Remember when you couldn't wait to grow up, thinking adulthood was gonna be nothing but freedom and fun? Sure, being an adult has its perks, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility and stress. 

Adult life has a way of piling on until you're running on fumes and stressed out both mentally and physically. Typically, you know when you're stressed. But sometimes, you think you're "fine," when in reality, your nervous system is in overdrive—affecting your entire body, even when you don't realize it.

Stress doesn't just mess with your mood—it drains your energy, disrupts your sleep, and can even cause you to gain weight. If stress becomes chronic, it can lead to more serious health issues over time.

You can't avoid stress, but it's important to do everything you can to manage it effectively. And not just the obvious stress—good stress, like the kind from intense workouts, can take a toll, too. 

Today, we will explore some natural and highly effective ways to take the edge off and help prevent the long-term health complications that stress can cause.

Common Causes of Stress

Of course, there are the obvious reasons why you might be stressed. Work and work-life balance are big ones. Studies show that over 80% of Americans feel stressed about their jobs. Money is another significant stressor for many people, as are daily responsibilities, family dynamics, and unexpected challenges that pop up in life.

Emotions can also be a significant source of stress. Feeling worried, sad, or angry can quickly damage the mind and body, especially when those feelings linger.

There are also other causes of stress that people might not recognize as stress at all. Stress sometimes looks different from what we expect. 

For example, exercise is good for you, but it is still a form of stress on the body, and too much without proper recovery can do more harm than good. Even positive events, like planning a big celebration or starting a new chapter in life, can increase stress levels.

Remember, stress is anything that challenges your body or mind beyond its usual limits. There are many different kinds of stress. It can be physical or emotional, and even things that are "good for you" or exciting can trigger stress responses in the body.

How Stress Impacts Your Health 

While some stress is normal and even healthy, chronic stress can take a toll on your health. It's linked to a wide range of issues, including mental health challenges, physical illnesses, and a weakened immune system.

Sometimes, you're aware of your stress. There are obvious signs you need some stress relief in your life. But other times, you deny it, brush it off, or tell yourself you can handle it. "I'm fine" or "I don't feel stressed" might sound familiar, but your body always knows—and it keeps the score.

Here are some of the long term issues that can arise if the stress piles on and you don't manage it:

Mental Health Issues

Chronic stress disrupts the balance of mood-regulating chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. This can lead to anxiety, depression, and mood swings.

Stress also keeps your brain in a constant "fight-or-flight" state, making it harder to manage emotions effectively.

Heart Disease

Chronic stress increases inflammation and puts extra strain on your heart, raising your risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues.

According to the American Heart Association, individuals with higher stress levels are more than 40% more likely to develop heart disease. 

High Blood Pressure

Prolonged stress causes your blood vessels to tighten and your heart to pump harder, leading to consistently high blood pressure levels. Stress also triggers the release of cortisol and adrenaline, hormones that raise blood pressure and increase heart rate.

Digestive Issues

Ever been stressed and felt it in your stomach? It's not just in your head—your gut and brain are deeply connected (known as the "gut-brain axis"), which is why stress can impact your digestive system.

When you're stressed, your body enters "fight or flight" mode, which triggers the sympathetic nervous system. This can disrupt your digestion in several ways, like increased gut inflammation and stomach acid production, reducing blood flow to the digestive tract, and slowing gastric emptying. The result? Stomach discomforts such as bloating, cramps, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation.

If stress becomes chronic, it can contribute to more serious digestive issues, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers, and acid reflux. Stress can also worsen conditions like Crohn's disease or other inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Weight Gain or Weight Loss 

Stress can affect your weight in different ways, leading to weight gain or loss. When stressed, some people lose their appetite and eat less, while others may overeat to cope. But how stress impacts your weight goes beyond just eating habits.

Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that not only increases cravings for sugary, fatty foods but also encourages fat storage, particularly around the belly. Stress can also cause water retention and inflammation, which can make you feel bloated and add extra scale weight, even if you're not overeating.

Sexual Problems

It's not "just an excuse"—there are real reasons why some people experience drops in desire when they're stressed. Aside from racing thoughts making it hard to relax or focus on intimacy, chronic stress can throw off your sex hormones, which are essential for arousal and sexual satisfaction. 

When stress is ongoing, it can lead to imbalances in key hormones like testosterone and estrogen, which are crucial for sexual function. This can result in a lowered libido, difficulty achieving arousal, or even issues like erectile dysfunction. The mental strain can also affect emotional connection, making it harder to feel connected to your partner. 

Fatigue

When you're stressed, your body is in a constant state of "fight or flight" and has to work harder to try and manage stress. This can lead to feelings of fatigue or burnout. It also makes it harder for your body to recover and rejuvenate during rest, so you may still feel drained even after a great night of sleep. 

Cognitive Decline (Memory, Brain Fog, etc.)

Research shows that long-term stress, especially when it leads to prolonged high cortisol levels, can negatively impact memory, focus, and overall cognitive function.

Chronic stress can even shrink the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. This makes it harder to retain information, stay mentally sharp, and concentrate. As a result, you may experience forgetfulness and brain fog. Over time, persistent stress can contribute to more serious cognitive decline.

Hormone Imbalance

Stress can throw off hormone balance, affecting everything from mood to metabolism. As we've mentioned several times, when you're stressed, your body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol.

Cortisol isn't necessarily bad. You need it to help your body manage stress and maintain functions like regulating blood sugar, controlling inflammation, and supporting metabolism. 

However, chronic stress causes prolonged elevated cortisol levels, which can disrupt other hormones that regulate your mood, energy, and metabolic processes. For example, high cortisol can interfere with the production of thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism. This can lead to fatigue, weight gain, and sluggishness. 

Additionally, stress can increase insulin resistance, which can contribute to weight gain, especially around the abdomen, and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

For more on cortisol, read Understanding Cortisol. 

Stress can also affect the production of sex hormones, like estrogen and testosterone, which are important for reproductive health and libido. Over time, chronic stress can lead to more serious health issues, such as hormonal disorders or metabolic syndrome.

Irregular Periods

For women, stress can mess with reproductive hormones, leading to missed or irregular periods. Over time, chronic stress can lead to more severe disruptions in the menstrual cycle and even affect fertility.

Sleep Problems

When stressed, it is hard for most people to stop their minds from racing long enough to actually fall asleep. This is because when you're stressed, your body's natural response is to be alert, preparing for "fight or flight," which makes it harder to wind down. As a result, your mind stays active, and your body produces more adrenaline, keeping you awake.

Even if you manage to fall asleep, stress can interfere with the quality of your rest. It may lead to lighter sleep, waking up frequently during the night, and waking up early and not being able to fall back asleep.

Weakened Immunity

Chronic stress weakens your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and infections. This all goes back to… you guessed it… cortisol! Prolonged stress increases cortisol levels, which can reduce the effectiveness of immune cells and slow down the production of white blood cells.

This leaves you more vulnerable to infections and can delay recovery from illness or injury.

Over time, ongoing stress can also increase the risk of more serious immune-related conditions.

Lack of Motivation/Focus

Stress reduces both energy and focus, making it harder to want to do things that benefit your well-being. But there's more: when you're stressed, your brain focuses on survival, which takes priority over tasks like decision-making, planning, and self-regulation. This explains why you want to skip the gym, avoid important responsibilities, or procrastinate on tasks when you're stressed.

Muscle Tension/Pain

When stressed, your muscles can contract, often without realizing it. You might find yourself clenching your jaw or tightening your neck and shoulders. Over time, these unconscious muscle contractions can lead to soreness, neck pain, and headaches.

Skin Problems

Your skin is the body's largest organ. Just like other organs, it responds to stress. When stressed, your body releases stress hormones that can cause inflammation. This could result in an acne breakout, a rash, or other skin conditions. Additionally, stress can impair the skin's natural barrier, making it more vulnerable to irritation and breakouts.

Hair Loss/Hair Thinning

Chronic stress can disrupt your hair's natural growth cycle, leading to thinning or excessive shedding. Stress also triggers an increase in certain hormones that can weaken hair, making it more prone to shedding and breakage.

Stress-Induced Bad Habits

When stressed, the brain's desire for comfort and relief often takes priority over long-term well-being, leading to unhealthy habits. This could be social isolation, making poor food choices, or relying on substances such as alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to cope. 

These habits might seem to provide temporary relief, but they create a false sense of comfort, masking the underlying stress without addressing it. Over time, they contribute to a cycle that exacerbates both stress and health problems.

Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Stress

We've all heard that lifestyle changes can help manage stress. There are many effective ways to lower stress, but it's easy to overlook how these simple shifts in routine can make a huge difference.

Stress isn't just something you feel—it impacts your entire body. Changing certain habits or adding healthy habits can help take the edge off.  Here are some ideas to reduce stress. Making even a few of these lifestyle changes can help manage stress.

Move Your Body

Research consistently proves that exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage stress. Studies show that regular physical activity lowers perceived stress, boosts mood, and can help prevent the long-term effects of chronic stress.

If you love lifting weights, great! But exercise doesn't have to mean hitting the gym hard. Movement in any form helps release endorphins, the feel-good hormones that naturally lower stress levels. Even a brisk walk, stretching, or a short yoga session can signal your body that it's time to relax. 

Just don’t forget that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Too much exercise can cause your body stress. Ensure you are fueling your body for intense workouts and getting following a solid proper post-workout recovery protocol. 

Prioritize Sleep

How many times have you stayed up late studying or working? Or woke up after only a few hours of sleep to get in a workout or finish a project? Sleep is often the first thing we sacrifice when stressed, especially due to a packed agenda.

It's easy to think the solution is to skimp on sleep when juggling a million things, but it's a big mistake. In addition to the health issues that lack of sleep can cause, not getting enough rest can increase stress, leaving you feeling more on edge the next day.

Aim for 7-9 hours a night, stick to the same sleep and wake time, and consider winding down with a calming bedtime routine.

Mindful Breathing or Meditation

Meditation and breathing exercises aren't just for yogis. Taking a few minutes throughout the day to focus on your breath can do wonders for your nervous system. Meditation can help calm your mind and body, reducing the physical impact of stress.

Limit Caffeine and Alcohol

In moderation, both caffeine and alcohol are okay for most people. Just be mindful not to overdo it, as too much can exacerbate stress.

Caffeine spikes your energy and then causes a crash, which can leave you feeling more anxious. Alcohol may make you feel relaxed initially, but it disrupts your sleep and can mess with your mood the next day.

Connect with Nature

Just a few minutes outside, whether a walk in the park or sitting in the sun, is a great way to boost your energy throughout the day, clear your mind, and help lower stress hormones.

To enhance the benefits, try grounding! Take off your shoes and socks and connect with the earth by standing or walking on grass, sand, or dirt. This practice, known as earthing, is thought to help balance your body's energy, offering additional relaxation and calm. 

Say No When You Need To

It's hard to do, but setting boundaries is essential for managing stress. Overcommitting yourself, socially or professionally, only adds to your plate. Learn to say no and prioritize your mental health.

Try Aromatherapy

Essential oils like lavender, chamomile, or eucalyptus can trigger a relaxation response. Diffusing oils or applying them to pulse points can help calm your nerves during stressful moments.

Practice Gratitude

Focusing on what's going well in your life instead of what's stressing you out can shift your perspective. Taking a few minutes each day to think about or jot down things you're grateful for can help rewire your brain to focus on the positive.

Journaling

Writing down your thoughts is a very powerful way to release stress. When you're feeling overwhelmed, journaling helps you process emotions, gain mental clarity, and organize your thoughts. 

It's a simple way to help you reflect on what's bothering you, making stress feel more manageable. Try setting aside even just five minutes a day to write. You might not feel it right away, but with consistency, journaling can bring a sense of calm and help put the things stressing you out in perspective.

Hang Out with a Furry Friend

Spending time with pets can be incredibly soothing. Their presence helps reduce anxiety and elevate your mood. Studies have shown that interacting with animals can lower cortisol levels and promote relaxation. If you don't have pets, consider spending time with a friend's animal or visiting an animal shelter. 

Reach Out to Friends and Family

Isolation often amplifies stress. Whether it's hanging out in person, a phone call, or even just texting, social connection is proven to be one of the most effective ways to cope with stress. Just make sure the people you reach out to are positive and supportive. Interacting with someone who is negative, critical, or dismissive can easily increase stress levels.

Spread Kindness

Helping others can provide a sense of purpose and boost your mood. When you focus on improving someone else's day—whether through volunteering, offering support, or even a small act of kindness—it takes the focus off your own stress.

Acts of kindness also trigger the release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, which can help reduce stress and increase feelings of well-being.

Treat Yourself to a Facial or Massage

Don’t forget to be kind to yourself, too! Spa treatments aren’t only great for tight muscles and a vibrant complexion. A facial or massage can be a relaxing way to treat yourself and relieve stress. 

Book yourself a spa day as much as possible. If it’s not within your budget to go to a spa, you can recreate the atmosphere at home with aromatherapy, face masks, and a nice stretch session. 

Natural Remedies for Stress Relief

The stress relief techniques listed above, like breathing exercises, grounding, and journaling, can only do so much, especially if you are already experiencing chronic stress. 

If you frequently get stressed out or want to prevent your stress levels from taking over and impacting your health,  you might want to support your mental health with supplements.

There are natural amino acids, herbs, vitamins, and minerals that can help. Here is a list of the most effective:

L-Theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid that supports mental clarity, promotes relaxation, and reduces anxiety. It works by enhancing the production of calming neurotransmitters like GABA, serotonin, and dopamine, helping to counteract the body's heightened stress responses.

5-HTP 

5-HTP is a compound derived from the amino acid tryptophan. It plays a crucial role in boosting serotonin, the "feel-good" neurotransmitter that helps manage mood and promote relaxation.

By increasing serotonin levels, 5-HTP supports a calm, balanced state and can help reduce stress without the sedative effects of other relaxation aids. It's a great option for those looking for natural stress relief without feeling overly sleepy or sluggish.

When choosing a 5-HTP supplement, look for a high-quality form like HTPurity™. This version is known for its purity, potency, superior absorption, and fewer side effects compared to other forms of 5-HTP. 

L-Taurine

Another amino acid to consider is L-taurine, which plays an important role in regulating the body's response to stress. It helps increase levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety.

By supporting GABA activity, L-Taurine helps prevent the spiral of stress-induced thoughts, allowing you to stay calm and balanced without the spikes in cortisol and adrenaline often associated with anxiety.

Magnesium

Magnesium is essential for various bodily functions, including supporting healthy muscles, nerves, bones, and blood sugar levels. It also plays a crucial role in helping the body cope with stress.

Magnesium deficiency is fairly common, especially among individuals under constant stress. That's because when stress is prolonged, the body uses more magnesium to manage increased cortisol levels.

Supplementing with magnesium ensures your body has enough of this vital nutrient to promote muscle relaxation, improve sleep quality, enhance mood, and support overall stress management.

Folate

Folate, also known as B9, has been connected to anxiety management because of the role it plays in the production of mood-regulating neurotransmitters in the brain, like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Proper folate levels help keep the brain's chemical processes running smoothly, positively impacting mental well-being.

Other B-Vitamins

B9 isn't the only B vitamin that helps support the nervous system and mood regulation. There are other B vitamins that can help the body manage the physical symptoms of stress by promoting energy production and maintaining balanced neurotransmitter levels.

Even a slight deficiency in B vitamins such as B6 and B12 can lead to feelings of fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

Here is a great testimony about how taking B-complex supplements dramatically improved mood, energy, and overall well-being. 

Inositol

Inositol is a naturally occurring compound often referred to as a "B-vitamin-like" substance, though technically it's a carbohydrate. Inositol has many health benefits, and research suggests that higher inositol levels are associated with reduced anxiety and feelings of calmness. 

Vitamin C

Stress can weaken the immune system. Vitamin C is well known for its role in immune health, but that isn't the only way it can revive your health. Vitamin C is also beneficial for managing the negative effects of stress and helps to neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals released during stressful situations. 

GABA

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is a neurotransmitter that is key in calming the nervous system. It acts as the brain's natural "off switch," helping to regulate overactive nerve activity and promoting relaxation. GABA may also improve focus and promote better sleep quality.

Adaptogens

Last but certainly not least, adaptogens. Adaptogens are natural substances that help the body adapt to stress and promote balance in the face of physical, mental, and emotional pressure. 

Several adaptogens are said to help improve energy, reduce stress, boost immunity, support mental clarity, and promote overall well-being. However, the most studied and widely recognized is Ashwagandha.

When taken consistently, Ashwagandha is shown to effectively lower cortisol levels, reduce stress, and promote a calm, focused mind. It's particularly known for enhancing the body's ability to cope with physical and mental stress, leading to improved mood, energy, and relaxation without causing drowsiness.

There are several types of this powerful adaptogen. When choosing an Ashwagandha supplement, it is generally best to use KSM-66. This is the most potent and widely researched Ashwagandha extract. It is known for its high bioavailability, ensuring the body can absorb and use its active compounds efficiently.

KSM-66 Ashwagandha is one of our top suggestions for those seeking an effective, natural stress-relief solution. However, it's a very popular adaptogen, which means there are endless brands to choose from.

All Ashwagandha supplements are not equal. It is crucial to only consume an Ashwagandha supplement that comes from a trusted source that is doctor-formulated, free of fillers, and undergoes third-party lab testing.

The Best Supplements for Managing Stress

Most of the herbs, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals mentioned above can be purchased as stand-alone supplements— B complex, vitamin c, magnesium, inositol, ashwagandha and l-theanine are a few examples.

Some, such as Ashwagandha, are often best taken as a stand-alone supplement (meaning that it is the only or main ingredient in a product). This is because many proprietary blends containing Ashwagandha don't have enough to effectively manage stress.

However, most supplements that help manage stress are most effective when taken together and in specific dosages. Our favorite multi-stress support supplement is Revive Supplements Calm+.

Calm+ is a doctor-formulated supplement that contains a blend of crucial stress-relieving amino acids, minerals, and vitamins in efficacious dosages to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and support a healthy mood. It is ideal for adults experiencing high levels of stress or those needing to balance their mood.

There really is no better mood support supplement on the market. Calm+ is one of Revive Supplements' best sellers, with hundreds of 5-star reviews from customers raving about how the product has helped them manage everything from daily stress to ongoing stress and even temporary stress caused by situations like the holidays, flying or public speaking 

For those who experience ongoing high stress levels or want to mitigate the impact of chronic stress on the body, we suggest stacking Calm+ with Revive Supplements Ashwagandha KSM-66. This powerful combination tackles stress from multiple angles.

Calm+ works to immediately soothe and stabilize mood, while Ashwagandha KSM-66 addresses long-term stress resilience by regulating cortisol levels and supporting overall hormonal balance.

Together, these two supplements create a more complete approach to natural stress management, helping you feel calmer, more grounded, and better equipped to handle life's never-ending ups and downs.

Bottom Line

It is unrealistic to believe you can avoid stress or force yourself into a calm state. Remember, even positive things like working out and exciting life events are a form of stress. Also, you might not feel stressed, but your nervous system is probably saying otherwise.

Stress comes at us from every direction (both good and bad.) You can't avoid stress, but you can do things to manage it and lessen the long-term effects that chronic stress can have.

In addition to lifestyle changes, the best approach is to supplement with natural remedies known to promote relaxation, enhance mood, lower stress hormones like cortisol, and increase mood hormones like dopamine and serotonin. 

Calm+ and Ashwagandha KSM-66 are two of our best-selling stress relief supplements and the ones we suggest for most adults. However, we have several other stress relief supplements you might want to consider. 

For example, if you mainly get stressed out during that time of month, you might want to consider our natural PMS relief Calm Cycle Bundle. Or, if you seem to feel the impacts of stress the most at night, you should probably consider a sleep supplement, such as Revive Supplements SLEEP. 

If you want to learn more about managing stress and some of the supplements we’ve discussed, check out these popular articles:

• Using Calm+ to Help with Stress Management
• The History of Ashwagandha: A Time- Tested Product
• Supporting Mental Health with Supplements
• Men’s Mental Health Awareness
• 3 Ways to Combat High Stress & Cortisol Levels
• What are the Long Term Symptoms of Stress
  
  

If you have further questions about managing stress with natural supplements, check out our FAQ page or contact us for additional help.