Living in the Stress Cycle
by Karen Chin.
In today's society, stress is almost inevitable and affects each and every one of us in many different ways. When we encounter a stressful event the body adapts to cope to the situation and once the situation is over the body then recovers. But what happens when we continue to have stressful event upon stressful event? How does our body cope then?
As The adrenal glands are the main stress control system of the body. Adrenal fatigue occurs when the adrenal glands are no longer in a position to regulate optimal balance to hormones that control our stress responses. Current research statistics show that the most common causes of stress in western society are work pressures, lifestyle, death of a loved one, illness, moving homes or job and marital issues. Most people I know do not have just one stressful event going on at a time. For me it was a combination of studying fulltime, raising 3 small children and having a family member going through illness - I was being pulled in many different directions and eventually my body could no longer cope, I was on the stress roundabout and I didn't know how to get off.
Our reaction to stress sets off our fight or flight responses and is known to be one of the root causes of disease. The more stress we are under, the more sensitive to stress our body becomes and it contributes to digestive issues, fatigue, brain fog, nutritional deficiencies, anxiety, weight changes, allergies, depression, chronic pain and degenerative diseases. Managing stress is very important to maintaining a healthy life.
So how do we get off the stress roundabout? Here are 5 things you can do to help break the stress cycle.
1. Reduce unnecessary stress - while some stressful situations are unavoidable learn to identify areas of stress that aren't necessary.
Know your limits and learn to say ‘No’ - taking on more than you can handle or doing something you don't necessarily want to do, just adds stress.
Avoid people that cause you stress - if someone is consistently causing you stress, limit the time you are around them or let the relationship go.
Always running late? Sit down and create a timetable - Are you trying to fit too much into your day? Do you leave things to the last minute or find yourself rushing to get places? Be realistic with what you can achieve in your day and allow enough time to complete activities or reach your destination.
2. Laugh - Laughter is the BEST medicine. You just can't help but get caught up in infectious laughter and it is a great stress release. So when you are feeling tense or overwhelmed try and find something that makes you laugh. If you can't find anything, then just start laughing out loud and I bet you will have others joining in with you in no time.
3. Relax - take time out for meditation, mindfulness, yoga, qigong or deep breathing. All are great stress reducers and help calm the nervous system. You could also try a massage, spa, walking along the beach or a relaxing holiday.
4. Eat a healthy diet - eating healthy, nutritious wholesome foods is another way to help manage stress. Eating more fruits and vegetables helps give your body more nutrition to work with. Consider adding gut healing bone broths, juices or whole food smoothies to your diet.
5. Get enough sleep - getting enough sleep is a basic but important way to keep stress away. Try and get about 8 hours of sleep every night. A restful sleep will allow you to concentrate better and be more productive with your day, allowing you to cope more effectively with stressful situations.
