“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.” - Mark Black

Is stress damaging your health?

The stress response is a major nutrient and energy zapper. It affects how almost every aspect of your body functions and uses up a vast amount of vital nutrients. Because of this, stress can be a factor in nutritional deficiencies. It can also disrupt your hormones and prevent your body from repairing and restoring itself which can have a broader health impact.

Sometimes referred to as the fight or flight response, the stress response is essentially a self-defence mechanism that evolved way back to help human beings respond to a threat or a perceived threat.

Back in those days a threat was likely to be a life or death situation, like coming across a wild animal that wants you to be its next tasty meal.

When it’s triggered appropriately the stress response is a vital, intelligent action of the body, but it isn’t intended to be a permanent state of being and our physiology hasn’t evolved as quickly as our lifestyle has changed.

These days there are almost endless causes of stress, some of which you may find surprising but, no matter what causes the stress, the physiological response is the same. The numerous changes in your body include changes to blood pressure, heart rate, hormone production, sleep patterns and digestive efficiency to name just a few.

These 5 simple tips can help you reduce the negative effects of stress and restore some inner calm.

1 – Hydrate

Dehydration is incredibly stressful for your body and, at the same time, stress is incredibly dehydrating. It’s a vicious circle!

If your body is dehydrated it has trillions of cells all crying out for fresh, clean water that just isn’t coming. This may not be something you would think of as a cause of stress but your body perceives it that way so dehydration can trigger the stress response.

Making a conscious effort to stay hydrated will help to reduce the dehydrating effects of stress.

2 – Unwind properly

If you read thriller novels or watch horror films that have you on the edge of your seat, you’ll very likely be triggering a stress response rather than relaxing and unwinding.

The feeling you get when you’re on the edge of your seat (or hiding behind a cushion), holding your breath and waiting for the next twist or turn in the plot, that’s part of the stress response!

Instead choose soothing music or a happy book or film to help you unwind at the end of the day.

3 – Breathe

I’m almost sure I can hear you saying ‘but I am breathing’ and yes you are, but how are you breathing? All too often our breath is too fast, too shallow.

Take some time to sit and breathe deeply in and slowly out. Counting the breath is also a good way of focusing the mind on the here and now.

It helps break the stress cycle, a bit like pushing a reset button.

4 - Meditate

Meditation has a positive effect on blood pressure, heart rate, hormone production and regulation and digestion. The opposite of what happens during the stress response.

Stress affects your ability to think clearly and impairs problem solving skills.

So, when you’re busy and struggling with a problem and find yourself saying ‘I don’t have time to meditate’ you should turn this on its head and think ‘I don’t have time not to meditate’.

Daily meditation practice can have a profound impact on health and wellbeing, by creating some inner peace and calm your body can begin to heal itself on all levels.

5 - Laughter is the best medicine!

Laughing releases emotions helping reduce stress and tension but even better still, laughing or smiling triggers the release of neurotransmitters called endorphins. These are the ones that make you feel happy.

They’re triggered by the movements of the muscles in your face, and the brain doesn’t differentiate between real or fake, it’s the position of your facial muscles that counts. So, if you can’t muster up a good laugh, try faking a smile!

A final thought

The stress response isn’t a voluntary action, whenever there is a threat or perceived threat your body responds by triggering a stress response whether you acknowledge it or not.

So, try not to sweep your worries under the carpet. Be honest with yourself and recognise when stress is creeping in so that you can start to do something positive about it.

Don’t just say ‘I’m fine, I’m coping’, instead try out these simple tips to help reduce the effects of stress.

They won’t take away the cause of the stress, but they won’t cost you anything and you might just see an increase in your energy levels, focus and productivity as a result of the inner calm you create.

Do you need support?

If stress is impacting on your health, and your success, and you’d like to understand how you can better support your body in a gentle and natural way with simple food, lifestyle and mindset changes, let’s talk!

Please click here to drop me a message so we can arrange a no obligation chat.