Motherhood Rituals & Stress Support

Why You Feel Overwhelmed as a Mom: Stress Relief Strategies That Actually Work

2026-03-28 7 min readBy Lauren JenkinsUpdated 2026-04-08
Toddler with marker on face holding a donut - the perfect representation of motherhood chaos

# Why You Feel So Overwhelmed as a Mom (It's Not Just You)

There was a moment the other day where:

- someone was asking me for a snack - someone else was yelling from another room - my phone was going off - and I hadn't sat down in… I don't even know how long

And I thought:

Why does everything feel like too much right now?

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Not in a dramatic way.

Just… constantly.

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🧠 If you feel overwhelmed all the time… read this

Because I need you to hear this:

👉 It's not just you 👉 You're not "bad at handling things" 👉 And you're definitely not alone

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But also?

There's a reason it feels this way.

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🔥 Your nervous system is basically on edge all day

No one really explains this part.

As moms, we are:

- constantly needed - constantly touched - constantly thinking ahead - constantly managing everyone else's emotions

And your body?

Doesn't get a break.

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So even if nothing big is happening…

👉 your body still feels like it is

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😵‍💫 The mental load is actually insane

Let's list it out for one second:

- meals - schedules - school stuff - appointments - remembering random things like spirit week

And somehow also:

👉 trying to take care of yourself???

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It's not that you "can't handle it"

It's that:

👉 you're handling too much

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🤍 What actually helps (real life version)

Not the "just wake up at 5am and meditate" advice.

The real stuff.

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### ✔️ Lower the bar (seriously)

Some days success is:

- everyone ate - no one is crying (including you) - you made it to bedtime

That counts.

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### ✔️ Small nervous system resets

Not full routines.

Just little things like:

- stepping outside for 5 minutes - sitting in silence in your car - drinking something cold slowly

If you want a deeper dive into nervous system resets, check out my Stress Support Toolkit—it has breathing techniques and practices that actually work.

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### ✔️ Support your body

This matters more than people think.

Things that actually help:

- magnesium (the right kind… not the one that ruins your life 😂) - hydration - simple supplements

I've written extensively about why you shouldn't buy cheap magnesium—it's one of the most underrated tools for managing overwhelm.

Here are the actual tools I use when overwhelm hits:

For nervous system resets: - Weighted blanket — The pressure literally calms your nervous system. I use mine during my 5-minute car sit-downs and it's life-changing - Aromatherapy diffuser with lavender — Just having the scent in the background helps. No fancy setup needed

For daily support: - Magnesium glycinate supplement — This is the one that actually works (not the one that gives you digestive chaos) - Herbal tea for stress relief — Chamomile and passionflower are my go-tos. Sipping something warm feels like self-care even when you have 30 seconds

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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### ✔️ Stop trying to "do it all well"

This one is hard.

But you don't have to:

👉 be calm 👉 be productive 👉 be present 👉 be everything

All at the same time.

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💡 The shift that changed everything for me

Instead of thinking:

"Why can't I handle this better?"

I started thinking:

"What does my body need right now?"

And that changed everything.

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Because most of the time…

You don't need:

- more discipline - a better routine - or to try harder

You need:

👉 support

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🤍 Final thoughts

If you feel overwhelmed as a mom…

It's not because you're failing.

It's because:

👉 this is a lot

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And you're carrying it every single day.

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So if today feels heavy?

Lower the bar. Take a breath. Do one small thing for yourself.

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And remember:

👉 you're not the only one feeling this way

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Related reads: Stress Support ToolkitWhy You Shouldn't Buy Cheap Magnesium5 Postpartum Healing RitualsPregnancy EssentialsPostpartum Recovery Essentials

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products I genuinely use and love. Your support helps keep this space running.

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