Modern life is often a juggling act, with stress becoming almost a given. Thankfully, Ayurveda, with its roots in holistic healing, offers a wide range of natural tools for managing stress and finding balance in our lives. Ayurvedic wisdom can be used in several simple self-care practices to cope with stress and bring a sense of calm to your everyday routine.

1. Relaxation Techniques

One of the most effective ways to combat stress is to practice regular relaxation techniques. Meditation, yoga, and deep breathing aren’t just buzzwords—they have a real impact on calming the nervous system. Ayurveda promotes these practices to encourage a natural relaxation response in the body, balancing the mental and physical tension that stress often brings. Try progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tensing and releasing muscles one by one, or simply take a few deep breaths when stress hits.

2. Step Away for a Moment

Sometimes, the simplest solution is the most effective. Stepping away from the source of your stress—whether it’s work, news, or personal responsibilities—can offer immediate relief. Ayurveda encourages taking regular breaks to reset and give your mind space to recover. Even a short walk or a few minutes outside can help you feel refreshed and bring you back to your tasks with a clearer mind.

3. Do What You Love

In times of stress, reconnecting with activities you enjoy can be a powerful antidote. Whether it’s spending time with friends, enjoying a good book, painting, or dancing, doing something that brings you joy can lift your spirits. Ayurveda teaches that engaging in joyful activities nurtures the mind and helps keep stress at bay.

4. Nourish Your Body: Eat Well, Exercise, and Sleep

Good nutrition, regular exercise, and quality sleep are the foundations of a balanced mind and body. Ayurveda emphasizes eating fresh, natural foods that nourish both body and mind. Exercise, even if it’s gentle yoga or a brisk walk, can release tension and improve mood. And let’s not forget sleep—getting enough restorative rest helps the body and mind recover from daily stresses and maintain balance.

5. Talk It Out

Sometimes, all we need is to share what’s on our mind. Talking to someone—a friend, family member, or counselor—can be a great way to process emotions and relieve stress. Ayurveda values connection and community; sharing your feelings with a trusted listener can provide a fresh perspective and lighten the mental load.

6. Limit Drugs and Alcohol

While substances like alcohol or other drugs may seem to offer temporary relief, they often lead to heightened stress in the long run. Ayurveda advocates for natural ways of managing stress, encouraging us to avoid substances that interfere with the body’s natural balance and amplify anxiety.

7. Embrace Aromatherapy

The calming effects of essential oils like lavender have been valued in Ayurveda for centuries. Lavender oil, in particular, is known to soothe the mind and reduce feelings of anxiety. A few drops of lavender oil in a diffuser or a warm bath can create a serene environment that naturally eases stress.

8. Enjoy a Cup of Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is a gentle, natural way to unwind. This herbal tea has long been recognized in Ayurvedic traditions for its ability to soothe the mind and calm the stomach, making it a great companion in stressful times. Sipping a warm cup of chamomile tea can help signal your body and mind to relax.

Ayurvedic Therapies for Holistic Stress Relief

Ayurveda also offers specialized therapies for deeper relaxation and stress relief. Treatments like Pizhichil (a warm oil therapy), Shirodhara (a stream of warm oil gently poured over the forehead), and Abhyanga (full-body oil massage) are deeply restorative and calming. These traditional Kerala therapies help detoxify the body and relax the mind, working in harmony with natural processes to bring about a sense of peace and renewal.

Integrating these Ayurvedic practices into your life isn’t about making a drastic change overnight; it’s about gradually building small, mindful habits that help you manage stress with more ease. By embracing these simple, time-tested approaches, you’ll find yourself better equipped to handle life’s challenges with calm and resilience

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm, also called an arrhythmia and can create blood clots in the heart, which can increase your risk of having a stroke by five times.

When a person has AFib, the normal beating in the upper chambers of the heart (the two atria) is irregular and blood doesn't flow as well as it should from the atria to the lower chambers of the heart (the two ventricles).

In this case, the risk of developing blood clots in your heart increases, which can not only cause a heart attack but also damage vital organs such as your brain. An AFib may happen in brief episodes, or it may be a permanent condition.

Common symptoms include palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing, pounding, fluttering or like you have missed heartbeats), chest pain, finding it harder to exercise, tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness or feeling faint.

READ MORE: You Can Stop A Heart Attack With This Medicine, Cardiologist Reveals Heart Attack 101

The death rate from AFib as the primary or a contributing cause of death has been rising for more than two decades.

Over 454,000 people with AFib are hospitalized in the US each year, out of which 158,000 die of the cause. It is estimated that 12.1 million people in the US will have AFib in the US will have AFib by 2050.

Who Is At Risk Of Having AFib?

• Advancing age.
• High blood pressure.
• Obesity.
• European ancestry.
• Diabetes.
• Heart failure.
• Ischemic heart disease.
• Hyperthyroidism.
• Chronic kidney disease.
• Moderate to heavy alcohol use.
• Smoking.
• Enlargement of the chambers on the left side of the heart.

Treatment for AFib includes medications to control the heart's rhythm and rate, therapy to shock the heart back to a regular rhythm and procedures to block faulty heart signals.

A person with atrial fibrillation also may have a related heart rhythm disorder called atrial flutter. The treatments for AFib and atrial flutter are similar.

How To Improve Your Heart Health

Experts recommend following the below to reduce yor risk of stroke or developing AFib and maintaining heart health:

• Don't smoke or use tobacco.
• Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity (or an equal combination of both) each week. Eat a heart-healthy diet.
• Stay at a healthy weight.
• Get quality sleep.
• Manage stress levels
• Get regular health screening tests.
• Eat a fiber, nuts and fish-rich diet
• Limit salt intake
• Reduce saturated fat intake

Changes in your voice, whether in tone, volume, speed or overall quality, can act as early warning signs for a wide range of medical conditions, experts say.

Your voice is produced by the coordinated effort of your respiratory system, vocal cords (also called vocal folds), and the resonating chambers of your throat, mouth, and nose. Even subtle shifts in hormone levels, hydration status or tissue health can noticeably affect how you sound.

Recent research shows that subtle changes in speech, for example, slurring or vocal cord tremors, may be signs of disease or illness like Parkinson’s disease, depression, cardiac and mental health problems, as speech requires coordination with the brain, muscles and respiratory system.

Which Conditions Can You Identify By A Change In Voice?

• Diabetes: High-pitched, raspy voices or vocal strain can be linked to diabetes, with AI studies showing up to 75% accuracy in prediction.
• Cardiovascular Disease: Voice analysis can detect high, fluttering voices associated with coronary artery disease, caused by stress or fluid changes in the vocal cords.
• Hypothyroidism: A deeper, softer, or huskier voice can indicate thyroid dysfunction.
• Respiratory Illnesses: Conditions like COVID-19 or COPD are often associated with a breathy voice, coughing, and short, interrupted sentences.
• Throat Cancer: Persistent hoarseness and raspy voice, especially lasting more than 2-3 weeks, can indicate laryngeal cancer.
• Parkinson’s Disease: Identified by a monotone voice, reduced volume, increased breathiness, and vocal cord tremors.
• Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia: Characterized by slower speech rates, hesitation, frequent pauses, and simplified vocabulary/sentence structure.
• Stroke or Brain Injury: Indicated by slurred speech or difficulty finding words (global aphasia).
• Cerebellar Disorders (caused by damage to the nerves in the brain's cerebellum): Manifest as loud, staccato speech (bursts of broken sounds).
• Depression: Linked to a flatter, softer, and more monotone voice with a reduced pitch range.
• Anxiety/Stress: Often presents as a higher-pitched, faster, and more tremulous voice.
• Schizophrenia: Indicated by monotone, disorganized speech.

What Else Can Affect Your Voice?

Apart from serious medical conditions, voice changes may also be linked to aging and lifestyle factors. Fluctuations in testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormone levels may also influence the structure and function of the vocal cords.

Dehydration is one of the most common causes of voice problems, as cords need adequate moisture to vibrate efficiently. Aim for at least 64 ounces of water daily, and more if you use your voice professionally or live in a dry climate.

Smoking irritates and inflames the vocal cords, causing chronic hoarseness and increasing the risk of vocal cord cancer. Even secondhand smoke and vaping can affect voice quality.

Diet also plays a role in vocal health. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics that can dehydrate your vocal cords. Spicy foods and acidic beverages may trigger reflux, irritating the throat.

Dairy products can increase mucus production in some people, affecting voice clarity. Voice overuse or misuse, common in teachers, singers, and public speakers, can lead to vocal fatigue and damage. The following table compares how different lifestyle factors impact your voice.

How Can You Take Care Of Your Voice?

Whether the cause is hormonal changes, medical conditions, aging, or lifestyle factors, most voice problems can be improved with proper diagnosis and treatment. Here are some things you can do to take care:

• Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day and using a humidifier in dry environments
• Warm up your voice before extended speaking or singing with gentle humming or lip trills
• Avoid shouting or whispering, both of which strain the vocal cords
• Take voice breaks during prolonged speaking to prevent fatigue
• Manage stress through relaxation techniques, as tension affects voice quality
• Treat allergies and sinus problems promptly to reduce postnasal drip
• Maintain good posture to support optimal breathing and voice production

Living under constant psychosocial stress can significantly raise the risk of developing dementia and a stroke, a JAMA Network study suggests.

Psychosocial stress is a type of stress related to our relationships with others, usually arising from feeling judged, excluded, or not enough in others' eyes. It can also put a person in fight-or-flight mode, causing both mental and physical symptoms.

According to Chinese researchers, people who experience this form of stress in childhood as well as adulthood face more than a threefold higher risk of developing dementia compared with those in other groups.

Similarly, young people experiencing stressful situations in their adulthood had a significantly higher risk of stroke incidence that their counterparts.

Based on these results, the study highlights that early identification of psychosocial stressors, combined with effective mental health support and depression prevention, may reduce the long-term burden of neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular disease.

What Did The Study Find?

The scientists defined adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as traumatic exposures occurring during childhood, typically grouped into 3 categories: household dysfunction, social dysfunction and family death or disability.

On the other hand, traumatic exposures occurring during adulthood were defined as adverse adult experiences (AAEs), which include events such as the death of a child, lifetime discrimination, ever being confined to bed, ever being hospitalized for a month or longer and ever leaving a job due to health conditions.

While analyzing the data they collected from the participants, the researchers also found that depression partly explained the links in all major relationships as it accounted for more than one-third of the connection between childhood adversity and dementia, and about one-fifth of the link between adulthood adversity and both dementia and stroke.

READ MORE: Avoid Doing These 3 Things Prevent Dementia, According To Neurologist

These findings suggest that long-term psychological stress may lead to brain and blood vessel diseases by causing ongoing emotional distress, unhealthy behaviours, and biological changes like inflammation and abnormal stress responses.

Psychosocial Stress: An Unseen Form Of Stress

Psychosocial stress can trigger physiological responses like increased heart rate, cortisol secretion, and inflammation, significantly increasing risks for hypertension, cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders.

This kind of stress can affect men, women, and people of all genders differently, but many of the symptoms are still the same. Common symptoms include:

• Sweating
• An increase in blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Nausea and digestive problems
• Strong emotional reactions such as sadness or irritability
• Drug or alcohol abuse

These symptoms can be acute or chronic, meaning for some people they go away, and for others, they persist over a long period of time. Meeting with a therapist is often recommended for those living with chronic stress.

Experts typically suggest developing coping mechanisms include building support networks, utilizing relaxation techniques, and, in cases of severe mental impact, seeking professional support to help deal with psychosocial stress.