Most of us can tell when we don’t get a good night’s sleep; we feel tired, find it hard to focus, and need an extra coffee to beat the 4PM afternoon slump. But, have you ever noticed that your overall anxiety is higher on those days, too? Sleep and anxiety are highly interconnected and they both have direct systemic effects on the body.
We’ve all heard the downsides of elevated cortisol levels. But did you know that cortisol isn’t all bad? Our bodies make cortisol to help us get out of bed in the morning, maintain energy levels throughout the day, and assist in our overall health and wellbeing. But, when our cortisol levels are out of balance, our whole body is, too.
Let’s face it: stress is a part of life! Sometimes, feeling stressed gives us that extra 'umph' we need to perform at our best, or gives us motivation to head to the gym or finally tackle that to-do list. But, have you ever known you have a million and one things to do, yet all you can think about doing is climbing into your bed, drifting off to sleep, and escaping reality for a little bit? Or you’ve tried to work on a project or brainstorm a list of ideas but you just feel “off” and not like yourself? This may be due to extreme emotional exhaustion, also known as burnout.
Sleep is an essential part of life; it allows us to recharge our bodies and minds, leaving us feeling refreshed, alert, and ready for the day. Healthy sleep plays a significant role in digestion, the repair of cells, immunity, hormone regulation, and disease prevention. Without enough sleep, or upon waking up from a restless sleep, our brains and bodies can feel tired and lethargic.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, so no wonder your anxiety levels may be increasing! There is a lot expected of us this time of year: holiday parties, cooking, hosting dinners, and buying gifts; It can all get overwhelming and start feeling like an impending anxiety attack instead of the holidays. With all of this increased stress comes a decrease in the time we take for ourselves, but self care is essential for getting us through, and more importantly, enjoying, the holiday cheer.
We all know the feeling of being too full: a stomachache, lethargy, gas pains. On days when it’s expected, like Thanksgiving and many special occasion days, we accept it, take a nap or chill on the couch, and move on. However, if you’re feeling this way on a regular basis, and find it hard to stop eating (even when you’re full), there could be more to the story.
Stress and anxiety can sometimes be positive; They can both give us excitement, motivation, and prepare us to focus on what’s ahead. However, stress can quickly become negative, triggering mental, physical, and emotional reactions within our bodies. Stress is a universal experience,
Ashwagandha, also known by its botanical namewithania somnifera,is a type of medicinal plant. It is classified as an “adaptogen”, or a substance that encourages the body’s physiology to return to a normal state after a stressor has been encountered.
Now more than ever, it seems that stress is a part of everyone’s life. Whether dealing with health concerns, work demands, relationship or financial challenges, we are presented with scenarios that involuntarily elicit a stress response.