So, what is stress?
Stress is your body’s natural response to any demand – work deadlines, being stuck in traffic, financial pressures - the list really is endless! You might find that your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens, you sweat more, and your muscles tense. This is also known as ‘the flight or fight’ response. In days gone by it would have helped us respond to an urgent situation, like being chased by a wild animal. Normally once the ‘threat’ or demand has passed so will the symptoms of stress.
However if you are constantly stressed, you may well develop stress related symptoms. Stress is said to contribute to 74% of health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and cancer.* Physical symptoms of constant stress include headaches, muscle pain and tension, dizziness, feeling tired all the time, feeling anxious, and feeling like you can’t concentrate.
In general, you feel that you are not in control of your life, and that everything has become overwhelming.
So what can you do to alleviate the side effects of stress? Firstly, it’s important to identify what is making you feel stressed and try to deal with this. Talking to family and friends, if you can, is very therapeutic and can make the issues you are facing seem more manageable. The old saying a problem shared is a problem halved is true! Modern life can feel very demanding at times, and it’s important to make time for yourself. Without looking after yourself you won’t be able to look after any one else effectively, or deal with the other demands on your time. Holistic treatments such as massage and reflexology can also help to ease the feeling of stress, and therefore enable you to deal with life in general!
Massage has many benefits. These include boosting your immune system, reducing muscle pain, aiding deeper sleep, and boosting your mood. The time you spend receiving your treatment is most importantly your time. It’s a small pocket of time where absolutely no one can demand anything from you for the entire duration. This gives you permission to stop and try to relax!
Reflexology also encourages the body to relax, and it restores natural balance. Reflexology works on the theory that there are thousands of pressure points and nerve endings in the feet that each correspond to a particular part of the body. The therapist will use skilled techniques to apply pressure to these points, bringing about a general balance and clearing of energy in the body. It is known to work well to reduce stress over time.
Feel free to contact Caroline for further information and to book a treatment of either massage or reflexology. What are you waiting for?! This is the key to unlocking your well being and reducing the side effects of stress. YOU are important.
#selfcare
*Louise Tucker, An Introductory Guide to Reflexology, 3rd edn (EMS Publishing, 2009), p.91.