How to Beat the Physical Impact of Stress
By Sandy Schroeder
Most of us know we can’t escape all of the stress of our daily world. All sorts of things will continue to happen globally, and at home. But it is important to know how that stress may lead to heart disease, stroke or depression, anxiety, or other issues, such as asthma or digestion.
Conquering the ‘fight or flee” reaction that our bodies automatically generate in response to stress could make the difference in health. When the stress alarm keeps going off, the body takes the blows, as blood pressure spikes, the pulse accelerates, and often more weight follows.
Taming Stress
If you are aware of what’s happening, you can learn ways to defuse stress. Consider these situations:
Controlling Anger – When you are irritated and upset in a situation that seems hopeless, step outside. Take a moment and just breathe. Give your body and your mind a chance to regroup. When you are calm, return and look at the situation again.
Feeling Insecure About Work – Don’t try to solve everything by yourself. Reach out to people you know and trust. Talk to others about your doubts. Look for classes to help. Look around. You may see others coping too. Keep going. Build your strength.
Running to Keep Up – Stress comes quickly when your load looks impossible, and sometimes really is. If there simply are not enough hours in your day to get everything done, look for backup. Find some shortcuts and learn to delegate. Stress often fades when you can actually make progress without working 24/7.
Taking Care of You – Setting aside one special thing every day, can do wonders. Reserve an hour in the morning or at night to take a long walk, browse a bookstore, or join friends for coffee.
Completely Keyed Up? – Siphon off the tension with your favorite way to relax. Bike through the park, relax in a hot bath, practice yoga or learn about tai chi. Develop a physical response that works to ease your body’s stress.
Hate Confrontations? – Be direct when you deal with someone who is aggressive and upsetting. Briefly tell them why they are upsetting you, and what you both could do to help solve the problem. Watch how others handle this, responding with calmness and firmness to bullying or unreasonable demands.
Stress will keep coming, but if you are prepared, you may find your body calming as you cope. As you learn more, you might also discover what chiropractic can do. Some of the extra benefits of chiropractic treatment often show up as a more relaxed body, a clearer mind, and better sleep. Stop by The Joint Chiropractic and find out more. But most important, just keep going to protect your body from stress.