3 Unexpected Sources Of Stress

With increasingly busy schedules there is a growing focus on self-care, which requires you to take a proactive approach to stress. Your self-care routine may include daily CBD, massage, yoga, meditation, talk therapy, and more. If your stress is not easing up, you may have adopted a few unexpected sources of stress.

Digital Distractions

We utilize our digital devices for every area of life, including work, keeping in touch with family and friends, entertainment, reading the news, streaming movies and TV, and more. While technology creates multiple efficiencies in our lives it has its downsides too. The average person checks their phone over 80 times a day, which is about every 12 minutes. This is in addition to the time that they spend on their notebooks, laptops, and desktop computers. This constant state of switching from one device to another leaves us digitally distracted and spread too thin. This goes beyond multi-tasking to creating stress-inducing decision fatigue.

You can ease digital stress by creating unplugged blocks of time each day. This might be the first and last hour of the day, during mealtime, and during one or two hours of time at home or work while you monotask on a project that requires your full attention.

What You Eat And When

There are many ways in which when and where we eat can contribute to your daily level of stress. For example, if you are too busy to cook at home you may not be choosing the healthiest foods when you eat out. Or if you rush out the door in the morning without breakfast you are not providing your body with the energy it requires to thrive. If you are a yo-yo dieter or extreme dieter your body may be malnourished. If your diet is high in processed foods and fast foods you may also be malnourished due to the lack of nutrients in your diet—even if you consume well over your daily caloric intake, and even if you are overweight. An increasing number of Americans are dehydrated because they are not drinking enough water or eating enough hydrating foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Your unhealthy dietary habits cause internal stress, which can decrease your immunity, decrease your focus and attention to detail, and contribute to your daily stress. There are many ways to improve your diet. This includes cooking more of your meals at home, working with a nutritionist to personalize your nutrition, finding a list of healthy restaurants in your area, being mindful of portion control when you eat out, or subscribing to a meal delivery program.

Stress Addiction

Yes, there is such a thing as being addicted to stress. When we are stressed our body goes into fight or flight mode, spiking our cortisol production. Fight or flight mode can be of benefit when we are in genuine danger and is not of as much concern when we are occasionally stressed. However, we can become addicted to the natural high that comes with a spike in cortisol—so much so that we create stress even when there is none. Like any other addiction, going cold turkey will come with great discomfort, but it’s the only way to let go of your need for stress.

Many Holmes Organics customers rely on our products as part of their proactive or reactive approach to relief.