Tension can have negative effects on your body. According to reports, tension can affect the heart, digestive system and even your immune system. Because of this, it's important to learn techniques to reduce tension.

Tension can make you feel tired and leads to a spike in cortisol hormone levels. These hormones are connected to weight gain and obesity, especially around the middle section of the body. It has also been associated with poor concentration and memory.

It is necessary to reduce tension in your everyday life to remain healthy. There are many ways you can reduce tension. Below are ten ways that have been proven to help.

Progressive Relaxation

With this method, you tense and then relax every part of your body, from your head to your toes. Focus on the parts you are relaxing. When you tense up and then relax, your body part relaxes, and your mind relaxes soon after.

The Journal of Clinical Nursing stresses that progressive relaxation has proven to help patients with mental illnesses relax and remain calm during tension filled episodes.

Meditation

The National Institute of Health report eight percent of American adults practice meditation. There are many kinds of meditation. A few include Mantra, Mindfulness and Spiritual meditation. There are also meditations that are combined with yoga, tai chi and qi gong.

Meditation can reduce tension by changing the way the brain reacts to daily stressors.

Get Creative

Whether you paint, write or produce music, your creativity can help reduce tension in your body. Creativity is a positive distraction from life’s stressors. It allows you to release negative emotions while producing a piece of art.

Art therapy is so effective that many counselors use it as a technique to improve mental health.

Drink Kava

There are many benefits of kava. Kava has been used for centuries to reduce tension in the body. It has relaxing and calming effects on the body, while remaining mentally alert. Many claim they feel more awake and aware than ever before, but also completely relaxed.

One can consume kava in supplement form and even in candy. However, most prefer to use the powder form to mix their kava tea.

Get a Massage

Millions of people use massage therapy. Reasons for getting a massage include pain relief, to reduce tension and to relax.

A variety of massage therapy techniques exist, including deep tissue, reflexology, orthopedic and acupressure. Many athletes enjoy massages also to ease tensions from sports related aches and pains.

Aromatherapy

With aromatherapy, scents can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation or by applying them directly to the skin. All these are a way of sending a message to the brain. With this method, each scent tells the brain a different message to help reduce tension or other ailments.

There are scents that produce many calming effects that can help ease and reduce tension in the body. Lavender, orange blossom, geranium, and sandalwood to name a few.

Laughter

There are many health benefits associated with humor. Laughter sends oxygen throughout the body and helps your muscles relax. Some reports say a good laugh can reduce tension for up to 45 minutes or longer.

Laughter can also be good for your heart, boost your immune system and release endorphins in the brain.

Sleep Well

More and more people are complaining they feel tired and tense, even after several hours of sleep. This may be because they are not getting quality sleep. Sleep deprivation is a common symptom. Unfortunately, it can have damaging effects.

When you get to the REM stage of sleep, or deep sleep, your body can reduce tension related symptoms. Making good sleep a top priority is important for overcoming tensions. 

If you struggle to get a good night's sleep, kava can help you sleep well throughout the night.

Deep Breathing

Your body, especially your muscles, need oxygen to thrive. Deep breathing helps you get that oxygen into your body. Deep breathing lowers your blood pressure, eases tensions by lowering your heart rate.

With each breath, you can begin to clear your mind while visualizing your tensions fading away.

Self-Hypnosis

Self-Hypnosis works by putting yourself into a deeply relaxed state, easing tensions and preventing stress-related troubles.

If you are not a master at self-hypnosis just yet, do not worry. There are many apps you can download on your smartphone that can guide you to a deep state of relaxation. Practicing self-hypnosis can help you handle everyday stressors that can lead to health problems later.

The tips listed here are ten of the hundreds of ways to reduce tension in your everyday life. One important note to mention is about drinking kava tea. Kava can be combined with any of the 9 remaining tips listed in this article to provide a more unique and effective relaxation effect.

Your body goes through so much each day. Stressors from work, family and social commitments can take a toll on both physical and mental health. If these stressors are not dealt with, they can start to do damage to the body over time. You can reduce this everyday tension with herbal remedies. 

Damage such as consistent headaches, overeating, and digestive issues are quite common effects of everyday stress related health issues. Memory loss and inability to concentrate are also signs of daily health problems.

Eventually, this minor damage can lead to more serious problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

To combat such damage, there are steps you can take to improve your everyday health. There are herbal remedies that have proven to heal and prevent poor health.

An herb is a part of a plant or tree. The parts can very different, but all have beneficial properties. To make herbal remedies, parts such as roots, bark, leaves, stems, seeds and even the fruit of the plant or tree can be used. Below are some of the best herbal remedies and how they can help.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is gaining popularity as one of the best herbal remedies today now that people are realizing how beneficial it can be. Native to India, this herb is known to relieve stress and strengthen the immune system.

It has been used for over 3,000 years and each part of the plant can have different benefits. The seeds are said to rid excess water in the body. The leaves have anti-inflammatory and sedative properties. The root also offers sedative effects, in addition to strengthening the immune system and analgesic aspects.

Being able to relax, relieve minor aches and pains and strengthen immunity will help improve daily health.

Kava

Kava is also one of the most popular herbal remedies today. It comes in many forms such as supplements. But drinking it as a tea is one of the best ways to consume it.

You should only purchase kava that has been harvested from the root of the piper methysticum plant from the South Pacific Islands. The root of the plant is pounded into a powder form, mixed with water and strained. The liquid is then consumed.

In a brief period, kava produces a calming and sedative like effect. All the stressors of the day fade away and allow you to feel completely relaxed. However, you do not lose mental clarity. That means you are alert and high functioning while at the same time feel relaxed.

There are kava varieties that are produced to help you have a good night’s sleep. Getting quality sleep has been proven in many studies to improve daily health.

Rhodiola

A native of Siberia, rhodiola can act as a natural anti-depressant. It has cellular benefits on the body, aiding in getting oxygen throughout the body. Furthermore, it can sharpen the mind and increase memory capability.

There are a variety of stress types. Many claim this herb can fight these stress types by helping the body and mind adapt to all types of situations.

Chamomile

One of the most well-known of herbal remedies, chamomile is native to several locations around the world. Some varieties come from Asia, while others come from Africa.

Chamomile is used by many people today. It can be purchased as a tea, tincture or supplements. It is an herb that can help those who suffer from digestive problems. This can include anything from heartburn to irritable bowel.

Chamomile has cleansing properties that help rid bacteria and inflammation from the body. You can even find it mixed with other herbal remedies.

Korean Ginseng

When using Ginseng, like kava, make sure it is from the root only. This is the most beneficial part of the plant.

Korean Ginseng users claim this herb can offer mental and physical alertness while also fighting stress. When you are feeling tired from a long day of work, or when you wake up feeling like you haven’t slept at all, this herb can give you the energy boost you need.

It can also boost your immune system and act as an anti-depressant.

There seems to be herbal remedies for almost every health-related issue. Whether you are suffering from digestive problems, blood pressure or any other results from stress, you can find herbal remedies to help relieve your symptoms.

Herbs such as kava seem to have more of a wide range of positive effects, offering relaxation, deep sleep or mental alertness. However, improving your well-being and everyday health is the most important goal. And whichever herbal remedy works best, that’s the one to use in your daily regimen.

We live in a society where it is people are constantly working towards improving their well-being and health. When a person has a stress-related disorder, anti-anxiety medications are given by a doctor.

When a person has trouble sleeping or has insomnia, a physician is likely to prescribe a man-made sleeping medication.

Many medications prescribed by doctors to manage or improve well-being come with an array of side effects, leading to the need for additional medications.

Your overall well-being can be managed using alternative, all-natural herbs and treatments. One proven way is with the use of kava.

Below are some of the ways you can include kava in managing or improving your well-being.

Relaxation

Everyone today is stressed out and over stimulated by many career and personal responsibilities. For most, their day begins before dark and ends after dark, leaving only a few hours to wind down before going to sleep again.

Weekends are just as busy, running errands, visiting friends and family and catching up on household chores. When does anyone just take time to relax?

If you speak with most people, they will tell you they constantly feel stressed and overwhelmed.

Being able to relax is important for your overall well-being. A stressed mind and body can lead to physical and mental illnesses. The illnesses most associated with stress and tension include depression, anxiety, obesity and ulcers. These issues can lead to bigger issues.

Drinking kava at the end of your day, or sometime through the day, can reduce the symptoms of tension and nervousness. It lifts your mood and allows you to feel calm when everything around seems chaotic.

Sleep Improves Health

Sleep can mean the difference between having a good day and a difficult day. So many positive things happen during sleep, like restoration of any ailing parts of our brain and body.

Lack of sleep leads to poor moods, weight gain and lack of concentration. Sleep deprivation, over time, can have serious negative effects on the body and can hinder memory and lead to more stress on the body. This can lead to heart disease, diabetes and other physical illnesses.

Drinking kava before bedtime can help you get a more peaceful rest. Kava relaxes your mind and your body and allows you to drift into a deep sleep which in turn improves your well-being. When you wake up the next day, you do not feel groggy.

Relationship Building

Connecting with others has been proven scientifically to improve mental health. It gives you self-confidence and a sense of belonging, both of which boost our overall well-being.

Healthy relationships tend to lower stress, lower anger emotions and give you a support. This support helps you get through challenging situations. Research shows healthy relationships encourage you to develop better habits that can lead to longer life span.

Kava can help to enhance social interactions. It can relax you physically and mentally. It loosens you up so you can become more socially interactive.

Kava is a better drink than alcohol for social occasions. It relaxes you without altering your thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Exercising the Mind

To improve well-being and stay healthy physically, it is important to stay healthy mentally. Making efforts to improve mental awareness can help you retain memory, concentration and focus.

You need a healthy mind so you can recognize any weaknesses that need to be improved. A healthy mind can help you maintain relationships, make important decisions, and make spiritual connections.

Kava was used in ancient times to allow leaders to receive messages from the Gods. It offers a relaxed physical state with a heightened mental awareness. Today, people rave about kava’s ability to increase mental awareness without having jittery feelings or hyper reactions from caffeine and other drugs.

Furthermore, taking kava before you practice meditation enhances your experiences and creates a much more beneficial spiritual time.

Exercising the Body

Not all exercise requires you to run to get a good workout. All forms of yoga can provide heart healthy workouts, making you sweat and work muscles just as well. There are many levels of yoga, Pilates, and any type of stretching can be a superior way to exercise your body. Similar to meditation, combining kava yoga can help you reach a deeper relaxation.

Bodybuilders report kava helps relax the muscles just enough to boost their workout. Muscle tension can hinder a workout. Using kava helps the muscles to relax so they can be stretched while also preventing overworking.

Drinking kava before you begin your workouts, whether bodybuilding or yoga inspired, can take you to a deeper level.

As you can see, kava can benefit your overall well-being in a variety of ways. Start managing your health today by implementing kava into your daily routine.

There are millions of people suffering from anxiety and other stress related disorders. It is normal and appropriate to visit a medical practitioner to address these issues. You need to be able to talk to a medical professional about your symptoms. 

Medical professionals too often recommend prescription medication as the first line treatment  before exploring other options. Both alternative and holistic methods of reducing tension are rarely considered before pharmaceutical options.

Prescription medications can help ease symptoms such as anxiety. They can also create more problems.

We'll explore the difference between pharmaceutical treatments, and alternative relaxation methods such as Kava Kava. This natural relaxation method is becoming more popular because of the many benefits of Kava.

Traditional Relaxants

Addiction, drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, trembling, feeling depressed, vision problems, impaired coordination, and grogginess. These are some of the side effects of benzodiazepines. 

Traditional relaxants help to calm you down in times that may provoke a normal anxiety response to stressors. They do this by relaxing your muscles and your breathing. They work. But they are also dangerous.

Tolerance to these types of medicines builds, creating a need to consume more of the pill. This type of behavior leads to addiction.

These drugs also work. However, side effects include excessive sweating, insomnia, strange dreams, weight changes, low sex drive and seizures. And there are more serious side effects to these drugs.

These are terrible symptoms. Eventually, the doctor will begin prescribing medicines to treat your side effects.

Withdrawal symptoms from medicines such as Effexor create a whole new set of issues. Some report feeling as if they are having out of body experiences. Some claim their anxiety is worse than when they started the medicine. Headaches, nausea and confusion are a few other withdrawal symptoms.

Why take a pill created in a laboratory when there are many other natural ways to relieve anxiety?

Natural Relaxants

Yoga, acupuncture, acupressure and meditation are all natural techniques that have been proven to be effective in supporting the body's response to minor anxiety. There are also herbal support options available.

Drinking kava is one of these natural herbal remedies, and it has a much longer history than any man-made medicines on the market today. Below is a list of the benefits you can experience when using kava.

Reported by Neurology Times, clinical trials have shown kava to provide significant benefits in reducing tension in the body.

Benefits of Kava

Nature-Made

Kava is created using the roots of the Piper Methysticum shrub. The roots are ground and mixed with water. Those are the only two ingredients, both of which are from nature, not a laboratory.

The active ingredients in Kava are Phyto-nutrients called kavalactones. These bind to brain cells that tell the body to relax and feel good. This is one of the biggest benefits of kava, because there are no added lab-produced ingredients.

Easy to Use

Kava typically comes in powder form. It can be made into a capsule or a tea. Many people prefer drinking kava.

The traditions behind kava drinking are fascinating. There are commonly kava celebrations and rituals throughout the South Pacific.

Place the kava root powder in a tea bag for easy steeping. Or, you can mix the powder with water and strain the liquid from the cloth to make your kava.

That’s it. Just a few simple steps to relaxation.

Take Only as Needed, Not Every Day

Kava can be only taken as needed. It is not something you have to take every day.

The Federal Drug Administration recommends 290 mg is sufficient and comparable to an anti-anxiety medicine. Other reports say to avoid taking more than 200 mg a day.

To date, there are no known overdoses from kava. You still need to be smart about how much kava you take and how often.

The right amount of kava for you may be different for someone else. You may have to experiment in the beginning to find your right dosage. Start with a small dose and see how it makes you feel. You can increase the amount if necessary.

Better Side Effects

Kava does not taste the greatest but that’s not why you are drinking it in the first place. The relaxing effects are what is important with kava.

There are many benefits of Kava, with relief of tension and frustrations being at the top of the list.

When you first drink kava you will feel a slight tingle, or numbing of the tongue. Then a feeling of warmth travels to your brain, signaling your body to relax. Your muscles relax and you feel a happiness towards others.

After kava does its job and exits the body, you will not experience grogginess or hangover like symptoms.

Kava Aids Other Ailments Too

There are many other benefits of Kava. Kava does not simply promote smooth relaxation. It has also been shown to support the body's response to everyday aches and pains, and promote relaxation to help a person sleep better.

Because it attaches to the brain receptors that prevent addiction, many use kava to quit smoking. 

Stress leads to aging. When a person is stressed, they release hormone chemicals such as cortisol. This hormone prevents collagen from being produced, which what makes our skin smooth. Kava allows you to relax, reducing the amount of cortisol and increasing the amount of collagen you receive.

Cortisol is also associated with weight gain. So, it only makes sense that kava can reduce your stress levels, reducing the amount of cortisol released, and therefore; reducing weight.

With so many alternative methods of relaxing, you can be more in control of your journey to better health.

Speak with holistic treatment professionals in addition to your medical doctor. Get them to work together.

Give herbal relaxants like kava a chance to reduce your tensions and help you relax. The many benefits of Kava make it a popular natural supplement. Take care of your everyday stress with a simple cup of kava.