Calm Your Nervous System And Reduce Stress With Our Moon Mylk
The world around us moves fast and it has never been more vital to control and calm your nervous system. Our Moon Mylk blend is a functional blend of unique herbs, vitamins and minerals designed to relax your mind & body, and have a calming effect in your nervous system.
A WORD ON STRESS:
Stress is a normal and natural response, and our body’s are well equipped to handle a small amount. However, Headspace has reported that 1 in 3 young Australians report feeling high levels of stress. Whatever the source of your stress, chronic stress increases your risk of chronic fatigue, depression, gut issues, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, and other more serious health issues, according to the American Psychological Association. Here at Naked Harvest, we take mental well being very seriously, so in honour of our new Moon Mylk release, I have put together a list of ways you can calm your nervous system and reduce the impacts of stress.
First, Let’s Talk About Your Nervous System
Your nervous system is a very complex system that plays a critical role in our health and wellbeing. Today, we are going to zone in on our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Our sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “fight or flight” response, and our parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for “rest and digest”.
Our body cannot distinguish between physical stress and emotional stress, so when we are chronically stressed, our body is constantly in the “fight or flight” response, where metaphorically speaking our body thinks we are constantly running away from the tiger that is chasing us. So our sympathetic nervous system takes favour over our parasympathetic nervous system. This makes it hard to do the important things like digest our food properly, wind down at night or get a restful night's sleep - which can then cause our stress levels to rise further.
So what can you do? Here Are 10 Ways to Help Calm Your Nervous System and Reduce Stress
- Seek support - If you find yourself feeling down, stressed, overwhelmed or anxious, be sure to reach out for support. Chat to your GP about a mental health care plan - which allows for 10-20 subsidised sessions with a psychologist. For mental health resources, please visit www.beyondblue.org.au.
- Breathing - When we are in a constant state of flight or fight, we tend to lose our natural diaphragmatic breathing and take shallow breaths, which can actually feed the body’s stress response. So to be in a calm state, we need to fill our diaphragm with air, not our chest. Practice taking deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. 4-7-8 breathing is my favourite technique for this, check it out here.
- Calm your mind - Participate in meditation, or put pen to paper with gratitude or journaling - if finding time to commit is a struggle, start with just 5 minutes a day, then progress to 10, then 15... Any amount of time is better than none and will work wonders for your overall health and wellbeing. Georgie has some tips on how to do this when you’re stuck for time here.
- Joy - Ensure you are taking time out of each day to partake in at least 1 thing that brings you joy and fills your cup. It doesn’t have to be long and will look different to everyone. For some it could be going for a walk, 10 minutes reading a book, sitting down and enjoying your coffee in peace, or a quick phone call to someone you love.
- Sleep - Prioritise your sleep - aim for 8 hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep is our time to rest and recover, and sleep deprivation isn’t good for anyone. Creating a sleep routine by going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time each night can help your body get into a good rhythm.
- Sunshine - Vitamin D from the sun is so important for healthy mood regulation and easing stress, so make an effort to get out in the sunlight each day. We often get caught up in our busy lives that we neglect this so basic but so important necessity of life. If you only have 5-10 minutes spare during your lunch break, this is better than nothing and can do wonders for your mental well being.
- Stimulants - Avoid excessive consumption of stimulants, alcohol and caffeine. Even if you think your caffeine tolerance is high and you don’t feel the jitters of caffeine, when we are in a stressed state, caffeine just puts more stress on the body. So stick to your 1 cup of coffee or 1 serve of pre workout and make sure it is before lunch time so it isn’t going to disrupt your sleep. Try our stim-free pre-workout range if you are someone who trains later in the day.
- Mindful eating - When it comes to meal time, get comfortable, sit down, forget the TV or work emails, put down your phone, and focus on just being present and chewing your food well. Eating in a stressed or rushed state can lead to bloating and indigestion, which is just putting more stress on your body.
- Screen time - Consider how much time you are spending in front of a screen. Blue light at night disrupts an important hormone that needs to be produced for sleep, melatonin, and can make it hard to get the restful and restorative sleep you need. Plus, aside from exposure to blue light, too much screen time leads to overstimulation of our minds and makes it hard to wind down. Try reading a book before bed (we are all obsessed with Colleen Hoover’s books in the office at the moment!)
- A little extra help to wind down - Make a ritual for winding down at night. Try some calming herbal teas (caffeine free); such as passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm or lavender. Our Moon Mylk is perfect for this, with ingredients designed to relax your mind and body and calm your nervous system.
Our famous Moon Mylk infusion is a FUNCTIONAL blend of unique herbs, vitamins and minerals designed to relax your mind & body, and have a calming effect on your nervous system. We have formulated the perfect nighttime delight including ingredients such as Organic Cacao, Organic Ashwagandha root, Magnesium, Camu Camu, Passion-Flower and more to help you wind down, ease tension and relax.
By Breeanna Betar
Breeanna is a degree qualified Clinical Nutritionist specialising in women’s health. In her private clinic, she works one on one with women to help them achieve their health goals. Bree possesses a profound understanding of women’s health needs and is committed to sharing her knowledge with the Naked Harvest community, and is proud to be involved in Naked Harvest’s mission of revolutionising the active supplement industry.