Re-Address Your Stress
Stress. This is something we can all relate to. Some handle it better or worse than others, but we are all exposed to stress in its many incarnations. Clichés abound, “I work well under pressure”, “the pressure is getting to me”, or “I can’t handle the stress anymore”, we have all used them before and commonly more than once. Some individuals respond well to stress, drama, adversity and all the complexities of life. However, no matter how well that person functions under their stress, there needs to be an outlet. If sustained stress is left unchecked for a long period of time, it veers out of control, affecting the body’s chemistry, hormonal balance, overall health, and disease states.
The stress-cycles we find ourselves in need to be broken by balancing our distress (the bad stress) with eustress (the positive stress). Exercise is certainly one way to do this (did I just hear you groan?). Find an activity with an active component you enjoy. As long as it gets your heart rate up a bit, the health benefits will counteract the stress in your life.
Again, it’s all about breaking the monotonous stranglehold of your negative stressors. This is one reason why Massage Therapy is beneficial to any individual’s overall health and well-being. Most patients leave a Massage Therapy treatment feeling invigorated, revitalized, recharged, and just plain, well… mellow. Why? Simply because their stress levels have been brought back down to a more manageable level. They have been re-calibrated. Periodic treatments are advantageous as daily stressors are reintroduced and stress levels begin to increase.
Yoga, Pilates, and forms of meditation have exploded in recent years providing destressing solutions that compliment Massage Therapy and other forms of Exercise. Exercise and combined stress-busting philosophies of these popular disciplines are now mainstream and easily accessible. Re-addressing your stress hinges upon your personal responsibility. Recognizing a problem and then executing the necessary changes is a simple concept in a multi-billion dollar industry, but it’s success long-term is dependent on your discipline, self-awareness and self-control. Finding the best approach for you to continually motivate yourself and take control of your stress is key.