Don’t Let Stress and Anxiety

When your brain perceives a threat, real or imagined, it produces hormones that trigger the “fight or flight response”. This is why we feel stress and anxiety when we are under pressure or have developed a fear of a given situation or our surroundings. People who are under a great deal of stress seem to be stuck in this survival mode constantly and our hectic lifestyles produce more and more stress and anxiety each day. While stress is the direct response to outside influences such as worry, separation, death of a loved one, loss of a job or an argument, anxiety may have no apparent cause.

Anxiety can come on suddenly and many times is caused by your brain’s perception of danger when there is none. Anyone who has had a sudden fear, racing heart and sweaty palms for no reason knows the misery of an anxiety attack. Anxiety can have a trigger or just come on without warning. Long term stress and anxiety can have detrimental effects on your health and learning how to avoid them and manage their symptoms can help you lead a happier and healthier life.

Long Term Effects of Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety cause your hypothalamus gland (located in the base of your brain) to increase your heart rate and blood pressure, and increase the release of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These all combine to trigger your fight or flight response to keep you safe. When this process of events is activated by constant stress your body pays the price. You may develop heart disease, digestive problems, sleep problems, depression, and memory problems, a worsening of skin problems and obesity from excess cortisol in your system since this hormone encourages your body to store fat around your midsection. Anxiety can cause the same physical problems as stress and over the long run both can impair your body’s natural immune response making you more susceptible to disease and impair your ability to heal.

Lifestyle Choices to Help Control Stress and Anxiety

Exercise

Exercise is an excellent way to manage stress. It releases the hormone serotonin that helps to give you an overall feeling of well being. Exercise also increases blood flow and helps your body to expel toxins. Exercise has also been proven to lower blood pressure and lift mood. Both of these will help you deal with the stress in your life and be more relaxed. Only 30 minutes a day can have a beneficial effect.

Yoga

Another lifestyle choice that is an excellent stress management tool is yoga. Yoga helps you center and strengthen your body. Yoga is a form of exercise that also helps to lower your blood pressure and strengthen your body. There are many types of yoga for every fitness level, so don’t think you have to be flexible or already in good shape to get started. Yoga routines can be found for beginners, people with physical impairments and the elderly.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants to produce specific responses in your body and mind. It has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. The ancient Egyptians knew the benefits of aromatherapy and recently modern medical practitioners have rediscovered the benefits. Some of the scents used for relaxation and stress relief include:

•Lavender
• Geranium
• Palma Rosa
• Bergamot
• Chamomile
• Basil
• Ylang Ylang

• Juniper
• Frankincense

These essential oils can also help to reduce anxiety. Be careful when you use essential oils because they are very concentrated and can be irritating or cause serious allergic reactions if not used properly.

Massage

Massage is a very enjoyable and effective way to help reduce stress and anxiety in your life. Not only does it feel good and is very relaxing, but an experienced massage therapist will know the pressure points that relax you and release calming energy in your body. Explore the different methods to find the one or ones that work for you. You can help to reduce stress and avoid anxiety naturally and have a happier, healthier and more centered life.