How we can help:
Together we can map out a stress management program that works for you.. Along with lifestyle changes, we can assist you with hypnotherapy, reflexology, EFT, Tapas Acupressure Technique, reiki, coaching, guided meditation or a combination of these techniques. We can identify stressors, and signs of stress, and have a plan to reduce them over a few sessions.
Stress management is helping to create a balance in the body by identifying, and reducing or eliminating physical, mental, and emotional stressors, thereby reducing tension, enhancing the body's natural healing ability, and promoting health.
A system of natural and preventative health care that sees the person as a whole, and teaches them to maintain balance and health in their body and in their life.
What Is Stress?
Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.
What Causes Stress?
Many different things can cause stress -- from physical (such as fear of something dangerous) to emotional (such as worry over your family or job.) Identifying what may be causing you stress is often the first step in learning how to better deal with your stress. Some of the most common sources of stress are:
Survival Stress - You may have heard the phrase "fight or flight" before. This is a common response to danger in all people and animals. When you are afraid that someone or something may physically hurt you, your body naturally responds with a burst of energy so that you will be better able to survive the dangerous situation (fight) or escape it all together (flight). This is survival stress.
Internal Stress - Have you ever caught yourself worrying about things you can do nothing about or worrying for no reason at all? This is internal stress and it is one of the most important kinds of stress to understand and manage. Internal stress is when people make themselves stressed. This often happens when we worry about things we can't control or put ourselves in situations we know will cause us stress. Some people become addicted to the kind of hurried, tense, lifestyle that results from being under stress. They even look for stressful situations and feel stress about things that aren't stressful.
Environmental Stress - This is a response to things around you that cause stress, such as noise, crowding, and pressure from work or family. Identifying these environmental stresses and learning to avoid them or deal with them will help lower your stress level.
Fatigue and Overwork - This kind of stress builds up over a long time and can take a hard toll on your body. It can be caused by working too much or too hard at your job(s), school, or home. It can also be caused by not knowing how to manage your time well or how to take time out for rest and relaxation. This can be one of the hardest kinds of stress to avoid because many people feel this is out of their control. Sleep deprivation is very stressful on the mind and body.
How Does Stress Affect You?
Stress can affect both your body and your mind. People under large amounts of stress can become tired, sick, and unable to concentrate or think clearly. Recognizing when you are stressed and managing your stress can greatly improve your life. Some short-term stress, e.g., what you feel before an important job presentation, test, interview, or sporting event -- may give you the extra energy you need to perform at your best. But long-term stress, e.g. constant worry over your job, school, money, relationship, career or family - may actually drain your energy and your ability to perform well.
How does stress affect the skin?
The skin is particularly sensitive to emotional states - for instance increased blood flow quickly results in blushing when somebody is embarrassed.During times of emotional distress, the flow of blood is directed to areas of the body that are considered vital for responding to the stress that we are under. At the same time, blood is withdrawn from areas that are considered non-essential, such as the skin. Unfortunately, the skin is the largest organ and one of the most sensitive areas of the body. During times of stress, the skin is constantly being starved of both blood and oxygen, which causes it to take on a dull and lifeless appearance.
Skin glows when healthy and the body stress free.
In addition to changing the skin’s natural appearance, continuous stress can increase cortisone secretion, which suppresses the body’s immune system. Once the skin’s defense is lowered, it becomes extremely susceptible to irritation from outside pollutants.
Stress can also affect more than just our immune system. It may impact the body’s ability to properly digest food, which can impact the health of the skin, as well as the health of the body. When food is not properly digested, the nutrients are not absorbed as they should be, allowing undigested impurities to remain and accumulate in the body.
Healing and Stress
Researchers in Columbus, Ohio recently announced that stress can stretch the total time it takes for a wound to heal by as much as 40%. This study parallels other studies on the significant effects of stress on the human immune system.
The study of dental students found that stress can lengthen the time wounds take to heal by as much as 40 percent and reduce by two-thirds the production of one cytokine -- interleukin-1 -- that is integral for the healing process.
Physical and Mental Signs of Stress
You've heard before that recognizing when you are under stress is the first step in learning how to deal with your stress, but what does that mean? Sometimes we are so used to living with stress, we don't know how to identify it.
Whether you are experiencing immediate or short-term stress or have been experiencing stress for a long time or long-term stress, your body and mind may be showing the effects. Here are some 'warning signs' that stress is affecting your body and mind.
Physical and Mental Signs of Short-term Stress
Often occurring in quick 'bursts' in reaction to something in your environment, short-term stress can affect your body in many ways. Some examples include:
• Making your heartbeat and breath faster
• Making you sweat more
• Leaving you with cold hands, feet, or skin
• Making you feel sick to your stomach or giving you 'butterflies'
• Tightening your muscles or making you feel tense
• Leaving your mouth dry
• Making you have to go to the bathroom frequently
• Increasing muscle spasms, headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath
While this burst of energy may help you in physical situations where your body needs to react quickly, it can have bad effects on your mind and performance if there is no outlet or reason for your stress. These effects may include:
• Interfering with your judgment and causing you to make bad decisions
• Making you see difficult situations as threatening
• Reducing your enjoyment and making you feel bad
• Making it difficult for you to concentrate or to deal with distraction
• Leaving you anxious, frustrated or mad
• Making you feel rejected, unable to laugh, afraid of free time, unable to work, and not willing to discuss your problems with others
Physical and Mental Signs of Long-term Stress
Long-term stress or stress that is occurring over long periods of time can have an even greater effect on your body and mind. Long-term stress can affect your body by:
• Changing your appetite (making you eat either less or more)
• Changing your sleep habits (either causing you to sleep too much or not letting you sleep enough)
• Encouraging 'nervous' behavior such as twitching, fiddling, talking too much, nail biting, teeth grinding, pacing, and other repetitive habits
• Causing you to catch colds or the flu more often and causing other illnesses such as asthma, headaches, stomach problems, skin problems, and other aches and pains
• Affecting your sex life and performance
• Making you feel constantly tired and worn out
• Long-term stress can also have serious effects on your mental health and behavior. If you are under stress for long periods of time, you may find that you have difficulty thinking clearly, dealing with problems, or even handling day-to-day situations as simple as shaving, picking up clothes or arriving somewhere on time.
Some mental signs of long-term stress include:
• Worrying and feeling anxious (which can sometimes lead to anxiety disorder and panic attacks)
• Feeling out of control, overwhelmed, confused, and/or unable to make decisions
• Experiencing mood changes such as depression, frustration, anger, helplessness, irritability, defensiveness, irrationality, overreaction, or impatience and restlessness
• Increasing dependence on food, cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs
• Neglecting important things in life such as work, school, and even personal appearance
• Developing irrational fears of things such as physical illnesses, natural disasters like thunderstorms and earthquakes, and even being terrified of ordinary situations like heights or small spaces
• While occasionally experiencing one or two of the above symptoms may not be cause for concern (everyone has a few nervous habits and difficulties in their lives!), having a number of these symptoms may mean you are under more stress than you think. But realizing you are under stress is the first step in learning to deal with stress. We recommend you take our stress test then read on to learn more about dealing with stress.
Leading a More Stress-free Lifestyle
While quick fixes can make a difference, sometimes we need to make larger changes in our life to deal with stress. Again, keeping your body healthy helps you bounce back more quickly from stress and can have a great impact on your mental stress levels and health.
Some steps to a healthier, more stress-free lifestyle include:
- Exercise Regularly
- Adopt a Hobby
- Stop Smoking
- Eliminate or Reduce Caffeine
- Eat Healthily. You are what you eat and sticking to a healthy diet will help keep your body strong. Reduce salt, which can lead to tension and high blood pressure, and eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Remember to eat regularly so you have enough energy. But try not to make your eating habits another stressful part of your life! Giving in to an occasional craving for a chocolate cookie or being rushed for time and eating a fast food lunch is not the end of the world, as long as these are occasional lapses and not regular habits.
- Sleep Regularly and Get Enough Sleep. Base your sleep on what you need, not the needs of others around you. If you need eight hours of sleep a night to feel good throughout the day, don't worry that your spouse/sister/parents need less or more. Every person has different sleep needs, and the majority of Americans do not get enough sleep. Once you know how many hours you (usually) need a night, try to stick to a regular sleep schedule so that you can get the most from your sleep time.
- Learn a Relaxation Technique
- Count your breath. Belly breathe. Make funny faces and wiggle your toes. Learn self-hypnosis. Find a habit or technique that helps you relax on a day-to-day basis. Just make sure it's one you can do regularly without it affecting your job, school, family or social life.
- Avoid Overusing Drugs and Alcohol. If you take medication, be sure to use the proper doses. If you drink alcohol, limit the amount you drink to no more than 1-2 drinks per day. Avoid all illegal substances. If you have an alcohol or drug problem, going through withdrawal can also cause stress; so be sure to work closely with your physician or a counselor when addressing your problem.
These are just some of the many ways you can reduce your stress. Visit your doctor; talk to a physical therapist or counselor; take an exercise class; check out a book on relaxation; or research other techniques online. Or you can come up with your own techniques or activities! What's important is to find something that works for you -- this means something that you feel comfortable doing, can do easily and regularly, and makes you feel better.
The way to better health starts with:
1) First seeing the problem or challenge
2) Seeing the goal
3) Taking the first step
4) Maintenance
5) Being the goal
You can do it!
Sandy and Mitta
Stress Management practitioners
1-866-696-6010 or the contact page
