Five Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself in a Stress-Filled World

Our New Orleans Record Store and Smoke Shop offers a variety of stress-relief products to consider, including music, incense, CBD, and detox products.

With all the hustle, bustle, information overload, noise, and conflict in the world -- plus, now, the pandemic, as if we didn't already have enough on our minds -- it's easy to feel stressed and burned out. To stay healthy, we need to take care of mind and body.

Self-care consists of any activities that help you rejuvenate yourself and improve your physical, mental, social, professional, or financial well-being.

It means things like taking the time to sleep better, eat better, practice mindfulness, learn new skills, set boundaries, reflect, ask a friend for help, meet new people, spend more time with friends and family, meditate, keep a journal, be more conscientious about your finances or more purposeful about your career.

Although we can't explore the gamut here, we do want to suggest five ways to take control of your wellbeing.

Try CBD.

Using CBD is an affordable and safe way to relax, relieve stress, and promote better sleep. Unlike THC and some other substances, CBD has very few side effects, and high doses are well tolerated. It is nonaddictive, nonpsychoactive, and nonintoxicating.

You can start with a small dose of CBD and experiment with different forms and amounts until you get the results you want. Mushroom New Orleans carries CBD tinctures, capsules, and topicals by a variety of trusted brands and in many delicious flavors. All of our products are lab-tested to verify quality, purity, safety, reliability, and compliance with local and federal regulations.

Listen to a favorite record.

Visiting a record store is good for the soul. According to clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Ivan Torres, music "has a positive effect on stress reduction in both physiological arousal and especially psychological response."

The benefits are immediate. "Music experienced as pleasant increases the intensity of emotional valence (feelings of happiness), which likely has a stress-reducing effect." Music can also simply distract you from stressful thoughts or negative emotions, whether you dance to it or simply listen quietly.

Surround yourself with attractive smells.

Burning incense in the morning helps tidying expert Marie Kondo to relax. She says that in Japan, "kōdō -- the appreciation of incense -- is considered a traditional art form on par with flower arranging and tea ceremony."

Our sense of smell is very powerful. Scents are processed in the olfactory bulb of the brain, which is connected to the amygdala and hippocampus, areas of the brain that process emotional reactions and memories. By evoking pleasant feelings and memories, the right smells can improve your well-being.

Aromatherapy involves applying natural oils to your skin so that they enter your bloodstream. Aromachology involves applying perfume or scents. In each case, the effect is to improve your well-being by evoking a positive psychological response.

Our New Orleans smoke shop offers an extensive selection of high-quality brands, scents, and burners, including wonderfully smelling incense, air fresheners, and essential and fragrance oils.

Go for a walk.

Scientists have long championed the physical benefits of walking, hiking, or other regular exercise: greater oxygen intake, better circulation, healthier heart rate, lower blood pressure. Exercising can reduce fatigue, improve your mood, and help you sleep better.

Unplug.

According to Nielsen, "American adults spend over 11 hours per day listening to, watching, reading or generally interacting with media." And many of us ‑- about a fifth -- find that our use of technology is a source of stress.

The combination of 24/7 digital connection and constant need to check emails, texts, and social media can make us feel inadequate and stressed. Check for signs that you may need a digital detox here. If you do, take some time away from the tech, if only for a few hours. (Hours spent sleeping don't count.)

Detox the body.

Every day we are exposed to countless unwanted and potentially harmful toxins. Completing a detox cleanse can help free you from their unwanted effects. From hair strippers and cleaning mouthwashes to detoxing beverages and potent 5-day full-body cleansings, we’ve got a variety of products to clean out the body and start fresh.

If you have any questions about what Mushroom New Orleans has to offer or just want to chat, we'd love to see you. We are here from 10 a.m. to midnight daily, or you can place an order online for curbside pickup. It’s worth the trip!