WINNIPEG, MB – We all know that stress can affect us physically but how seriously do we really take it? The pressures of work, family and just everyday life have gotten to the point that it affects almost everyone, everywhere and in every walk of life. We may look at the young mom who gets to stay at home with her kids as a cushy lifestyle that’s full of joy, while she is wondering how she’s going to get through her next sleepless night. And what is a bearable workload for one person may cause an anxiety attack in their co-worker.
The Mayo Clinic lists these common symptoms of too much stress:
Common effects of stress on your body
Common effects of stress on your mood
Common effects of stress on your behavior
Sound familiar? But how do we deal with stress? We can’t just quit our job or ignore our families. I admit to not handling stress in my own life very well. I can remember as a child throwing up just before I had to sing a solo in church or feeling sick about starting a new school year.
Experts have come up with some things that we can do to reduce our stress and I have been trying to incorporate them into my life for the last few decades. Exercise, meditation and healthy relationships are all beneficial to our mental well-being but often that just isn’t enough. So is there anything out there that is safe and beneficial to relieving our stress levels?
I have recently come across a supplement called L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea. If you drink a lot of green tea you are already reaping the benefits of this beneficial amino acid but it can also be taken as a supplement. I have spoken to numerous doctors about the anxiety relieving powers it has as well as the added benefit of increased focus and alertness and they all recommended it as an addition to my daily vitamin regiment.
L- theanine has other benefits as well. Using L-theanine for sleep is a good option due to the safety factors. L-theanine side effects are pretty much non-existent, especially compared with other compounds that people use to help with sleep.
Numerous studies have found that there is a very real positive connection between L-theanine and caffeine. It seems that L-theanine is able to counteract some of the ‘negative’ effects of caffeine – including the jitteriness and caffeine-related anxiety.
I have yet to see a negative side effect listed and have even heard of people who give this to their stressed-out pets! Given the harmful effects of stress on our bodies, this supplement is an easy pill to swallow and I for one am going to keep it in my arsenal of daily doses!
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