4 Tips For Stressed Out Moms

How do you know if you’re a stressed out mom? Have you been getting easily irritated by your spouse and kids? Do you often feel like you just need to scream or break down in tears? If so, there’s a good chance you’re in a similar situation to countless other stressed-out moms around the world. Motherhood has always been a stressful job, and the effects of the ongoing pandemic have brought many moms to what feels like their breaking point.

Fortunately, even in these trying and uncertain times, there are many ways for mothers to safely manage their stress. In this article, we’re going to discuss why mothers are stressed, how it may be affecting their health, and what they can do about it.

Why Are Moms So Stressed?

Mothers often have to balance life as a caretaker and breadwinner for their families, but doing so can be extremely exhausting. Raising children while also maintaining a career can be hectic, unpredictable, and requires a lot of time, energy, and patience. On top of that, since mothers typically do twice as much housework and child-rearing compared to fathers, even moms who aren’t employed full-time can end up feeling overwhelmed.

Being split between responsibilities at home and work can cause mothers to question how well they’re performing in each role. This pressure to be the “ideal” mother is often a significant source of chronic stress, and may also lead to feelings of anxiety and guilt.

The Impact of COVID-19 and Lockdown on stressed out moms

The difficulties that mothers face have only gotten worse since the arrival of COVID-19. With schools shut down, moms have struggled to ensure that their kids still get a decent education. Whether they’re setting up remote learning tools or trying to assume the role of teacher, mothers work frantically to keep their children from falling behind academically and socially.

In addition, moms have still handled most of the child-rearing duties during lockdown, even if their spouse is unemployed. This is one reason why American women are leaving their jobs at four times the rate of men. As a result, mothers have had a lot to worry about–financial security, their children’s safety, relationship stability–all while facing the uncertainty of the pandemic. With lockdown keeping entire families on edge, many moms feel trapped, helpless, and overwhelmed.

How Stress Affects a Mother’s Health

Stress is a natural response to the challenges of motherhood, but chronic stress can be very damaging to your physical and mental health. Toxic stress has been tied to a range of health issues, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, irritability, poor appetite, weight gain, headaches, and gut imbalances. When left unchecked, these symptoms can cause further stress, which results in a vicious cycle of declining health.

Tips For Moms Dealing With Stress

1. Stop Blaming Yourself

The challenges you face as a mother are not your fault, and you are definitely not responsible for a global pandemic. The unrealistic ideal of motherhood is a cultural problem, not an individual one. Simply accept that you are not to blame for your perceived shortcomings as a mother, and you’ll be able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

2. Use Social Media Sparingly

Social media can serve as a temporary escape from the stresses of lockdown, but browsing for too long might cause you to view your life negatively in comparison. Remember that social media isn’t always a good representation of reality, and treat it as nothing more than a brief diversion.

3. Practice Self-Care

With all the running around you do taking care of your family, it’s important to make quality time for yourself. The pandemic makes it difficult to properly treat yourself, but there are plenty of things you can do in order to relax and clear your mind. Have a warm cup of tea, read a book, take socially-distanced walks–do whatever you find enjoyable.

4. Nurture Physical and Mental Health

It’s much easier to cope with stress when your body and mind are in good health. Make sure that you’re eating plenty of healthy foods, do your best to get an adequate amount of sleep each night, try to sneak in exercise whenever possible, and practice relaxation or mindfulness techniques. A healthy body encourages a healthy mind, and vice versa.

In particular, CBD products are a great option for moms looking to keep stress at bay while also encouraging a healthy lifestyle. CBD, a compound found in cannabis, has a number of therapeutic qualities. For example, multiple studies have shown that CBD can help with anxiety, promote healthy sleep patterns, and even regulate appetite and gut health. CBD can therefore serve as a potential all-in-one solution for moms trying to take the edge off their stress. Tessera Naturals CBD products are all-natural, safe and non-intoxicating, so you can enjoy a myriad of health benefits while still excelling at your motherly duties.

Bonus tip for stressed out moms!

As we are now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel of COVID-19, and as we emerge from the pandemic, take time to think about what changes you can make in order to live a better and happier life in the “new normal”.  Take inventory of your daily habits and personally reflect upon how you can take care of yourselves, so we can keep calm and carry on!