April is National Stress Awareness Month and we’re here to start the conversation around stress - something that is so common with our busy lifestyles. From work life to getting the kids ready for school to traffic…
Rest assured, stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. Managing them is super important to your health, so here are our top 5 go-to’s for relieving stress 💅.
Breathwork
There’s a reason you’re told to take a deep breath when you’re feeling stressed, anxious and overwhelmed, and that’s because it actually helps! Deep breathing is one of the best ways to quickly relieve feelings of stress as it sends a message to your brain to relax.
This exercise, in particular, is recommended by the NHS:
- Whether you're sitting or standing, place both feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
- Let your breath flow as deep down into your belly comfortably, without forcing it.
- Breathe in gently and regularly, in through your nose and out through your mouth while counting to 5. You may not be able to reach 5 at first, but that’s okay!
- Without pausing or holding your breath, let it flow out gently while counting to 5 again.
- Keep doing this for 3 to 5 minutes until you feel calmer.
Read more on the benefits of breathwork!
Have a bubble bath
A bath can physically encourage your body to change how it processes stress and anxiety by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which is what is responsible for relaxation. So, run a nice hot bath, light some candles, put on some lo-fi tunes and let all your worries melt away…
Fancy some bubbles? Our Cranberry Cleanse is not only a pH balanced body wash, but can be used as a bubble bath for added relaxation 💆.
Treat yourself to a massage
Our muscles tend to tense more than usual when we’re stressed, and what better way to soothe tension than with a relaxing massage! Our endorphins actually increase while being massaged too… hello influx of serotonin and dopamine 👋. You’ll feel like you’re on cloud 9 after a soothing rub down. Our Hemp Bliss Oil is perfect for massages - check out this 5 minute massage for stress relief.
Do some exercise
Exercise can do wonders for your body and brain when you’re feeling the pressure. It reduces the body’s stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, and increases our endorphins - the feel-good hormones. Not only will exercising reduce the hormones making you stressed, it’ll make you feel amazing by increasing what makes your brain feel good!
Do what you love! Whether it’s a run, some yoga, or a stroll in your local park - you never regret it! 🙌
Masturbate!
Self-pleasure can do wonders on a stressed mind. Not only will it alleviate stress, it can help banish any sexual tension, boost your mood, help with trouble sleeping and even alleviate period cramps!
The act of masturbating itself can be relaxing and focus on that mind-body connection, but having an orgasm can give you that extra endorphin boost that’ll keep the stress at bay. Orgasms also lower cortisol - a stress hormone.
We believe that the benefits of orgasm on overall wellness should be shouted about from the rooftops! Our ‘Celebrating the Big O’ blog explains more.
To help you stay on track and keep pleasure to the max, check out our Slide It! Lube. It’ll keep your woo slipping and sliding to keep away vaginal dryness which is the last thing you need when you’re looking to de-stress. It can also be used with condoms, or toys if you need a helping hand to get you going.
So, it’s official!
Masturbation is essential for women’s wellness… As if we needed an excuse to do it anyway 😂. Make more time for self-love, and be sure to look after yourself, WooWoo style 💋.
