Stress is usually thought of as a problem, but it can also be beneficial when, for example, we sense that we are in danger because of a perceived threat, or we’re carrying out a project or assignment and it helps us to focus better and do a good job.
Stress becomes a health risk when it is chronic and persists over an extended period of time and is not attended to. We can fool our minds for a while, but we can’t fool our bodies.
Common physical risks of excess stress can include sleeping problems, irritable bowel disease and Crohn’s disease, muscle tension and pain, headaches and migraine, heart attack and stroke, weight gain or weight loss and decreased sexual drive.
Common emotional and behavioral risks can include nervousness, irritability, anxiety, loss of energy, fatigue and burnout, smoking, excessive use and abuse of alcohol and drugs, and depression.
7 ways to counter the stress response:
- Exercise
- Improved dietary habits
- Improved sleep
- Deep abdominal breathing
- Hobbies, such as reading a book or listening to soothing music
- Emotional support from friends, acquaintances, co-workers, relatives, spouses, and companions.
- Treat yourself to craniosacral therapy or reflexology. They are non-invasive, drug-free techniques that reduce stress, support energy creation, and treat your body and your emotions. “There is no physical health without emotional health”.
The symptoms of excessive, prolonged stress are accumulative and can be extremely severe. Don’t wait until you have had a heart attack to start prevention measures – implement the 7 ways listed above NOW!
1 minute health tip: Stress affects most people in some way and almost all our bodily systems. Are you managing yours?
If you want to have less stress, more energy, vitality and improved performance so that you can reach your full potential, contact Arthur on 082 456 0155 for more information. It’s worth the call.