Let’s talk about stress

Whilst it’s generally thought that having some stress in life is a good thing (otherwise nothing would get done!) What happens when we have too much stress? When we have too much stress it is a bit like driving constantly on full throttle. Whilst it’s great to be able to put your foot down to the floor of your car when you need to escape from something, driving along like that all the time is going to cause problems. It is the same for being constantly stressed.

Our bodies are amazing in that they release a hormone called cortisol whenever we have cause to activate our fight/flight/freeze reflex. So when faced with danger our bodies can quickly shut down any unnecessary processes (like digestion, reproduction, and to some extent deep thought!) and receive a big whoosh of energy to provide our muscles with the right amount of glucose to be able to run as fast as we can!

Normally this level of stress only lasts for a few minutes or an hour before the danger passes, or we find a solution or we have run away far enough for the issue to no longer be causing us a huge amount of hassle.  But when we are constantly in a state of stress, this doesn’t happen.

What happens when we’re constantly stressed?

We find that we may have a constantly raised heart rate, our blood pressure stays up, digestion is compromised, we find it hard to switch off and sleep, we get headaches, low mood, we feel tense, our heads start to ache, we get muscle pain and have trouble thinking straight. This means we might end up feeling tired, unable to cope, irritable and exhausted. We may make poor choices or reach for quick snacks rather than eating proper meals. Then everything begins to spiral.

Having any of the above issues is enough to put your body out of kilter. If you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome for instance you may feel anxious about where the nearest loo is, or find it hard to eat out in case you come across one of your trigger foods. Or you might be worried about the pain you might be in.

If you struggle to sleep you might find it hard to concentrate and then get behind at work. Or you might find that you lack energy to prepare healthy meals for your family or you might feel irritable over the least little thing.

Life becomes hard. Daily activities can seem too difficult to do.  Everything annoys you. Everyone annoys you. You start to feel overwhelmed. 

So what happens when you do get your stress levels under control?

You find that you’re more able to cope, your brain is clearer and more able to make good choices and focus on the task in hand. You find that you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead. Your blood pressure returns to normal and your heart rate slows to a normal pace. Any tension you may have been carrying in your back, neck and shoulders starts to melt away.

You find that the tension you’ve been feeling in your jaw starts to ease a little which helps you have fewer headaches. Life slowly starts to feel normal again.  You start to feel lighter and brighter and more able to tackle difficult things.

How do I stop feeling stressed?

One easy way to ease stress is to have a series of either Reflexology, Massages, or Reiki Treatments. These all help restore your body to a state of calm and help put a space between you and whatever is stressing you out.

Having treatments is a bit like having a mini holiday, it can allow you to be able to see things more clearly once you’ve put a little distance between you and them.

Plus when you come for a treatment you normally get to not only unwind and switch off for an hour or so but also we have a chat and a giggle and that too can be good for the soul and stress levels alike. They also feel amazing.  

Resources

Check out my other blogs about stress

7 great ways to reduce your stress levels

12 Ways to help calm anxiety

Mental Health Foundation