How Millennials Relieve Stress Naturally

How Millennials Relieve Stress Naturally

George Burns once stated, “If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.”  If only it were that easy George.

Millennial’s are in the middle of a stress epidemic. Millennials are moving away from prescription drugs to relieve stress and embracing natural solutions.  While it might not always be possible to avoid stress, trying to keep worry and stress to a minimum is challenging. Rather than the use of alcohol, junk food or drugs, naturally relieving stress helps you cope better and live longer. What we put into our bodies greatly impacts our state of mind.

There are three key elements adding to millennials high stress levels:

They’re Moving Into Their Prime Spending Years

The first Millennials (conceived in 1980) just achieved their pinnacle purchasing power, and the younger Millennials are confronted with the reality of buying homes and cars and spending money on their children. These major money related choices are certainty a factor in their ever-present stress. We are watching our back account dwindle each and every day as monetary burdens mount.

They’re Entering Their Prime “Climbing The Ladder Years”

Just three years prior, 76% of Millennials showed work was a huge stressor in their lives, while pressure mounts to achieve higher work success. Now more than ever, we recognize the importance of status. This isn’t only based on our job title but the actual money we bring in. Let’s face it, we need to keep up appearances and make our parents proud. This is a lot of pressure.

They’re making big decisions like marriage and children

Millennials are also under a lot of pressure from family, friends and society to get married. Only two in five millennials were married in 2015, compared to two in three in 1980. The average age for marriage is now 27 for women and 29 for men compared to 21 years for women and 23 years old for men in 1963. The biggest reason millennials attribute to holding off on marriage is getting their finances in order.

Let’s face it, when someone hears that your $100,000 in debt from college and they are financially stable, you somehow become less appealing in the “to have and to hold forever and ever” department. The same reason applies to why only 30% of millennials have children

So back to what George Burns said, how do we simply not stress? According to FORBES, “It seems that millennials are the most stressed-out generation…And yet, this is also a generation that is more heavily focused on healthy living than previous generations.”

Millennials Go Au Naturale

Food and Vitamins

With respect to their eating routine, as indicated by the American Psychological Association, millennials are utilizing more natural cures. For example, ashwagandha and maca root are more favorable options to what a doctor would prescribe for alleviating stress.

A Clean State Of Mind

Millennials are also using less drugs and alcohol. According to Forbes.com “Sober dance parties like DayBreaker are becoming the new rage, inviting guests to “DOSE” on all-natural chemicals like Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins before heading out for a work day.”

Mindfulness

Other “natural highs” include  meditation, yoga, and exercise. There is also specifically mindfulness mediation in which you simply focus your awareness on the present. This method of relieving stress naturally significantly improves your state of mind, with consistent practice, in a matter of days.

Focus on Your Breath and Your Senses

Mindfulness is about focusing on being present and allowing your body and mind to connect right where you are.

Take a seat and slowly think about all of your senses: taste, smell, vision, touch, and sound.

Focusing on one’s breath and one’s body is important with mindfulness.  It can be helpful to think, “‘What am I aware of right now?’ instead of being caught up in the worries,” said Byrne.

The Takeaway

Despite being more stressed than other generations, millennials, with their resiliency and optimism, will help usher in less harmful stress relieving habits for existing generations and to follow!

Relieving stress naturally is a choice. One of which will increase the likelihood that you will stick around for your loved ones. Most of us know we feel a sense of guilt when we over do it when we are stressed, like having that extra cocktail or processed snack.

Live a life in which your mindful about what goes into your body each and everyday and you will allow your body to thrive taking your mind alone for the ride.

What’s your favorite “natural high”? Mine is watching, kissing up, teaching, learning, spending time and doing just about anything with my babies!!