Managing Stress

What is Stress?

 

Stress is the body’s way of responding to any kind of demand, good or bad.  Our body’s sympathetic nervous system helps us deal with stressful situations by releasing chemicals into the blood which trigger a “fight or flight” reaction. After the danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system takes over so our heartbeat decreases and blood vessels relax.

 

Stress can be physical (such as fear of something dangerous) or emotional (such as worry over your family or job).

 

The human body can withstand occasional extreme stress, however for people who are in a stressful environment over a period of time, a variety of symptoms and illness can result.

 

Physical and Mental Effects of Stress

 

Stress reactions include:

 

·         Increased heartbeat and breathing rates

·         You sweat more

·         Your hands, feet and skin go cold

·         Muscles tighten, you feel tense

·         Your mouth is dry

·         Headache, muscle spasm, fatigue, shortness of breath

 

These things can help you in a physically stressful situation when you need to react quickly, but stress can also:

 

·         Interfere with your judgment so you make bad decisions.

·         Make you see difficult situations as threatening.

·         Cause you to feel anxious, frustrated or angry

·         You feel rejected, unable to laugh, afraid of free time and don’t want to discuss problems with others.

 

Some long term effects of stress are:

 

·         Change of appetite (you gain or lose weight)

·         Sleep habits change (you sleep too much or too little)

·         Nervous behaviour such as twitching, fiddling, talking too much, nail biting, teeth grinding, pacing

·         Increased smoking and/or alcohol consumption

·         You constantly feel tired and worn out

·         You feel worried and anxious, experience panic attacks

 

Ways of Managing Stress

 

Stress is an unavoidable part of our lives, the key is to learn how to manage it so it doesn’t overwhelm you.

 

Stress is not the same for everybody, what is stressful for one person may not be for another.  Think about what causes you stress and how you can change those situations.

 

Here’s some ideas for tackling stress:

 

·         When you feel angry, walk away, regroup, then have another look at the situation.

·         Practice speaking more slowly than usual, you may find you react more reasonably to a stressful situation.  You’ll also appear less anxious and more in control.

·         Get some exercise – go for a walk, work out at the gym, ride a bike, go hiking in the bush, join a sports team, or just toss a ball around with your kids.

·         Take some time out for yourself and don’t feel guilty about it – take a longer lunch break, read a book, sit quietly beside a stream, listen to music, go to a movie.

·         Try deep breathing and/or visualizing calming images.  Learn some deep relaxation skills such as meditation, yoga, qigong or tai chi.

Spend some time with family and friends.

 

Benefits of Massage

 

One of the most effective forms of stress relief is massage because it benefits the body physically and mentally.  We all carry tension in various parts of the body, sometimes without even realising it.  Massage relaxes tight and tense muscles which reduces overall stress.

 

Massage can assist in:

 

·         Reducing heart rate

·         Lowering blood pressure

·         Increasing blood circulation and lymph flow

·         Deeper and easier breathing

·         Relief of tension-related headaches

·         Alleviating pain

 

Massage can also:

 

·         Decrease the effects of anxiety, tension and depression

·         Promote a relaxed state of mental alertness

·         Enhance capacity for calm thinking and creativity

·         Satisfy the need for caring, nurturing touch

·         Provide a sense of well-being

 

To get complete relaxation, a massage therapist needs to make contact with as many of the body’s sensory receptors as possible.  To get the most benefit, book for at least an hour full-body massage.