot bath, it may build up inside you, and you will experience pressure. If you allow all this stress to build up inside you, it can lead to chemical imbalances in the brain and overreactions in the brain's alarm center. When this happens, one will be constantly hyperaroused or anxious. Frequent feelings of anxiety are indications from your body that it needs more down time to restore balance. Everyone experiences stressful situations; this key is to learn how to not let the stress build up inside you.

Stress Treatment

Taking a few pills is not all there is to stress treatment. Whether you know the cause of your stress or not, there are natural treatments that can help you. The following contains some information about natural stress treatment methods.

Natural Stress Treatment

Getting exercise is very important in controlling stress and is a type of natural stress treatment. Periodic breaks from work area also important. Ten-minute breaks for every 50 minutes of working time can help to reduce stress, and can actually make you work more productively than if you hadn't taken any breaks. While you are taking a break, you can do some deep breathing. Push out your abdomen as you inhale slowly, and allow the stomach protrusion to return to normal as you exhale slowly. Each exhalation should last twice as long as each inhalation for maximum oxygenation benefits. With natural treatment, you can relieve stress eventually.

Exercise and Stress

Exercise is important in the natural treatment of stress because physical activity is necessary to remove waste products from the body. These waste products include lactic and uric acids, which need to be removed from the muscles and nervous system. If there is too much of these acids in your system, you may feel nervous or edgy. Exercise, either mild or moderate, can both prevent and reduce anxiety for up to two hours. At least 10 to 15 minutes of exercise in the mornings and afternoons is recommended. An ideal way of reducing inner stress is to combine a brisk walk with some deep breathing.

Natural Stress Treatment - Caffeine and Sleep

What you consume is also key to the stress you might feel. If you are experiencing excess stress, you should reduce your intake of caffeine. When caffeine is consumed in small, irregular doses, it can be medicinal as it increases bile flow, which stimulates the gall bladder and reduced cholesterol. But if taken regularly, caffeine can negatively affect a number of body systems which are responsible for dealing with stress. Besides reducing caffeine, you should try to sleep well. With irregular sleep patterns and poor quality sleep, your body is less able to respond to stress. For this reason it is good to have a regular bedtime, even on weekends. Three hours before bedtime, a hot bath or brisk walk may help relax you. Naps during the day, or eating heavy meals or consuming alcohol in the evening are not recommended.

Natural Stress Treatments

The following herbs should be taken daily for three months, with a two-week break after. This will help minimize the potential for adverse affects or psychological dependence on the herbs. B vitamins- in particular, B-6 and B-12, help maintain a healthy nervous system which regulates the body's responses to stress. These vitamins work best when taken with others, so you should accompany them with a multivitamin mineral supplement twice a day. Kava is a natural ingredient which is approved as an anxiety and insomnia treatment in many European countries. It helps reduce chronic insomnia or anxiety without the drowsy or "fuzzy"  side effects of other medications.