The 7 Best Stress Busting Gifts to Save Your Sanity
Stop the insanity and take a deep breath.
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Some days it takes every bit of willpower left in you not to fire off a snarky response to that rude email you received at work. Or, to keep your voice in check when your kids don’t put on their shoes the first five times you ask. Stress is your constant, unwanted companion.
We are stressed to the max. In fact, Americans rank among the most stressed in the world, according to a Gallup poll published in April.
The surprising thing is, stress is meant to be helpful. It delivers the energy you need to power through that work project by the deadline or to clean your house before the in-laws ring the doorbell for the holidays. But it’s only helpful in small bursts. Too much persistent stress leads down a darker path.
Why? Excessive stress is toxic. From tensing your muscles into fight or flight mode all the time to jacking up your heart rate and making your breath race. Stress knocks down your immune system, so you catch every cold and virus that comes your way. Eventually, it can lead to everything from heart problems to obesity to stomach issues.
All the extra hours you put in at the office, the lost sleep, and constant exhaustion take it out of you. Sometimes you wonder how you don’t completely lose it when the grocery store line is seven people deep and you still have a mountain of a to-do list to get through.
That constant stress stays with you. The pinching in the back of your neck. The bubbling up feeling in your throat. Those knock-you-down headaches and the weight on your chest.
So, how do we get some relief? Some stress relief, that is.
Self-care can do wonders for you physically and mentally. It’s so important… and also so overlooked. From stress relief supplements to indulgent beauty products, treat yourself (or a friend or family member) to a break from stress with these gift ideas for the holidays.
7 Best Holiday Gifts for Natural Stress Relief
These are the self-care products you deserve this holiday season. Take some time to relax and recharge or give a gift to a friend who deserves some stress relief.
1. Calm by Wellness Hemp CBD Sleep Oil Tincture
Get a good night’s rest with help from this high-quality CBD oil blend. This sleep-specific formula features broad-spectrum hemp extract and blueberry lavender terpene. Made from certified non-GMO and organic hemp, this CBD extract is raw and extracted without the use of toxic solvents. It’s also made from domestic hemp grown in Oregon, Colorado, and Minnesota. Free shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
$64.99 for a 1-ounce bottle
2. Vagus Nerve Oil by Osea
This oil hits a nerve — literally. No really, it’s designed to massage along the front of your neck to stimulate your vagus nerve. Even though you’ve probably never heard of the vagus nerve, it takes a prime role in promoting calmness. As the longest-running nerve in the body, it sends information from the brain to the gut and helps manage stress, fear, and anxiety. It’s even related to the term “gut feeling”.
When you’re feeling like a bundle of nerves, take a deep breath and get some stress relief with the help of a few drops. Massage it along your neck before bed. Finish by inhaling the calming scent, which stars soothing chamomile, juniper, and lavender oil. Free shipping when you spend $75 or more.
$48 for a 0.5 oz bottle
3. Dream Dust® by Moon Juice
Don’t spend any more time counting sheep or waiting for the sandman. With Dream Dust, you have your own magic sand… err dust to help you sleep. This herbal supplement features ashwagandha, jujube, polygala, chamomile, and Schisandra, a powerhouse of herbs to relieve stress, promote relaxation, and calm the body and mind. Stir one teaspoon into tea, milk, or hot water. Sip and enjoy some shut-eye. It’s non-GMO, gluten-free, caffeine-free, and vegan. Free shipping when you spend $50 or more. Two free samples with every order.
$38 for 1.5 ounces or $35 for 12 sachets
4. Handmade Wool Comforter by PlushBeds
It’s easier to take on the stresses of the day after a good night’s sleep. Curl up with this cozy wool comforter encased in a certified organic cotton sateen cover. Wool naturally regulates your body temperature, so you stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Feel free to snuggle face-first into this comforter. PlushBeds starts with pure wool and doesn’t treat its comforters with harsh chemicals, dyes or detergents. The wool is also sourced from growers that use gentle flock management and humane wool shearing methods.
$299 for a twin; $449 for a king
5. Lavender Sea Therapy Bath Salts by 100% Pure
Nothing says self-care like a relaxing bath for one. Ease tension and de-stress after a long day with these bath salts starring good-for-the-skin (and soul) ingredients: unrefined French crystallized kelp, vitamin C, vitamin E, lavender flower/leaf/stem extract, rosemary leaf extract, lavender essential oil, and geraniol, a component of natural essential oil. Dissolve half a cup of the salts in your next bath and soak up the stress relief. Even better, these salts come packaged in a glass bottle, so plastic packaging is one less worry for your stressed-out mind. Free shipping when you spend $50 or more.
$30 for a 15-ounce bottle
6. Charcoal Cacao Mask by Annmarie Skin Care
No self-care routine is complete without a face mask. Cucumbers optional. Show your pretty face some love with this new charcoal cacao mask. Great for all skin types, the activated charcoal draws out impurities, cacao restores and protects the skin, and turmeric calms skin, leaving it radiant and balanced. To use, apply mask to clean skin, leave on for 15 minutes, and then gently remove with a wet towel. Get 25% off full-size products on Black Friday with code EARLYBLACKFRIDAY.
$79 for 50 milliliters
7. Knock Me Out Chew by Goop
Get a break from your usual routine of moving from one worry to the next as soon as your head hits the pillow. Enjoy two of these bite-size melatonin chews before bed to nod off faster, without the play-by-play. Melatonin, L-tryptophan, and vitamin B6 help put you to sleep, while organic tapioca syrup, organic coconut sugar, and organic palm fruit oil make it a tasty experience. These chews are non-GMO and gluten-free. Free shipping when you spend $50 or more.
$55 for 60 chews or $30 for 30 chews
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