Ok, this may sound too easy, but I found that drinking more water and making sure I'm well hydrated really helps with reducing stress and just feeling good in general. I have seen this idea echoed in a lot of different places. Now that I am aware of it, I have noticed that even being a little dehydrated can affect me in terms of feeling stressed. It can take quite a while for the body to re-hydrate fully. As part of a yoga retreat, I attended a class about a type of muscle therapy and the instructor mentioned that as he worked with a patient that he could tell if a person was dehydrated by the way their muscles responded to touch. Whether they snapped back into position or responded slower. He mentioned that it could take several weeks for the person to become fully hydrated and to experience a return of elasticity to those muscles.
How does dehydration cause stress? Here are some quotes from an article on WebMD.
Here is a direct link: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/water-stress-reduction
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Just a personal note: There is nothing new under the sun. I am just attempting to present info. here that has helped me. I hope to present it in a clear way based on my experience with anxiety which was a spiritual, psychological and emotional awakening for me. In retrospect of this experience I have been reading as much as I could to come to a deeper and more grounded understanding of this seemingly mystical thing that happened to me (so that I could share it with you). I'm not a doctor or a scientist. Please know this is only my experience. Yours will obviously be different, but since my experience was so similar to others I've talked to, I am hoping this may be helpful or useful to you in some way. It's also a way that I hope to share my love with you. That is my purpose here.
How does dehydration cause stress? Here are some quotes from an article on WebMD.
Here is a direct link: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/water-stress-reduction
“Studies have shown that being just half a liter dehydrated can increase your cortisol levels,” says Amanda Carlson, RD, director of performance nutrition at Athletes’ Performance, a trainer of world-class athletes.
“Cortisol is one of those stress hormones. Staying in a good hydrated status can keep your stress levels down. When you don’t give your body the fluids it needs, you’re putting stress on it, and it’s going to respond to that,” Carlson tells WebMD.
“You’re actually likely to get more dehydrated when you’re under stress, because your heart rate is up and you’re breathing more heavily, so you’re losing fluid,” says Renee Melton, MS, RD, LD, director of nutrition for Sensei, a developer of online and mobile weight loss and nutrition programs. “And during times of stress, you’re more likely to forget to drink and eat well. Just getting enough fluids helps to keep you at your best during times like these.”
Stress can cause dehydration, and dehydration can cause stress. It’s a vicious cycle. You can break it by building more water consumption into your day. “Stress can result in many of the same responses as dehydration -- increased heart rate, nausea, fatigue, headache -- so if you can remain hydrated you can reduce the magnitude of the physiological responses we have to stress,” says Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville.
How do you know if you’re dehydrated?
First, are you thirsty? If you are, you’re already dehydrated.
Second, take a look at the bowl the next time you go to the bathroom. If the urine is dark in color and has a pungent smell, you’re dehydrated. The darker the urine and the stronger the smell, the more dehydrated you are.
In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce to an ounce of water for every pound you weigh, every day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. If you’re living in a hot climate and exercising a lot, you’d be on the higher end of that range; if you’re in a cooler climate and mostly sedentary, you’d need less.Also, soft drinks, coffee, alcohol, and probiotic drinks like Kombucha or Water Kefir can contribute to dehydration. So, if you drink any of these be sure to follow up with plenty of water!
For sound downloads click here.
Just a personal note: There is nothing new under the sun. I am just attempting to present info. here that has helped me. I hope to present it in a clear way based on my experience with anxiety which was a spiritual, psychological and emotional awakening for me. In retrospect of this experience I have been reading as much as I could to come to a deeper and more grounded understanding of this seemingly mystical thing that happened to me (so that I could share it with you). I'm not a doctor or a scientist. Please know this is only my experience. Yours will obviously be different, but since my experience was so similar to others I've talked to, I am hoping this may be helpful or useful to you in some way. It's also a way that I hope to share my love with you. That is my purpose here.