K - OK, So What Are Natural Stress Relievers? + BONUS

 

I fully believe in natural remedies and techniques to treat colds, simple illnesses, and stress relief (in combination with modern medicine and therapy).

For stress, there is so much you can do to find relief, as well as to prevent that stress from causing writer’s block and burnout.

Lavender

The smell of lavender is known to be calming and ease anxiety. A diffuser is a wonderful and safe way to use essential oils and benefit from their healing properties. You can purchase a diffuser, big or small, add the appropriate amount of essential oil drops (according to your diffuser’s instructions) to the water, turn it on, and let the smell of lavender seep through your room/house. You can also put the essential oils in an oil burner with a votive or tea candle to heat it. Make sure to keep an eye on these burners and not to fill the bowl to the rim. Safety first!

You can use lavender sprigs as well. Put real lavender in a small satchel and place it under your pillow to promote a restful and relaxing sleep. You can make a satchel out of a simple piece of square cotton by bringing the corners together into a bundle and tying it off with a ribbon or a bit of yarn. Lavender teas can also do the same. I drink a lovely lemon and lavender tea that reminds me a little of the fruity cereal I used to eat as a child.

Sprinkle a few drops of lavender essential oils into your bath, too. If you have sensitive skin, you can dilute it with a carrier oil like coconut oil or even olive oil. I tend to have sensitive skin but have never had a reaction from lavender essential oils in my bath. The only oil that did cause a reaction was cinnamon. Let me just say…that sure stung and made my skin look as though it was burned. Ouch! But everyone’s skin is different, so it’s best to be cautious.

Chamomile

Chamomile is good for the digestive system, aids in sleep, and may relieve anxiety and depression (when using chamomile essential oils). You can use chamomile in the same way as lavender. As a matter of fact, the essential oil plug-in air fresheners (into wall outlets) that I use are a blend of lavender and chamomile. They smell so pretty. I often brew a cup of chamomile tea when I want to relax or if I have an upset stomach. I even use chamomile tea to help relieve headaches. You can add chamomile buds to satchels with lavender sprigs and mix the two oils into your bath water.

Chamomile contains apigenin, an antioxidant that reduces anxiety and can cause sedation. If you deal with insomnia, wake up a lot during the night, and/or have difficulty falling asleep quickly, a cup of chamomile tea or two may help your body and your mind to relax. There are even chamomile extract supplements that are used as a natural stomach soother and to promote relaxation. As with any supplement, consult your medical doctor first and follow the instructions.

Rosemary

This herb is known to relieve headaches. Often, stress induces headaches. Oh, those are the worst, aren’t they? As if you don’t have enough problems (whatever has you stressed), but now you have a headache preventing you from doing whatever you need to do, making you feel rather sucky. Stress headaches are never any fun, but rosemary may give you some relief.

Applying rosemary essential oil to your skin (your temples for a headache/migraine) treats muscle pain and boosts circulation, so you can even use this oil on sore muscles. The smell of rosemary may reduce your anxiety and stress short term. Try using the essential oil in your diffuser. If you have a rosemary plant, take a nice, long whiff of it, or pop open your bottle of dried rosemary if you don’t have a plant.

Other essential oils that may ease headaches and/or stress:

- Sandalwood

- Peppermint

- Bergamot

- Ginger

Chocolate

If you are a chocoholic, you’ll love this one. Hopefully you like dark chocolate, because dark chocolate is the one with all of the yummy benefits, from being heart healthy to reducing stress, if you eat a bit every day. According to studies, that’s 1.4 ounces, a little less than a normal-sized Hersey bar. What a great excuse to get your chocolate fix, right? If you’re stressed, sit down, inhale lavender scents, and savor dark chocolate. Doing this for at least two weeks can lower your stress hormone (cortisol) levels. Send a loved one out or make a quick trip to the store to load up on dark chocolate. Hey, it’s for your health! But don’t gorge yourself on chocolate, as that will only give you problems, such as a tummy ache.

Naps

In a later chapter, I go into detail about the importance of naps. Naps can be essential to your health. When you are deeply stressed, find a place where you can be alone, turn down the lights, and lie down for 20 minutes to de-stress.

Exercise

Later, I also discuss the benefits of walking, but any sort of exercise can release feel-good chemicals in the brain. Regular exercise is known to reduce stress and even depression. A few of the most popular forms of exercise for stress relief are walking, running, and yoga. Any high intensity workout, sport, or outdoor activity can have the same effect. I personally love cardio and kickboxing. I can really get into those punches, imaging the person or situation that recently caused me stress in front of me. What can I say? It works.

Now sweat that stress out!

You can try all of these techniques to relieve your stress and keep that stress from breeding depression, which I discuss in-depth in the next section.

BONUS A TO Z

THEME: AVRIANNA HEAVENBORN

K - Killers

There are a lot of killers in the Avrianna Heavenborn novellas. After all, they're crime thrillers and paranormal mysteries and Avrianna is a homicide detective, killers are necessary. Unfortunately. And they're what Avrianna is hoping to rid the world of--murderers and all criminals in general.

The title of each novella hints at what kind of killer she's dealing with.

Universal Killer - an assassin who moves between worlds to claim their hits.

Cocky Killer - a murderer who targets specific men.

Alien Killer - I can't reveal anything about this story yet. Sorry!

Outcast Killer - a killer eliminating society's outcasts.

And lots more!

You can read Universal Killer, Cocky Killer, and all future Avrianna Heavenborn novellas on Patreon for just $5.00 a month. You get access to special perks, too, and you pay-it-forward to a good cause because 10% of all earnings go to StandUp for Kids, a charity that helps homeless American youth.

Become a patron now.

A - To Be a Writer, You Don't Need...To Be an Adult + BONUS

B - Break Down Your Goals + BONUS

C - To Be a Writer, You Don't Need...a Coach + BONUS

D - To Be a Writer, You Don't Need a Degree + BONUS

E - HappEEEE (Happiness Jar & 100 Happy Days) + BONUS

F - Feng Shui + BONUS

G - To Be a Writer, You Don't Need...To Be a Good Speller + BONUS

H - To Be a Writer, You Don't Need...a Home + BONUS

I - To Be a Writer, You Don't Need...an Interesting Life + BONUS

J - Journals (Gratitude Journal, Discovery Journal, Art Journal) + BONUS

K - OK, So What Are Natural Stress Relievers? + BONUS