Manage your Stress

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Stress is vital for life but too much of it can overwhelm us and take its toll on our body. 

We all need a certain amount of stress to maintain alertness and keep us alive, especially when we need to activate our ‘fight or flight’ response (also called the Sympathetic nervous system). This is when we release cortisol, the main stress hormone in short bursts. 

After the threat has passed, we’re designed to shut cortisol off, and our parasympathetic nervous system will then take over allowing us to rest, heal and digest. 

At manageable levels cortisol is necessary to get us out of bed, regulate our immune system to fight off infections and keep inflammation at bay as it’s naturally anti-inflammatory.

But many of us are highly stressed for many weeks, months and even years where it becomes chronic, and we lose the ability to switch cortisol off. This is when the problem arises as cortisol continuously floods our tissues, wreaks havoc on our hormonal system and becomes inflammatory, which can be a trigger for ill-health 

Chronic stress can also alter our internal body clock (called our Circadian Rhythm), which will impact on the quality of your sleep, as many of you have probably experienced. This in turn affects mood, energy levels, insulin sensitivity and weight gain. 

We can’t make stress disappear however we can try to limit it and manage how we react to it. Practicing daily stress-relieving techniques can really help calm your mind and body and lessen symptoms. Here are a few ways that you can do this:

  • PRIORITISE SOME DAILY ME-TIME Setting aside little moments each day to relax can make a massive difference to your health and wellbeing. Whether it’s flicking through a magazine, reading a book, listening to music or doing daily meditation, it will all help. There are many guided meditations on YouTube or try Calm or Headspace apps. 

  • DEEP BREATHING Breathing in for 3, hold for 4 & out for 5, can help decrease stress and switch your body to a restful mode. 

  • WRITING A GRATITUDE JOURNAL Jotting down 3 things that you are grateful for that day will build positivity.

  • GETTING OUT INTO NATURE So many benefits for our mind and body if you can have a daily walk or sit outside. 

  • CONNECTING WITH OTHERS Whether it’s face to face or online, loneliness can be very damaging to our mental as well as physical health. Joining online groups is a great way to feel supported and part of a community. 

  • SOAK IN AN EPSOM SALT BATH OR FOOT SOAK It naturally contains magnesium which is known as our body’s ‘natural tranquilizer’ for its calming effects.

Mac DigitalComment