For better or worse, stress is simply a part of human life. It can be good for us, warning us of danger. Or, it can be unhealthy. It can build, it can become a chronic state, and it can have a detrimental effect 0n all parts of the body. To avoid this chronic stress state, it’s important to reduce stress today and every day, before it builds!

Easier said than done, right? It’s true that nipping stress in the bud can feel overwhelming. But, the better you get at using everyday stress busting practices, the easier it will become. 

Here is why you must make it a priority to reduce chronic stress and 5 Effective Daily Strategies to Reduce Stress today!

Detrimental Effects of Chronic Stress

According to the American Psychological Association’s 2017 Stress in America survey, more and more adults report stress as an interference with their own physical and mental health (1). Approximately 33% of adults reported sleeping issues, 32% reported headaches, and 27% reported an inability to concentrate due to stress. Additionally, 47% of adults reported losing patience with or yelling at their partner, and 46% reported similar behavior with their children because of stress.

Prolonged stress results in high cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that’s released by the adrenal glands when the body faces stress. In modern times, this stress is often more mental than physical and usually has no outlet. For many, it’s chronic. It builds. And it does damage.

As reported in a recent study, researchers found that increased blood cortisol levels are correlated with impaired memory and lower brain volume in mid-life (2). What’s more, after studying 2231 human participants, they found the effects were more pronounced in women participants than men.

High blood cortisol levels are correlated with weight gain and impaired loss, increased blood pressure, negative impacts on mood, sleep and energy, and an increased incidence of glucose and cardiac issues (3).

Are you ready to take control of your stress on a daily basis? Here are 5 great ways to reduce stress today!

5 Effective Daily Strategies to Reduce Stress Today

1. It Starts, Continues, and Ends with Prayer

Want to reduce stress today and support full health throughout your mind, soul, and body? Start, continue, and end each day with prayer.

No matter what you are facing, the practice of daily gratitude and prayer can change everything. In fact, practicing gratitude has been proven to support decreased cortisol and stress levels. Moreover, prayer is a wonderful gift for spiritual health. Prayer is thought to increase the secretion of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine. These compounds decrease cortisol while promoting relaxation, focus, and motivation.

Start your day with prayer. Pray throughout your day. Then, pray yourself to sleep.

Then, consider going beyond your daily prayer practice. Find a prayer partner and commit to praying for each other. Praying is powerful alone, but it multiplies when we pray for others and are prayer for.

With each prayer, you give control to God in any out-of-control situation. When you pray, you can listen and feel peace and truth from God, rather than anxious lies. And, you can give your worries and stress to the one who can handle them. Remember what Corrie Ten Boom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” 

2. Get Outside, Move Your Body, & Breathe

In addition to prayer, God’s given us other natural strategies to reduce stress today. Among these is His creation. Get outside and see it! While you’re there, move, breathe, and take time to enjoy it. 

Not only is movement and exercise great for our muscles, hearts, and brains, outdoor-activity specifically has been shown to improve mood and depression (4). What’s more, if the sun is shining, your body will make Vitamin D, an immune-stimulating vitamin. The exercise itself also provides immune-enhancing benefits, so it’s a double shot of health for your body physically and mentally (5).

3. Use Natural Elements & Ingredients to Balance Your Body

There are 2 supplements in the Divine Health line-up specifically designed to help you naturally reduce stress today.

First, there is Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil. Hemp oil is considered nature’s stress relief!  In fact, it has been well-studied and accepted for many health benefits. Hemp oil, especially nano-particle oils, is different from many other plant-based compounds. It supports healthy, stable moods, promotes stress relief and normalized cortisol levels, supports comfortable, healthy joints, encourages healthy sleep habits, promotes healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes, supports healthy brain and nervous system functions, and encourages healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11).

Next, there’s Divine Health Stress Less Drops. Each drop uses your body’s natural “stress-reduction” parasympathetic system to encourage calm moods, clarity, healthy energy pathways, better sleep, and balance. In fact, it’s made of liquid ionic trace minerals in distilled water that include 85 trace minerals harvested with care from Utah’s Great Salt Lake.  

In addition, Divine Health Stress Less Drops include a significant amount of magnesium. Magnesium is used by every cell and involved in over 300 daily reactions. It specifically impacts energy production, sleep, hormone balance, and more (12, 13, 14, 15).

These two Divine Health Supplements are a great addition to your healthy lifestyle. Use them to reduce stress today.

4. The Right Foods & Drinks Will Help

Ready to eat and drink right for lower stress?

In simplest terms, eating one-ingredient, natural, whole foods are good for your whole body, including your mind, mood, and hormones. On the other hand, eating high amounts of sugar, refined carbs, and processed foods detrimentally affect moods and physical health.

To reduce stress today through food, follow the principles in Beyond Keto. You can start with this article, check out Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Book, and follow the recommendations and recipes on this site to get going.

In addition, there are specific foods and drinks that will help. Some foods and drinks may reduce cortisol naturally. For example, try fatty fish like salmon, dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa), fruits and vegetables, or superfood fruit and vegetable powders.  

Lastly, focus on hydration. Believe it or not, dehydration is linked to increased saliva and blood cortisol. Amazingly, multiple studies have found that dehydrated athletes have more circulating cortisol than hydrated ones (16). Try adding stress-busting green tea and black tea to lower cortisol levels each day. The more you add tea and water, the better you’ll do at staying hydrated, which can also reduce stress. In studies, tea consumers reported a higher “sense of relaxation,” lower blood platelet activation, better heart health indicators, brain health, oral health, and a fiery metabolism (17).

Make great food and drink choices each day to reduce stress. 

5. Do Less & Sleep More

If you’re like most people, you may bring stress upon yourself by loading up your schedule. Some things can’t be avoided, but oftentimes we overschedule ourselves without purpose. 

To reduce stress, decide which activities are necessary. Then, whittle down the extras by choosing those that promote health, fun, joy, and peace within you. Those that don’t cause extra stress.

Never be afraid to say “no” to a busy schedule for the sake of your family’s health and well-being.

Next, focus on sleep. While adequate sleep is not always easy or even feasible, it’s a crucial health habit. The alternative, lack of sleep, can impair melatonin levels and cortisol, increase the risk of metabolic issues and weight gain, and generally deteriorate well-being.

What’s more, an overload of stress can be the cause of poor sleep (18), making the sleep-stress cycle a potential threat to health.

Do what’s necessary to get 8+ hours of good sleep each night. Make it, and a calmer schedule, a priority to reduce stress today.

Want More?

We have even more specific tips on stress.

• Want tips on helping kids with Back to School Stress? Check out this article.
• For specific recommendations regarding Winter & Depressed Moods or Stress, read this.
• To listen to great advice in podcast form, check out the Dr. Colbert Podcast on Stress. Listen to Stress Less Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Bottom Line

You can reduce stress today! Use our 5 effective strategies to promote health, calm, and peace in your body, mind, and home. Let us know which ones are most impactful for you. You can do it!