Stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety often go hand in hand. The more stressed you become the more anxious you are likely to become. Vice versa if you are a naturally anxious person you are more likely to become easily stressed. Valerian is a long used British herb that is said in traditional medicine to ‘exert a quietening and soothing influence on the body and mind’. It also has mildly sedating properties so is used widely in natural sleeping remedies to help reduce sleep disturbances which often occur in people under stress.Stress and depression
Stress and depression are two other conditions that often seem to be linked nowadays. Incidences of depressive illness are increasing dramatically and many specialists believe that rising stress levels in our every day lives is one of the main reasons for this. Anti-depressants such as Prozac are nowadays commonly prescribed by doctors to help not just with depression but also with anxiety and stress related conditions as they have a calming affect on the brain. This is because they work by increasing levels of serotonin, a powerful neurotransmitter which helps to improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed. Unfortunately these drugs have side effects such as increased risk of internal bleeding or sexual problems so people often nowadays look towards natural alternatives. The two most popular herbal remedies that can also help to increase serotonin levels are St Johns Wort and 5HTP which can both be effective at helping to improve mood and peoples’ ability to cope with stress.Luckily nature has provided us with some wonderful natural remedies to help in this area.
SUMMARY
Stress for many people is an unavoidable part of their lives. Natural herbal remedies should not be used as a substitute for trying to reduce your stress load but they can play an important role in helping your body and mind to cope with stressful situations. Importantly they can help to give you the energy or state of mind to make the necessary decisions to reduce your stress load and help you lead a happier and healthier life.(published with permission in writing from:http://weblog.healthydirect.co.uk)
