Lift The Heavy Hand of Stress
By Sandy Schroeder
Finding ways to fight stress may be the most important thing that you do today. If every day seems more difficult than the last, stress may be taking too big of a bite out of your life.
In the last year, stress dominated more and more of my days. Recognizing that and taking steps to turn it around made a big difference.
Is stress weighing you down? When fear strikes, your heart may beat faster, a headache may refuse to go away, or tiredness may overtake you. Worry, pressure, or fear of tomorrow can wreck today. Concern over finances, family, home or work can reduce your appetite and ruin your sleep.
What Can Happen
See if these emotional or physical impacts are familiar.
The Mayo Clinic lists all of these stress effects.
- Illness, colds, flu
- Constant anxiety and depression
- Exhaustion
- Relentless headaches
- Heart problems or heart attack
- Sleep loss, insomnia
- Anger and agitation
- Overeating
- Constant pain
- Stomach upsets
- Drug and alcohol use
- Confusion, loss of focus
Over time stress can weaken your immune system putting you at risk for sickness and serious illness.
Where Stress Starts
Here's some places to look for the cause of stress.
Trouble may start with finances - Paying bills, generating income or worrying about what is coming next may be on a constant burden. Finding answers is crucial for peace of mind.
Pressure may come from work - Meeting deadlines, maintaining energy and staying productive can make life a hassle. Pulling it together could make all of the difference. Organize your calendar and prioritize your projects.
Family issues can be hard to resolve - Keeping your family healthy, happy and safe can be a tough job in the midst of the Pandemic. Finding solutions can make a huge difference.
Ways to Cope
Stress just keeps coming, but there are ways to fight back and level out. Calm down with a few of these tips.
Get to the bottom of the problem - Face up to what is bothering you and start working on ways to deal with it. Do the homework to find good solutions.
Talk to someone - Reach out to a trusted friend or find a counselor or therapist to talk to. Just talking about everything can help. Gradually understanding what is happening and what could help may change everything over time.
Get outside and get moving - Take a walk, go for a run, use your bike. Do yoga, tai chi or dance classes. When you change the flow of your day. your mood and attitude can change too.
Use morning and evening meditations - Ten minutes in the morning and ten at night can lower your blood pressure and quiet your worries.
Reach out to help others - Your troubles may not seem so bad when you help out at hospitals, animal shelters and homeless shelters. Making someone's life a little better can become a habit that lifts yours too.
Wherever you are with stress, pay attention and look for solutions. Talk with your doctor and consider seeing a therapist to turn things around. Feel the difference.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Roseville, Calif.