Stress Awareness - what is stress and what can we do to help ourselves?
Stress seems to be all around us and comes in many different forms. It can be responsible for a lot of illnesses and health problems, even leading to death.
The risk of dementia, heart disease, cancer, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, IBS and stomach/intestinal issues are all increased by higher levels of stress, as well as sleep problems, depression and poor mental health.
What starts off as a mind issue, can easily soon become a physical issue – stress is not a simple matter. The psychological and the physiological intertwine.
But what is stress?
Stress is the inability to cope.
Stress is a massive global problem and has been labelled as the number one reason for people missing work around the world. It is a lifestyle disease – a medical condition or disorder associated with the way a person lives, because our bodies are not designed for the modern world.
The medical system in most countries is designed to fix the physical problems people have, stress cannot be cured by an operation.
We need to consider our own well-being and think about how we can make changes to our lifestyle to overcome the perceived problems we react to in the way of stress. It's important that we all find the way of releasing stress that works best for us. We are all unique individuals and so different ways work for different people. We all need to understand though, that making time for ourselves is of vital necessity, to relax and clear our mind and body, however we choose to do this.
I offer services to my clients which provide varying methods to reduce their stress levels and become able to find coping strategies and see the world in a more positive light, as follows…
Meditation: Mindful meditation helps to calm the mind by focusing on the breath. Observing and controlling your thoughts becomes easier. You can gain more clarity when being present in the moment. Meditation can help to stop worrying about the past and catastrophising the future – neither of which you can change.
Yoga Breath: Using specific types of breathing exercise can help to balance your autonomic nervous system. You can change whether you are in the 'fight or flight' mode or the 'rest and digest' mode simply by performing these simple exercises.
Sleep: It is during sleep that our bodies recover, repair and clean themselves - the muscles, organs and the brain. We also sort and consolidate memories and learning whilst asleep. Insufficient quantity and quality of sleep causes our mind and body to function inadequately, putting us under 'stress'. Therefore it is important to ensure we prioritise getting the best sleep we can.
Pilates: A mindful form of exercise that release tension from the body and teaches it to work optimally. Using the mind-body connection, it promotes strength, stamina, mobility, flexibility, coordination and balance. Improving your fitness can reduce many health problems.
Laughter Yoga: There are few reasons to laugh in today's world – so laugh on demand instead. Boost your happiness! The brain cannot distinguish between real and fake laughter, so release those endorphins. People who laugh every day are much calmer, happier, and able to cope better with situations that crop up.
Yoga Nidra: Yoga Nidra takes your mind and body into a deep state of relaxation. By practising regularly, you can alter your perspective on things, boost your energy levels, feel refreshed, and cope with things more easily.
Whatever way(s) you choose to control your stress levels, by doing so you will improve your life. Don't allow stress to take over and get the better of you. Make a few simple small changes at a time, and gradually change your lifestyle for the better. Of course, this is easier said than done, but it's definitely achievable, especially if you ask for help when needed.
There will always be challenges come up that cause us stress, but we can learn to find ways to enable us to deal with them when they do.
If you would like to try any of the methods above, just get in touch and I will be happy to work with you.