August 2020 Massage Blog
Stressed Out? You’re Not Alone!
By- Judy Bevilacqua, LMT
Stress is a natural reaction to life experiences.
Everyone has stress from time to time. Everyday responsibilities like work and family or more serious life events such as a new diagnosis, war, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond.
Short-term stress can be beneficial to your health. It can help you cope with potentially serious situations.
Long-term stress response doesn’t stop firing and can take a toll on your health. Chronic stress can cause a variety of symptoms and affect your overall well-being. Symptoms of chronic stress include:
-Irritability -Anxiety/depression (or both) -Insomnia -Headaches & body aches -Upset stomach and/or overeating -Weakened immune system -Lack of focus/impaired memory
What can we do? Start small, but start somewhere.
Take care of your health
Talk to your doctor, get an adjustment, exercise, get a massage, work on your hobbies
Practice mindfulness
I’m not talking about meditation, but just focusing on what you are doing right now.
Try not multi-tasking when you are stressed. Just like texting when driving, it leads to making mistakes and putting yourself at risk.
Practice relaxation methods
Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique:
5. Take a few deep breaths. Look around the room and name five things you see (whatever catches your eye.)
4. Keep breathing deeply and slowly. Pinpoint four things you physically feel (the softness of your t-shirt, the sensation of sitting in your chair, etc.)
3. Close your eyes, take a minute to listen. Name three things you hear.
2. Keep breathing. Name two things you smell (your coffee, the fabric softener smell in your clothes)
1. Notice one thing you can taste. If you haven’t eaten recently, take a sip of a drink or just remember the last thing you tasted.