Simple Tips To Balance Stress Without Food or Alcohol
Part of being human means experiencing times of emotional ups and downs. Sometimes life is flowing, and everything seems to fall into place perfectly. At other times, it can feel like you're riding a rollercoaster that you never intended to board.
Living mindfully doesn't mean that you get to skip through life untouched and unphased by the real-world obstacles we all face. What it does mean, however, is that instead of letting your mind's negativity bias take over – you have options.
In this article, I'll discuss why your brain and body are wired to reach for food or alcohol in the midst of distress. I'll then share some more empowering options that you can add to your toolbelt to stop those unhealthy urges and begin to process stressful situations instead of becoming a victim to them.
Food, Alcohol, and Stress: An Ayurvedic Perspective
According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes that every food you consume can be broken down into. These include sweet, salty, sour, astringent, bitter, and pungent. Each of these six tastes has a unique impact on your mind-body system, influencing not only your physical body -- but also your emotions.
This is why when you experience a craving for a specific food or drink; you can often trace it back to an emotional need that isn't being met. The problem is, food and drinks can only give temporary relief of imbalances and rarely are enough to bring you back into homeostasis.
Furthermore, we tend to crave things that will imbalance us even more instead of what our mind and body actually need. When's the last time you couldn't stop thinking about the head of broccoli in your refrigerator? That's what I thought.
The wisdom of Ayurveda explains that it takes all five senses to create a balanced mind. The inputs you receive from your environment have much more of an impact than you would assume, which you can actually leverage to your advantage.
When discussing stress, the sweet and astringent tastes are often our go-to's when it comes to cravings; let's dive deeper:
Astringent: Put Down That Glass Of Wine
A common go-to for people under stress is alcohol. For obvious reasons, alcohol can take you out of your current mindset and help you forget your problems (in the short term). One of the primary tastes associated with alcohol, especially wine and hard alcohol, is astringent.
From an ayurvedic view, the astringent flavor provides grounding qualities that help you feel more stable, organized, and collected. I like to say that a glass of wine can make you feel like you're "coming home to yourself" after a long day.
When you're under stress and feel scattered, having a drink can help gather your mind and center you for a while.
The problem is, when the astringent taste is out of balance (i.e., you consume too much of it), it can lead to feelings of fear, anxiety, sadness, resentment, and emotional heaviness – not exactly what you're looking for when trying to process stressful events.
This is why you wake up after a night of drinking feeling worse than you did the night before – both physically and emotionally. It's easy to "let go" while you're under the influence of alcohol and the astringent energetics, but once it wears off, all you're left with is the remnants of a hangover and unprocessed emotions.
Sweet: Nope, That Cookie Won't Do It Either
Okay, so alcohol will only make you more stressed; what about a little sweet?
Although people crave all six tastes now and then, the sweet flavor is by far the most common. Consuming sweets increases kapha in your body, which leads to increased feelings of comfort, love, happiness, and peace. Research even shows that sugar can stimulate the release of endorphins (opioids) and dopamine – the feel-good chemicals in your brain[*].
Those are the same chemicals released when people take heroin or cocaine, which is believed to be one of the reasons many people struggle with sugar addiction.
The problem with too many sweets, however, is that just like alcohol and astringency, it won't actually get to the root of your stress. Instead, it will provide immediate comfort followed by feelings of attachment, possessiveness, greed, and, you guessed it – more craving.
Now instead of trying to process your emotions, you'll be riding a sugar rollercoaster that keeps your mind trapped in a cycle of craving and shame.
Luckily, there are plenty of alternative options that you can add to your toolbelt when stress starts to roll in. This does not mean that you can never turn to food or alcohol again. In fact, I would say that if you aim to avoid them altogether, that will be your first step in the wrong direction. Whatever you tell yourself you can't have – you'll want even more.
That's why I recommend beginning by using the following practices in conjunction with whatever food or alcohol habit you're trying to break. Use it as an experiment – give your mind some empirical data that will strengthen your resolve before you try to go all-in. Over time you can replace unwanted habits with more empowering ones – it doesn't have to be hard.
9 Simple Tips To Balance Your Stress Response Without Food Or Alcohol
#1 Take Some Deep Breaths
Take a deep breath. Inhale fully, and then exhale out as long as you can. How do you feel?
When you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your nervous system that you're okay. It tells your brain, "look, we're safe; if we weren't safe, we wouldn't be able to take these long luxurious breaths."
When you're stressed, your body enters "fight or flight" mode. This activates the sympathetic branch of your nervous system, signaling your body to prepare for a threat. As a result, your breath gets more shallow and quick, your heart rate jumps, your blood pressure quickens, and your thoughts become more focused and vigilant – looking for danger.
On the other hand, when you're relaxed, your breathing slows and becomes more deep and relaxed, your heart rate returns to normal, and your blood pressure drops. You can think more clearly and abstractly, and the world around you becomes a safe place once again.
Due to the ancient wisdom of your nervous system, it doesn't care if the stress you're facing is a predator in the wild or a long line at the grocery store. All it cares about is keeping you safe. Fortunately, we don't come across hungry predators all that much anymore. But lines at the grocery store? All the time.
One of the amazing things about the mind-body connection is that you can utilize your body to control your mind. Even when you're completely stressed out, slowing down your breath signals your brain that all is well. This will gently nudge you out of sympathetic activation and into parasympathetic mode (rest and digest)[*].
Now you can look at the line (or whatever else it is that's getting to you) with a little more logical, thoughtful thinking.
#2 Sing Away The Stress
Do you ever sing when you're alone in your car? Of course you do.
Although you may feel a little silly when someone pulls up next to you at a stoplight, singing is actually one of the most delightful ways to reduce stress. The melody of the music can speak directly to your heart, especially if it's a song that you really love. We've all had that experience of hearing our favorite song come on the radio, turning up that dial, and belting it out as if you own it.
Why do you feel so good after?
Physiologically, when you sing, it activates the parasympathetic mode, similar to how deep breathing works. In addition, it increases something called heart rate variability, which is a marker for stress. When you have high heart rate variability, you are more resilient to stressful feelings[*].
Furthermore, research shows that singing may directly reduce the stress hormone cortisol. Need I say more[*]?
#3 Chant "Om"
If you've been to a yoga class, you've likely heard the resonant "Om" chant once or twice. Om is one of the most well-known chants, and for a very good reason. The ancient texts explain that "Om" is the sound that the universe made while it was being born. The original vibration of creation, if you will.
If you sit in a room full of yogis and allow the chant to penetrate your being, you can feel its healing vibration to your core.
While there is undoubtedly more magic going on here than science can explain at this point, what we do know is that chanting "Om" is another way to enhance the activation of your parasympathetic nervous system.
As you chant, it stimulates the muscles in the back of your throat that are connected to your vagus nerve. Your vagus nerve is directly related to your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). Simultaneously, the ancient structures in your brain that are on threat detection duty, like your amygdala, are dialed down, leaving you with a sense of safety and calm[*].
#4 Quickie Meditations
If you have time to sit down for a 45 minute meditation and really center yourself, fantastic.
If, however, you're like most people, a 45-minute sit isn't in the cards.
The good news is, research shows that just ten minutes of mindfulness meditation each day may have a significant impact on feelings of anxiety[*].
One of my favorite mindfulness practices is mindful breathing. This simple meditation technique asks you to pay attention to your breath, closely following each inhale and exhale, without trying to control it and without judgment. When your mind wanders (and it will), simply return your attention to the natural flow of your breath. That's it.
Meditation helps with stress in the long term by increasing gray matter in your brain. Gray matter is responsible for several aspects of stress management, including memory, emotions, speech, decision making, self-control, and more[*].
#5 Move Your Body
Staying physically active is crucial for overall health and well-being, and research shows it directly impacts stress.
When you move your body, it increases something called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF plays a role in your brain's neuroplasticity – its ability to form new connections and break down old ones[*].
Increased stress can cause a disruption in BDNF activity and may lead to feelings of depression and possibly anxiety[*][*].
What's more, moving your body also increases endorphins, the same feel-good chemicals that get released when you consume sugar[*].
Short on time? No worries.
Research shows that quick workouts like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity workouts can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression and increase emotional resilience[*].
#6 Yoga Asanas
Yoga, the sister science of Ayurveda, is a fantastic tool for enhancing your mind-body connection and bringing yourself back into balance. There are hundreds of different poses and flows to choose from, but some of the most effective at reducing stress include:
Hip openers: Women, in particular, tend to carry stress in their hips and pelvis. Hip opening poses such as half pigeon allow for a release in this area and can be very stress-relieving.
Forward folds: Forward folds help to nourish your adrenal glands and assist in stress management.
Open mouth exhales: Similar to how deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic mode, deep open mouth exhales slow your heart rate and send a message to your brain that you are safe.
Extended savasana: While many people joke that savasana is the easiest pose in yoga, the reality is that a lot of people find it to be the most challenging. Laying down on the mat, silent and still, opens the door for your mental chatter to begin. Staying in savasana for an extended period and winning out over your mind that says, "okay, now that your yoga practice is almost done, let's get back to your to-do list," will strengthen your resolve to stay in balance and at peace.
#7 Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is one of the easiest and most passive ways to enhance calm and peace in your environment.
Numerous studies have been published showing the stress-suppressing effects of essential oils. Some of the most well-researched include[*] :
Lavender
Rose
Rosemary
Bergamot
Chamomile
Grapefruit
Neroli
Bitter orange
You can use essential oils like you would perfume and apply them to your skin, or use a diffuser to fill your room with a pleasant scent.
#8 Self-Massage
If you can go out and get a message from someone else, then by all means, do it.
However, if you don’t have the time, money, or energy to get a massage elsewhere, you can give yourself a massage right in the comfort of your own home. A warm oil massage, also known as abhyanga, is a beautiful way to nourish not only your skin and body, but your mind and heart as well.
When you massage your skin with warm oil, it sends a message to your brain that initiates the release of oxytocin (the love hormone) and reduces the release of cortisol (the stress hormone)[*].
To read more about the health benefits of abhyanga, check out my post here.
#9 Spend Time In Nature
Nature provides all of your senses with "sattvic" input. Sattvic is an ayurvedic term used to describe the quality of peacefulness and purity. When your mind is sattvic, you are relaxed, open, caring, loving, warm, and creative.
In general, the goal of managing stress is to find your way into a more sattvic mindset.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, creating peace in your mind takes all five senses. While you can find ways to balance your senses with beautiful music, scents, and scenery – finding time in nature is like inundating yourself with sattva from all angles.
The sound of birds chirping, the scent of flowers as they begin to bud, the way the earth feels under your bare feet, and the vast beauty of nature are all sweet sattvic delights that nourish your mind.
Final Thoughts
Enjoying food and the occasional drink or two is a part of living a healthy, well-balanced life. However, when these things become crutches and a way to escape, it inhibits your ability to grow and move forward.
Stress is a natural part of life; we can't escape it because it's here to show us one aspect of all that life has to offer. Without understanding stress and sadness, we wouldn't be able to recognize joy, relief, and happiness.
Utilizing the tools above, along with other practices that bring you feelings of balance and centeredness, creates the conditions necessary for experiencing and moving through stressful situations – without letting them steer you off your path.