Everyday stress gets to everyone, but during the COVID-19 pandemic that stress is intensified for many. Many people are concerned about their loved ones, the future, and their financial situations. If you want to combat your stress, keep reading to find out the best supplements to help reduce your stress and feelings of anxiety.
Photo, Kate Trifo.
Stress and COVID-19: According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), symptoms of anxiety and depression (16-28%) and self-reported stress (8%) are common psychological reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 could be affecting your mental wellbeing and affecting your sleep, without you even noticing. During times of great uncertainty, our bodies create a fight or flight response. This physiological reaction is completely normal when we feel under threat or harm.
With no end in sight for the pandemic yet, this natural response can play havoc on people’s everyday lives. The fight or flight response is designed to help keep us alive, however, it can be exhausting and start to drain your energy.
There are a number of ways you can combat COVID-19 stress and ease feelings of anxiety. For example, you can ensure you’re getting plenty of sleep, exercising, and eating a healthy diet. You can also try adding some useful supplements to complement your diet.
3 Supplements That Help Reduce Stress
Stress isn’t only a psychological feeling. When stress is left untreated it can lead to fatigue, headaches, irritability, nervousness, and stomach ache. That’s why it’s important to act upon it as soon as possible.
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These supplements can help you reduce stress:
1. Melatonin: Taking melatonin supplements can help to promote healthier sleeping patterns. Naturally your body produces melatonin to help you fall asleep. However, if stress is preventing you from sleeping then you might want to try taking this supplement to help you fall asleep faster or to stay asleep for longer.
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You can get melatonin supplements in doses from 0.3 mg to 10 mg. According to the health experts at Supplementcompass it’s best to start taking lower doses of melatonin to begin with and take more if needed. Although these supplements don’t affect the natural levels of the melatonin hormone in your body, the experts also recommend asking a pharmacy assistant or your doctor about the correct dosage for you.
2. Glycine: If the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting your sleep quality and your ability to focus then you aren’t alone. However, taking glycine supplements might be able to give you the boost you need.
Glycine is an amino acid that is used to create proteins in your body. These glycine proteins might be able to increase your body’s resistance to stress. Glycine does this by having a calming effect on your brain and lowering your body’s temperature to help you get a better night’s sleep.
3. Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is a herb that is native to India and is thought to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. If the pandemic always makes you feel on edge, then you might want to try taking some Ashwagandha supplements. Check out also athletic greens vs organifi.
Ashwagandha is similar to Rhodiola Rosea (a herb found in Russia and Asia) and is believed to enhance your body’s resilience to mental and physical stress.
