| Health & Massage Christchurch

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When we are in a state of stress, (and we can be stressed without even realising it), the subconscious mind and body think its a time to either run, fight or hide. When we are in this condition we are least likely to be able to relax, repair or do anything very productive at all. That’s because most of our autonomic nervous system is on high alert and diverts most of its attention and energy to the objective of safety and survival. This means things like proper digestion and muscle repair get put on hold. The problem with the fast pace of modern living is that we are being exposed to high levels of prolonged stress on regular occasions. This puts our body into turmoil and sets up conditions of disease. You may have noticed that there seems to be a high incidence of anxiety and depression, these can be the effects of prolonged stress on the body, particularly the nervous and adrenal systems that need to be on constant guard. Other symptoms of prolonged stress include high blood pressure, sleep disturbance, weight gain due to emotional eating, digestive problems, frequent infections and illness and muscle pain due to tightly bound muscles that are constantly programmed to be ready for a threat.

As you can see there are so many reasons to minimise the levels of stress in your life. But here are a few tips to help manage stress and its effects;

Manage Stress With A Massage

Learn to say no. Set up boundaries for yourself so that you can schedule in downtime

Get more sleep. Sleep has a profound effect on our health and wellbeing. If you linger too long before going sleep, then go to bed earlier.

Get more physical exercise. Exercise helps reduce the stress hormones and bring about a more relaxed and calmer you.

Avoid or reduce caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. All of these substances are stimulants and increase your levels of stress. Ideally, drink more water, (at least 2 litres a day)

Try relaxation techniques such as meditation or concentrating on slowing down your breathing. If you have never meditated before simply close your eyes and concentrate on some happy thoughts such as enjoying a day at the beach or some other favourite activity.

Get a regular massage. Massage is a proven way to relax the body and the mind. It increases the feel-good hormones and has been shown to dramatically reduce the symptoms of stress.

Manage Stress With A Massage