Stress Relief for Moms: 7 Ways to Grow in Peace, Love, and Joy Today

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As life continues to take twists and turns through the rollercoaster that is this year, mamas are bearing the brunt of the burden. We mamas are more often than not the primary caregivers of our children, and many of us are trying to manage work alongside all this undue stress. With that being said, it’s clear to see exactly why women are the ones who suffer most from depression and anxiety disorders. The good news is, there are many simple daily habits we can implement in order to lighten the burden and manage stress.

Here are seven easy habits for stress relief/management:

Get Moving

Whether it’s signing up for a live virtual exercise class or simply going for a walk, physical movement is essential in balancing stress hormones and elevating mood.

Go Outside

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for health and wellness. It helps you absorb calcium, and as women, we understand how important that is to our bone health. Getting at least 15 minutes a day of sunlight is super helpful in building our Vitamin D while also normalizing other brain hormones like melatonin. If you’re feeling sleepy in the middle of the day, go catch a few minutes of sunshine! 1

Stress Relief for Moms: 7 Ways to Grow in Peace, Love, and Joy Today Meli Rentas Contributor Miami Mom Collective

Switch to Matcha

Ok hear me out, I know we all love our café con leche or colada. But all that sugar just spikes our insulin resulting in a short-lived burst of energy and a quickly approaching sugar crash. Matcha is a healthy source of caffeine that is amazing for alertness minus the jitters. Some people who suffer from anxiety will notice that coffee makes them more anxious, however matcha provides the focus and energy without the heart palpitations. It’s also believed to be helpful in burning fat and it may help prevent cancer. 2

Prioritize Sleep

I know you’ve heard it many times but if you’re dealing with a lot of stress, then sleep couldn’t be more important. Did you know that sleep deprivation is linked to hypertension, heart attacks, stroke, obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, decreased brain function, memory loss, lower immune system, infertility, and psychiatric disorders? These are all legitimate concerns that can creep up at any time. Getting at least eight hours of sleep every night can truly help offset these as a part of a healthy lifestyle. 3

Plan to Play

Let’s face it, we are busy people. There’s a lot to be done and little time to do it. Having realistic expectations of ourselves and others is necessary to making progress on that to-do list. In addition to that, scheduling fun into your week is another amazing way to manage stress while deepening your relationship with your spouse, kids, and extended family.

Eat or Drink Green

“More greens less problems.” That’s what I like to say! While I may not be a nutritionist, I definitely have been exposed to many health and wellness professionals over the last 14 years. One major consensus is the immense physiological benefits of getting all our greens. This is something that I definitely struggle with. If you do too, I encourage you to check out some greens powders to start. Make a yummy smoothie with some coconut milk and banana and chug. Another hack is to make it extra cold and icy and go out for a walk on a Saturday at 11 am. The heat and thirst will make the green drink much more bearable.

Incorporate Relaxation

Relaxation is a phenomenal component to add to a health and wellness routine. Setting aside any little bit of time to listen to a guided meditation yields so much stress relief and calmness. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with stress or anxiety, adding this as a part of your daily or weekly routine will yield high benefits. Practicing relaxation has been shown to reduce blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and pain. It has also been shown to increase blood flow, energy, and positive coping. 4

I know this is a pretty long list of habits and by no means should you consider adding all these new habits at once. That’ll be a surefire way to feel defeated and give up. It’s just not humanly possible to start THAT many new habits at once. The good news?  Pick one. Yup, just one. Decide today which one of these habits for stress relief seems most beneficial, doable, and realistic for you given your personal circumstances. Then, develop an action plan for adding that habit into your daily or weekly routine. Set phone reminders, add it to your phone calendar, and wall calendar. Enlist an accountability partner and let’s get healthy and whole together!

 

References

  1. Vitamin D Deficiency, Mediline Plus
  2. Does Matcha Green Tea Help Burn Fat and Fight Cancer?, Dr. Axe
  3. 10 Long-Term Effects of Sleep Deprivation, Sleep Health Solutions
  4. Take it Easy: Benefits of Relaxation, Northshore University Health System

Recommendations

  1. Inexpensive Stationary Bike: I’ve been using this with the Peloton app and it’s been great! 
  2. Peloton App- Check your app store
  3. Organic Matcha
  4. Sleep Tracker Apps- Check your app store
  5. White Noise Machine: I’ve been using this one for years and it really helps me fall and stay asleep. I don’t put it too loud and I can definitely still hear my little ones on the monitor. 
  6. Super Greens
  7. Planner: Planners are a great tool for writing down and tracking your goals and habits. 
  8. Relaxation Apps: Check your app store. My personal favorite is the one called “Abide.” The sleep meditations are great and my five-year-old loves them too! They even have sleep meditations especially for kids along with ones for anxiety, stress relief, and more.
  9. Wall Calendar
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Meli Rentas
Meli Rentas is a Miami-raised girl with Cuban-American parents. She was born in Fort Worth Texas were her dad was attending Southwestern Theological Seminary. After her dad completed seminary, Meli’s family moved back to Miami when she was four years old. She has a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in mental health counseling from Florida International University. She is also a state-certified school and guidance counselor and exceptional student educator. She has worked as a teacher, youth and adult counselor, and loves to help and serve families. After marrying and having her first son, Meli decided to stay home and dedicate herself to this new role as a mom. Throughout the past five years, she has both witnessed and experienced the real mental and emotional hardships of motherhood. It is her desire to encourage and equip mothers with all she’s learned both in mental health and as a mom on navigating this role with joy, love, and peace. Follow her on Instagram @melirentas