...
...

stress photos

Essential nighttime rituals to unwind after a long day

A long day is mentally and physically fatiguing. Muscles tense, your head heavy, and all the energy that fueled you during the day is completely drained. Your attempts to end the day uneventfully ‘bedrotting’ and ‘doomscrolling’ won’t recharge you. You won’t feel refreshed even the next day, especially if it’s the middle of the week with days of built-up mental exhaustion. Avoid using your phone, as the blue light can disrupt your sleep and make you feel more tired the next day. To fully recharge, engage in these daily rituals that will help take the load off your shoulders at the end of the day.
Published on Sept 03, 2024 05:08 pm IST

Are you mistaking burnout for stress? Signs to be aware of

Stress is a temporary reaction categorised by a sense of urgency caused by challenges or situations. But burnout is a prolonged process of being exposed to exhaustion. “Stress is often a temporary reaction to life's challenges, sparking urgency, anxiety, and even temporary boosts in productivity. But left unchecked, it can erode our well-being, leading to burnout—a prolonged state of emotional and physical exhaustion. With burnout, hope dims as feelings of detachment, failure, and helplessness set in. It's more than just a bad day; it's a continuous sense that nothing will improve,” explained Psychologist Carolyn Rubenstein in a social media post. Here are some of the signs that it is burnout, and not stress.
Published on Jul 31, 2024 07:05 pm IST

PCOS and adrenal problems: Signs to watch out for

Is it PCOS or endometriosis? Know difference in symptoms
Published on Jul 25, 2024 07:15 pm IST

5 minerals to decrease stress and regulate cortisol levels

Chronic stress and high cortisol levels can disrupt the nutritional balance in the body, leading to deficiencies in vital nutrients. “These deficiencies can disrupt neurotransmitter function and the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, diminishing our ability to manage stress effectively,” wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright. Here are five minerals that can help in managing stress levels.
Published on Jul 25, 2024 03:23 pm IST

5 morning habits to build stress resilience: Nutritionist recommends

Self love is an act of looking after yourself, both physically and mentally.
Published on Jul 24, 2024 07:20 pm IST

Healthy eating 101: Regulate cortisol levels with these 5 minerals; diet tips

Chronic stress can lead to mineral deficiencies. "These deficiencies can disrupt neurotransmitter function and the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, reducing our ability to cope with stress," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright. Here are five minerals that we must include in our daily diet to beat stress with healthy eating.
Published on Jun 24, 2024 06:14 pm IST

5 things we can influence for a healthy and regulated nervous system

In order to alleviate stress, anxiety and depression, we need to have a regulated nervous system that does not feel threatened. A relaxed nervous system can make us feel safe and relaxed. When a nervous system is dysregulated, it can go into the fight or flight mode as a survival response. To keep the nervous system regulated, we need to take care of the things that can influence it. Therapist Israa Nasir shared a few tips.
Published on Jun 20, 2024 06:00 am IST

Is your nervous system out of balance? Signs to be aware of

Trauma can often show up in the body as physical symptoms. "Trauma isn't only a person's emotional and psychological reaction to an intense or overwhelming event; it can be felt physically too. Your survival response is a complex reaction that involves several brain regions and chemicals. It's triggered by any situation that threatens your safety or well-being, whether it's an intense emotional experience or a stressful event," wrote Therapist Anna Papaioannou. Here are a few ways by which trauma may show up in the body.
Published on Jun 02, 2024 06:15 pm IST

5 nutritional habits to transform the nervous system and beat stress

With the rush of the daily lives, we learn to incorporate stress and anxiety which further make our nervous system go into the flight or fight mode. This vicious cycle of stress and dysregulated nervous system can affect us physically, mentally and emotionally. With the right kind of diet and lifestyle changes, we can transform the nervous system. "Never underestimate the powerful influence of food and nutrition on both the nervous system and stress levels," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright.
Published on May 22, 2024 03:08 pm IST

Are you stuck in a stress response? 5 signs of high Cortisol to know about

When the nervous system feels unsafe, the body can get stuck in a stress response. "There's a lot of tools you can put in your tool kit to help regulate your cortisol. One of the most powerful is regulating your nervous system. Somatic practices teach your body how to feel calmer, more resilient and safer," wrote Therapist Rebekah Ballagh. Here are a few signs of high Cortisol that we should be aware of.
Published on May 10, 2024 03:19 pm IST

Signs of high Cortisol with PCOS: Dietitian explains

PCOS is a condition where the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of Androgen leading to cyst formation in the ovaries. High Cortisol levels can trigger the symptoms of PCOS. Most common symptoms are menstrual irregularity, mood swings, acne formation and obesity. "When our adrenal glands overproduce cortisol (and other stress hormones), they work overtime when we face stressful moments. This can trigger a lot of these symptoms to happen at the same time. Not being able to do what it should on the inside, our bodies can feel drained which then affects how we perform and how we look on the outside," wrote Dietitian Tallene Hacatoryan.
Published on May 06, 2024 12:06 pm IST

Somatic symptoms of freeze response: Here's what you need to know

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental condition that happens when we are exposed to traumatic events repeatedly or for a prolonged period of time. "In addition to commonly discussed symptoms like flashbacks, hypervigilance, and difficulty in forming trusting relationships, there are lesser-known manifestations. Individuals with CPTSD might experience a persistent feeling of being fundamentally different from others, along with episodes of depersonalisation and derealisation, where they feel disconnected from themselves or their surroundings," wrote Therapist Maythal Eshaghian.
Published on Apr 27, 2024 06:21 pm IST

PCOS and chronic stress: How stress can worsen PCOS symptoms

PCOS is a condition where the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of Androgen leading to cyst formation in the ovaries. Menstrual irregularity, acne formation, obesity and mood swings are some of the commo0n symptoms of PCOS. Chronic stress can worsen the symptoms of PCOS. "It’s common to focus on diet/exercise/supplements when it comes to PCOS … but we often forget about stress. Chronic stress can wreak havoc on the body, especially since PCOS is a hormone condition," wrote Dietitian Martha McKittrick.
Published on Apr 26, 2024 06:00 am IST

Stuck in a stress response: Behavioural red flags to be aware of

The nervous system, in times of danger, can go into threat responses. Flight, fight, freeze and fawn are the four types of stress responses that the nervous system often portrays. "Our nervous systems were designed to go into threat responses, and stress isn’t inherently bad - but they were only ever meant to be short term solutions," wrote Therapist Rebekah Ballagh. Here are some of the red flags we should be careful about.
Published on Apr 07, 2024 05:00 pm IST

5 tips for women to beat stress and anxiety at workplace

"Workplace anxiety is a pervasive issue for many women, fuelled by a complex interplay of societal pressures, internalized biases, and organizational cultures that can feel inherently daunting. From a young age, girls are often socialized to prioritize perfectionistic tendencies, people-pleasing behaviours, and minimizing their achievements; these thought patterns that can manifest as chronic self-doubt and impostor fears in professional settings. Here are a few tips for women to overcome workplace anxiety," says Dr Chandni Tugnait is M.D. (Alternative Medicines), Psychotherapist, Life Coach, Business Coach, NLP Expert, Healer, Founder & Director - Gateway of Healing. 
Published on Mar 12, 2024 06:00 am IST

5 simple evening habits to regulate Cortisol and manage stress

Cortisol is a stress hormone and regulates the body's response to stress and anxiety. However, increased levels of Cortisol can lead to more stress. "A few small habits can help regulate your circadian rhythm and boost your ability to adapt and handle stress effectively by improving sleep quality, supporting mind-body health, and optimizing the release of cortisol and melatonin," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright.
Published on Feb 20, 2024 01:26 pm IST

Poor gut health can trigger stress response: Here's why

Maintaining a healthy gut helps in several health processes. Poor gut health can have a deep impact on the body. "Poor gut health can contribute to chronic low-grade inflammation and understand its potential link to cortisol dysregulation," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright. Here's how poor gut health can trigger our body's stress response.
Published on Feb 08, 2024 04:21 pm IST

Herbal support to decrease stress

Stress is the body's response in difficult situations. When we are crowded with anxious thoughts, we may react poorly to situations, leading to more stress. However, herbs have proven to be effective in having a calming effect on the body and mind and helping in dealing with stress. "Here are some evidence-based herbs known to help you cope better with stress," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright.
Published on Feb 05, 2024 06:00 am IST

Befriend the nervous system to manage anxiety better: Here's why

Knowing and addressing the nervous system can help us to feel calmer and more relaxed. This can further help us to address anxiety better. "Understanding your nervous system states can have a huge impact on how you experience stress and anxiety. When we begin to befriend our nervous system and get familiar with its patterns, we can intentionally make shifts to better support what it may need," wrote Psychologist Kelly Vincent. Here are the reasons why befriending the nervous system can help us to manage anxiety better.
Published on Jan 27, 2024 12:01 pm IST

4 body systems that support your nervous system

One of the best ways to combat anxiety and stress is keeping the nervous system relaxed and calm. "A holistic approach to mental health care focuses on nurturing interdependent body systems," wrote Therapist Anna Papaioannou as she noted down the four body systems that help in supporting the nervous system.
Published on Jan 19, 2024 01:59 pm IST

Things that can increase our stress threshold

The way we handle stress depends on the lifestyle we lead and how relaxed and calm our nervous system is. "The goal is not to completely eliminate stress (because that’s just impossible) but to become more resilient to it, so it doesn’t impact our mental and physical health," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright.
Published on Jan 18, 2024 01:40 pm IST

Ways by which our mind constantly sabotages our happiness

In times when we are stressed or anxious, a little moment of happiness or hope can be ruined by the way we overthink it. From constantly thinking of worst-case scenarios to trying to find the fault in things, our happiness can be destroyed by the way we perceive the situation. "Our mind is a funny thing. Even though (I'm convinced) it only ever wants to protect us, it can have a rather depressing way of doing so sometimes," wrote Psychologist Maike Neuhaus.
Published on Jan 16, 2024 06:00 am IST

5 ways to break free from nervous system exhaustion and dysregulation

Sometimes we may feel mentally exhausted – this happens when the nervous system is dysregulated, and we feel completely drained emotionally. It is important to take a step back and stop being a hustler and start taking care of our emotional health. Sometimes we can break free from a dysregulated nervous system by taking a break and trying out somatic practices to calm a racing mind. Therapist Carly Johnston shared a few tips.
Published on Jan 05, 2024 04:03 pm IST

Signs from the body of high cortisol and stress levels

When we are stressed and anxious, the hormone Cortisol is released. "An imbalance of cortisol can throw other hormones out of balance too, like Oestrogen and progesterone, causing problems with menstrual cycles and the PMS anxiety that come with that," wrote Therapist Georgie Collinson." Here are a few signs of high Cortisol and stress levels.
Published on Jan 02, 2024 01:53 pm IST

Ways by which you can interrupt anxious thoughts with peace and calm

One of the ways of combating anxiety is by interrupting negative thoughts with positive perspectives. "In our recovery journey, one important skill is learning to interrupt and manage anxious thoughts. These thoughts can be persistent and overwhelming, but with practice, we can learn to gently steer our minds towards calmer waters," wrote Therapist Linda Meredith. Here are a few ways to interrupt anxious thoughts with peace and calm.
Published on Dec 28, 2023 03:17 pm IST

Expert tips to boost happy chemicals in the brain

Cortisol, the stress hormone, can disrupt the release of neurotransmitters such as Dopamine, Oxytocin and Endorphins. This can lead to mood disorders and anxiety. "The relationship is reciprocal, though, meaning that engaging in activities that boost these happy brain chemicals positively influences mood and emotional well-being. It can act as a buffer against the negative effects of stress, helping to regulate cortisol levels," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright.
Published on Dec 25, 2023 06:00 am IST

Types of rest we need to avoid burnout

Rest of every type is very important to avoid burnout. We often feel that physical rest is most important in order to keep ourselves sane. But that's not true. To keep the mind and body healthy, we need various types of rest. Nutritionist Marina Wright noted down the types of rest we need.
Published on Dec 27, 2023 09:35 pm IST

When cortisol is constantly high, weight loss becomes a struggle: Here's why

High cortisol levels can lead to excess belly fat, especially visceral fat. "Visceral fat has been linked to various health problems, including insulin resistance, inflammation, and cardiovascular issues. The issue is that losing fat when cortisol is high is extremely challenging," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright. Here are a few reasons why high cortisol can make weight loss very difficult.
Published on Nov 28, 2023 06:00 am IST

Typical anxiety triggers we should know about

Anxiety is the condition when a person constantly worries about their daily activities. Nausea, breathlessness and restlessness are some of the symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety can be triggered by even the smallest of things. "Anxiety can be very overwhelming. It feels debilitating at times. And why? Often because it can come up suddenly, wherever you are at that particular moment. It can take you by surprise, which is difficult especially when you feel you are not in a safe place. For example, becoming anxious when there are a lot of people around," wrote Psychologist Alf Lokkertsen. Here are a few things that can trigger anxiety.
Published on Nov 24, 2023 03:29 pm IST

What to eat to decrease cortisol and stress levels?

With some dietary and lifestyle changes, we can reduce Cortisol and stress levels in the body. "There’s no magic food to instantly lower cortisol and stress levels, but certain foods can support the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis) and help regulate the release of cortisol," wrote Nutritionist Marina Wright. Here are a few things that we can eat to reduce stress levels.
Published on Nov 23, 2023 02:56 pm IST