10x tips to reduce stress and get more emotional balance

A candle burning at both ends burns out quickly

Kamalaya: a Paradise on earth where you learn to slow down and relax.

In 2005, Karina Stewart and her husband John started award wining Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary in Koh Samui / Thailand. The name wasn’t chosen by accident: the resort is built around the Monk's cave, a place considered sacred by Buddhist monks, who used it as a retreat to meditate and find their spiritual path. Kamalaya is no different. Guests come here seeking peace, depth, and insight. In ten years, Kamalaya has evolved into a world-class resort. Karina continues to develop new wellbeing programs that perfectly meet the needs of her guests.

Rise in burnout and stress of women

Why are so many women struggling with stress and burnout symptoms? Karina: ‘The pace at which we live today is staggering. We always want to be available—by phone, email, or social media. We’re "on" 24/7 and never switch off, even when we’re on vacation. On top of that, we’re exposed to constant stimuli, which overwhelms our nervous system—and we pay the price. Women face an extra challenge because, while we strive for careers, we find it difficult to delegate motherhood to someone else. Our sense of responsibility is enormous. As a result, we’re juggling a full plate of work and family care, burning the candle at both ends, which quickly leads to burnout.’

Wellbeing Retreats for Women: Women's Health

Karina: ‘The biggest trend I see right now is the demand for programs tailored to women’s needs. Throughout life, we go through various phases, and women could use a little help during some of those phases. Think of pregnancy and childbirth, for example, or menopause—another significant milestone. I’m noticing an increasing demand for programs addressing these specific phases. One area we’ve already focused on heavily is stress management. Stress has an enormous impact on every aspect of our lives, physically, emotionally, and mentally. High cortisol levels disrupt the immune system, cause blood sugar fluctuations, and lead to weight gain. Your emotional resilience fades, making you more reactive than proactive. The result: you get angry faster, are less creative, feel hopeless, or may even become depressed. You can no longer be the person you truly are.’

Recognizing the signs

A little stress isn’t harmful and is even necessary to function well. But how do you know if your stress levels are too high? Karina: ‘The first sign is that your sleep quality declines. You sleep less, don’t sleep as deeply, and no longer wake up refreshed. Stress keeps your cortisol levels high, which doesn’t drop at night as it should. You might also notice weight gain, particularly around your waist or legs, or you may lose weight without dieting. Your mood can change too: you become irritable, feel hopeless, or get angry at everything. If you recognize these changes, it’s time to take a close look at your life and find ways to reduce stress.’

Support in making the switch

To tackle stress in everyday life, Karina offers plenty of tips (see box). But for those wanting to break bad habits and adopt a new, healthy lifestyle, Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary is the place to go. In this exotic oasis in Thailand, Karina and her team offer special programs to help guests relearn how to sleep and manage stress and burnout. Karina: ‘If you really need support to make a change, we can help. Our approach is very results-driven. You’ll receive support in every area: nutrition, relaxation, and even emotional help. If you’re not taking care of yourself, you need to figure out why. You need to discover what motivates you. Once you know that, you can make changes to bring your body back to a healthy state. At Kamalaya, we address the problem on multiple levels, which is why our programs are so successful. The natural environment here is also very therapeutic, and we have a fantastic team of people who put their hearts into helping our guests every day. We’ve been doing this for ten years now and understand that we’re doing something special—and we’re proud of that!’

10 xTips to Reduce Stress and gain emotional balance

• Tip 1 - Sleep: Go to bed before 10:00 PM. Our bodies weren’t designed for a life with electric lights. If you stay up late, your body interprets that as stress. So, you produce cortisol and can’t sleep. Also important: turn off the TV, phone, and tablet at least an hour before bed. The light from screens signals your brain to stay awake.
  
• Tip 2 - Foot bath: If you have trouble falling asleep, take a foot bath with lavender. Make the water as hot as possible and soak for 20 minutes. This draws the energy downward, calming your mind. Then put on socks and head to bed.
  
• Tip 3 - Supplements: Rooibos is my favorite herbal tea. It’s rich in minerals that calm the mind. You can also take a magnesium supplement—300 mg is enough to relax your body.
  
• Tip 4 - Less coffee: Every cup of coffee stimulates your brain. Drink less coffee, or opt for decaf. And limit coffee to the morning, not the evening.
  
• Tip 5 - Slow down: If a marathon runner runs at full speed for the entire race, they won’t reach the finish line. It’s about knowing when to push and when to pull back. This applies to daily life too: you can’t always operate at full speed. Slow down when needed, prioritize, follow the right order, and take breaks.
  
• Tip 6 - Exercise: Exercise helps release endorphins, counteracting the negative effects of stress. The secret is to do something you enjoy—that’s the only way to stick with it.
  
• Tip 7 - Healthy eating: Food is the fuel for our bodies, so make sure you’re putting valuable nutrients in. B vitamins provide extra energy, and anti-inflammatory foods are great for stress because excess cortisol promotes inflammation. Think omega-3 fatty acids (like in flaxseed or fatty fish), nuts, herbs like ginger and turmeric, and fruits and vegetables.
  
• Tip 8 - Social connections: Make time for friends and family. Social connections are incredibly important! And it doesn’t need to take much time—even 30 minutes of talking, laughing, and enjoying company works wonders.
  
• Tip 9 - Get outside: The Netherlands is beautiful, and even if the weather isn’t always great, getting outside is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Spend more time in nature and be mindful of the greenery around you.
  
• Tip 10 - Breathing exercises: I love breathing exercises. They calm you down and have a big impact on your brain waves. You can reach a deep state of relaxation in just a few minutes. It calms the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes emotions. It’s as soothing as taking a tranquilizer. It’s simple: breathe in for five seconds, hold for one, breathe out for five seconds, hold for one. Repeat for 10 minutes, at least twice a day, and make it a habit. You’re not productive when your body is in stress mode, so taking a few minutes to relax will pay off greatly.
  

About Karina Stewart, co-founder Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary

Founder of the award-winning health & wellbeing Retreat Kamalaya in Koh Samui (Thailand), Karina Stewart is a renowned authority on holistic health and wellbeing. She is a traditional Chinese Medicine doctor (TCM), an acclaimed speaker, author and innovator, Karina is a TCM doctor and has more than 40 years of experience in the study and practice of various holistic healing and spiritual traditions. Karina and John Stewart are the founders of creating Kamalaya Koh Samui in 2005, one of the best Health Spas in the world.