Coping with killer stress
In today’s busy world where we manage jobs, families, finances and life, we have gotten to a point where stress is a subconscious part of every minute of our day.
We do not even realise that our jaws may be tightly clenched, our quality of sleep is poor and stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin, are constantly in our blood stream. This is not only detrimental to day to day life but increasingly stress in becoming the number one cause for many life threatening illnesses.
Stress affects us physically, mentally and emotionally. Physically, stress is most often stored in the neck and shoulder areas, resulting in chronically tight, painful muscles. This is a complaint that is very common with many office workers.
Mentally and emotionally, stress causes us to be frustrated, overwhelmed and often to be short tempered with our loved ones. Prolonged stress is also associated with health problems such as high blood pressure, depression and bowel diseases, not to mention that it is detrimental in the healing of any other health disease or disorder.
What happens when you are stressed?
When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand. However, if your body is continually stressed it will lead to a reduction in your physical and emotional health.
What to do?
Small changes can be made to reduce the stress in our everyday lives,
Have a routine: A lot of stress is caused due to the shortage of time. Constantly being in a rush causes your body to be in a state of stress. Getting up early, having time to eat breakfast before leaving the house and leaving enough time to get to your job or appointments will not only make you more efficient but reduce the stress caused by peak hour traffic jams.
Exercise: A great way to get rid of the build up of stress hormones is to sweat them out. Exercise releases endorphins, your body’s natural feel good drugs, which will leave you feeling happy and combat heart disease.
Complimentary healthcare: Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Chiropractic or massage as well as other forms of complimentary and natural health care are wonderful ways to reduce stress and increase your health and well being.
As a chiropractor, I see many people suffering the physical and mental effects of stress and notice that by keeping regular appointments not only are they in better physical shape but are more emotionally balanced during stressful periods.
A good health care practitioner will support you both physically and mentally through stressful times as well as provide you with or refer you to other services that you may need such as nutritional supplementation or counselling.
Talk about it: A problem shared is a problem halved. Often talking about your situation with a trusted friend, family member or colleague will give you a chance to share the load as well as get a new perspective on the problem.
If you feel you are unable to talk to anyone that you know, professional counselling or a life coach can provide you with a safe environment to share your feeling or help you if you feel stuck in a rut and need some external motivation.
Remember the important things, spending time with family and loved ones, watching a funny movie or giving yourself a break are essential components to a happy and healthy life. For more information or for a consultation please contact me.
Dr. Adeela Afiz, Chiropractor
021 029 07486, adeela_a@yahoo.com
In today’s busy world where we manage jobs, families, finances and life, we have gotten to a point where stress is a subconscious part of every minute of our day.
We do not even realise that our jaws may be tightly clenched, our quality of sleep is poor and stress hormones such as cortisol and...
In today’s busy world where we manage jobs, families, finances and life, we have gotten to a point where stress is a subconscious part of every minute of our day.
We do not even realise that our jaws may be tightly clenched, our quality of sleep is poor and stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin, are constantly in our blood stream. This is not only detrimental to day to day life but increasingly stress in becoming the number one cause for many life threatening illnesses.
Stress affects us physically, mentally and emotionally. Physically, stress is most often stored in the neck and shoulder areas, resulting in chronically tight, painful muscles. This is a complaint that is very common with many office workers.
Mentally and emotionally, stress causes us to be frustrated, overwhelmed and often to be short tempered with our loved ones. Prolonged stress is also associated with health problems such as high blood pressure, depression and bowel diseases, not to mention that it is detrimental in the healing of any other health disease or disorder.
What happens when you are stressed?
When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand. However, if your body is continually stressed it will lead to a reduction in your physical and emotional health.
What to do?
Small changes can be made to reduce the stress in our everyday lives,
Have a routine: A lot of stress is caused due to the shortage of time. Constantly being in a rush causes your body to be in a state of stress. Getting up early, having time to eat breakfast before leaving the house and leaving enough time to get to your job or appointments will not only make you more efficient but reduce the stress caused by peak hour traffic jams.
Exercise: A great way to get rid of the build up of stress hormones is to sweat them out. Exercise releases endorphins, your body’s natural feel good drugs, which will leave you feeling happy and combat heart disease.
Complimentary healthcare: Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Chiropractic or massage as well as other forms of complimentary and natural health care are wonderful ways to reduce stress and increase your health and well being.
As a chiropractor, I see many people suffering the physical and mental effects of stress and notice that by keeping regular appointments not only are they in better physical shape but are more emotionally balanced during stressful periods.
A good health care practitioner will support you both physically and mentally through stressful times as well as provide you with or refer you to other services that you may need such as nutritional supplementation or counselling.
Talk about it: A problem shared is a problem halved. Often talking about your situation with a trusted friend, family member or colleague will give you a chance to share the load as well as get a new perspective on the problem.
If you feel you are unable to talk to anyone that you know, professional counselling or a life coach can provide you with a safe environment to share your feeling or help you if you feel stuck in a rut and need some external motivation.
Remember the important things, spending time with family and loved ones, watching a funny movie or giving yourself a break are essential components to a happy and healthy life. For more information or for a consultation please contact me.
Dr. Adeela Afiz, Chiropractor
021 029 07486, adeela_a@yahoo.com
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