By now, we’re well versed on the impact of stress on our digestion, concentration, and mood. But, chronic stress doesmuchmore than impact us on a macro level; instead, living with stress for prolonged periods of time can actually change the way we behave, alter our hormones, and increase or decrease our appetite; these changes happen on a micro level, but can have a significant impact on the ways we show up for ourselves each day.
Achieving a work-life balance has never been more important; adjusting to post-pandemic work life has been tricky! But, finding this balance can help us manage our time, concentrate more at work, and be more present with family and friends. Creating boundaries and using time intentionally will leave us feeling a whole lot more fulfilled with a whole lot less of an emotional burden. Keep reading to learn what we mean by work-life balance, why having an unbalanced life dynamic can be harmful, and how to achieve a harmonious balance between all of our responsibilities.
Capitalizing on both sleep hygiene and sexual health has major positive health implications; they both involve the mind and the body and are bidirectional, meaning they compound on one another. Most of us know the *bleh* feelings of a bad night’s sleep, and even thinking about adding in intimacy…forget about it! However, if we’re constantly sleeping poorly, our sexual health will suffer, too.
Being a wellness “it girl” can look like: drinking enough water, eating a plentiful diet rich in whole, nutritious foods, moving our body on most days of the week, and practicing our self care routines. However, one major component often goes by the wayside. So major, in fact, that we would be unable to do any of the above without it! It's the one part of life that requires stillness, quiet, and darkness and provides our bodies with endless benefits. Any guesses?
It’s sleep!
Stress often gets a bad rap, but it’s necessary for human functioning and survival. However, there is a fine line between necessary stress and too much stress. Feeling stressed out can have profound effects on overall health and wellbeing, including sleep. But, since stress and sleep are so deeply connected, when one is off-balance, the other is, too. This means that high stress levels can lead to a poorer quality of sleep, which, in turn, can increase stress levels, again.
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.
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.
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.