Stress & Relaxation: Pt I

I'll start by saying we need to be stressed sometimes. It's a natural biological function that helps us to perform, and meet challenges in a productive way, that ensures our safety and success. These moments are those rare occasions such as job interviews, exams, running to make a flight, proposing to your partner! Pushing on to the end of a long hike.. or de-icing your car before you can leave for work in the morning. Stress helps us to stay on top of our game instead of deciding we are too lazy to make the effort. This can feel uncomfortable, but the results are usually worth it in the end.

Chronic stress is a different phenomenon. It involves the prolonged release of hormones associated with stress such as adrenalin and cortisol, either because we are in constant danger, or more commonly because we have begun to perceive many daily demands and activities as highly stressful. Many parents of young children can relate to this, as can people with highly demanding jobs, or people dealing with chronic pain. Reasons for chronic stress can be nuanced; each person has their own complex set of whys and wherefores.

The conditions that can be associated with chronic stress are varied, and range from physical to psychological. As I am not a physician, I encourage you to be in communication with your healthcare providers if you are concerned by anything discussed here that might be of concern to you. My intention today is to simply raise awareness around the challenges that may arise if chronic stress is left unchecked. The Mayo Clinic states that longterm stress-hormone activation puts us at an increased risk of anxiety and depression, digestive problems, headaches, muscle tension and pain, heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, sleep disturbances, weight gain and even problems with focus, memory and concentration. You can follow the link below to read the article in full:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

This is certainly a list that feels heavy to read. Thankfully, the more awareness we can cultivate, the more we can understand and navigate our lives in a way that supports our individual needs.

We might begin by asking ourselves: ‘What does it feel like when I’m stressed..?’ What are your particular bio-feedback signals that tell you you are in ‘survival’ mode? Do you recognise them, or have you become accustomed to these feelings as somewhat ‘normal’?

When i feel stressed, i feel frozen, locked in a mindset of 'need to's and should's.. My body feels constricted and my breath is almost imperceptible. I experience uncomfortably tight muscles in several parts of my body, and my head usually starts to hurt. Options and outcomes begin to seem very limited.

The reasons behind our stress levels may not be easy to address. We cannot all make big lifestyle changes. Sometimes the question is not how to banish stress, but how to recognise and counteract it. The good news is that stress relief is usually by definition pleasurable and fun! What counteracts your feelings of 'need to survive' can be thought of as 'need to feel alive!’ How wonderful to think that pleasure and fun are non-negotiable parts of a healthcare plan!

This is a constant work in progress for me. I am always discovering new insights about my nervous system, and how to deepen my relationship with my self. This month, I invite you to turn your attention inwards, listen to your bodies, be aware of your own unique inner signposts, and practice an intentional balance between ‘survive’ and ‘thrive!’