These 3 Stress Management Tips Are Making You More Stressed
✨ Header: The 3 “Healthy Habits” That Are Quietly Wrecking Your Nervous System
🧠 Have you ever felt…
Like you're doing everything the experts say?
You start your day with a green smoothie and a meditation app.
You walk in nature while listening to the latest podcast on mindfulness.
You journal before bed with affirmations that feel... flat.
And yet, you're still exhausted.
Still snapping at your kids.
Still scrolling at midnight, wondering why the stress won’t leave your body — no matter how much yoga, lemon water, or deep breathing you do.
👉 If this hits close to home, it’s not your fault. But there is a missing link.
📊 Research shows…
Sensory overload from multitasking during relaxation (like listening to podcasts while walking) actually activates the same stress pathways we’re trying to calm.
→ Source: Scientific Reports, 2023Constant stimulation, even in “wellness form,” keeps the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) activated, making it impossible to drop into rest-and-digest mode.
And chronic exposure to low-grade, daily stressors (like information overwhelm) leads to:
Anxiety and panic attacks
Hormone imbalances
Digestive dysfunction
Emotional burnout
So while you’re walking with your green juice and AirPods, your nervous system is quietly waving a white flag.
💔 There was this one time when…
I thought I was finally doing it right.
I carved out 45 minutes — no kids, no emails — and headed to the beach for some “me time.”
What did I do?
Plugged in my headphones, hit play on another self-help podcast, and walked.
By the time I got home, I was more tired, more irritable, and my mind was buzzing.
I remember my husband looking at me and saying, “Weren’t you supposed to be resting?”
I wanted to scream. I was trying so hard to get it right.
But instead of unplugging, I was bombarding my nervous system with more input.
That was the moment I realized: Just because it looks healthy doesn't mean it's healing you.
⚠️ In this episode, I break down the 3 habits that are secretly making your stress worse:
🚫 Walking with AirPods in (especially while listening to podcasts or trainings)
→ Why “productive rest” is actually robbing you of recovery.
🚫 Grounding with your shoes on
→ The science behind earthing and why your rubber soles are literally cutting you off from healing.
🚫 Trying to relax while mentally overplanning dinner, your to-do list, or your child’s next activity
→ How mental multitasking is stealing your joy (and your nervous system’s ability to recover).
✅ Here’s what I recommend instead:
🌿 Real rest — no phone, no podcasts, no “self-improvement” in your ears. Just presence.
🦶 Take your shoes off — stand barefoot in grass, dirt, or sand for 10 minutes. Your mitochondria will thank you.
💧 Hydration with minerals — plain water won’t cut it. Mix:
1L filtered water
½ tsp cream of tartar (potassium)
½ tsp Celtic or Himalayan salt (sodium)
Juice of 1 lemon (vitamin C + detox)
Your cells need electrolytes to absorb water and calm inflammation.
🎥 Ready to break the cycle?
👉 Watch the full episode here:
🎬 These 3 Stress Management Tips Are Making You More Stressed
(Your nervous system will love you for it.)
💥 Want to go deeper?
If you’re tired of managing symptoms and want to finally reset your nervous system from the inside out, I’ve got two next steps for you:
✨ 7-Day Program:
The Ultimate Guide to Stress-Free Mornings
Start your day with peace, clarity, and real calm — no perfection required.
👉 https://connect.lifefoodbalance.co/ultimateguide_stressfreemornings
📞 1:1 Stress Strategy Call
You + Me. We’ll map out exactly what’s keeping you in the loop — and how to get your power back.
👉 https://calendly.com/jelena-lifefoodbalance/strategy-call
You are not broken.
You don’t need to fix yourself with more “stuff.”
You just need space, simplicity, and a body that feels safe again.
Let’s build that together.
With so much love (and less stress),
Jelena
Stress & Burnout Recovery Coach
📲 IG: @lifefoodbalance
📺 YouTube: Life Food Balance
