Stress Management
In today’s fast paced world stress can be created by a host of environmental and/or personal factors such as:
- Work related pressures
- Personal & family issues
- Financial challenges
- Divorce, separation or relationship issues
- Injury or illness
- Death of a loved one or any significant life changes eg. changing jobs, moving house etc
When you have been subjected to one or more of these issues, whether for an extended period of time or not, we often find the stress caused by these issues can start to adversely affect our physical & emotional health. If left untreated, chronic stress can cause symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, sleep disturbances, irritability and even poor memory and reduced concentration. Worse still, stress can also be a contributing factor in illness such as peptic ulcers, depression, weight gain and obesity, headaches/migraines, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), dermatitis and asthma. If left untreated, this rather insidious condition can have significant and long lasting effects on health and well-being.
Strategies for coping with stress
If you think stress could be affecting your health, there are some excellent strategies you can use to help you manage your stress levels that help improve your health and vitality. These include:
Improving Diet & Lifestyle: A healthy diet will give you all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to cope with high levels of stress. Combined with a healthy lifestyle (adequate sleep, relaxation time, avoiding smoking, drugs and stimulants, and avoiding excessive alcohol intake), it is possible to handle much higher levels of stress.
Exercise: Regular exercise is a fantastic way to improve your mood and help you cope with stress better. Just 30 minutes per day of exercise increases the production of endorphins – our feel good brain chemicals that make you feel more positive.
Relaxation Techniques: The use of relaxation techniques can also dramatically reduce your stress levels. Yoga, tai chi, meditation, massage or even a soothing, relaxing hobby may help you manage your stress levels more effectively.
Talk to Someone: It has been repeatedly demonstrated that talking about your difficulties with someone can help. Find someone you can trust, a family member, friend or trained healthcare professional (like a psychologist or counselor). Talking to someone may help you find a solution to your problem and can often help you feel like you can cope.
Natural Medicines: If you think that stress could be adversely affecting your health, using natural supplements to support your stress-coping mechanisms may help to restore your well-being and get you back to feeling energetic, healthy and happy.
For more information on our Wellness Programs that tackle stress and to find out which one will best suit you, please email: [email protected] or book in for a FREE Strategy Session below.