DISRUPTED SLEEP, INABILITY TO QUIET THE MIND, ANXIETY, LETHARGY, REGULAR ILLNESS, PAIN AND INFLAMMATION, RAGING MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS, WEIGHT GAIN, ETC. A PRACTICAL EXPLANATION AND SOLUTION-BASED BLOG.
Stress contributes to all of the above and so much more. The problem is, once we get into the vicious cycle of ongoing stress, it is really hard to switch this off. It can even be hard to recognize that we are in a state of fight or flight all the time.
Why is this? Often, stress creeps up on us. Life will throw us curve balls; job security is often no longer a certainty (this contributes to an ongoing underlying level of stress often), often we are monitored quite closely in our work for performance targets/customer satisfaction, etc, we have to work to maintain a household, the kids need to be dropped off/picked up from school, then taken to after school activities (often there can be guilt associated with the children due to feeling we are not able to give as much as we would like to), elderly parents that need support, guilt that we don’t have the time to foster friendships, the list goes on. If we sat down and listed all the responsibilities most of us have, it becomes apparent pretty quickly that we do tend to juggle much more in our modern lifestyles than our counterparts had to 30 years ago. Life is fast paced and on top of this we are constantly bombarded visually and verbally everywhere we go with advertising, we plug into facebook, instagram, snapchat, emails, etc. Creating an over-stimulated state. Add to this, the reality shows on television that we often choose to watch as a bit of time to not need to think, full of bullying narcissistic behavior, this creates stress too, although it is often so subtle we are unaware of it.
When we are constantly bombarded with all of these things, we gradually drive our cortisole levels through the roof. The demand for more of this hormone to be produced, places additional stress on the body, directly impacting on our hormone balance. An over production of cortisole can be associated with weight gain, particularly around the abdomen and face, thin and fragile skin that is slow to heal, acne, facial hair and irregular menstrual periods.
How do we start to reverse the affects of this over production of cortisol? We need to start encouraging the production of the neurotransmitter and hormone called oxytocin. How do we do this? Essentially we need to start doing things that bring us joy, surround ourselves with positive people, maybe do a gratitude journal, exercise, yoga, meditation, touch also assists in producing oxytocin so if you don't have a significant other then therapy such as Bowen Therapy, Reflexology, Aromatouch (the therapies I offer) or other forms of hands-on therapy can assist with this. As we get busier and more stressed it is often these self-care activities that will fall away and we won’t prioritise them. Often we will feel guilty and put others before ourselves. However, if our vessel isn’t full, we are not able to offer as much to our loved ones. If we fill our vessel, we then have the vitality and ability to support our loved ones.
Unfortunately, often what ends up happening, is instead of doing these healthy, self-care activities, we fall into habits that fill a void quickly. We may reach for unhealthy treats, a glass or two of wine or some other alcohol, collapsing in front of the television watching mind numbing content, etc. Of course, all of the above activities are fine if they are done in balance, but if you get to a point where you cannot unwind unless you have a glass of wine or whatever other activity of your choice (that deep down we know is not really serving us positively), then you are on a unhealthy spiral that will catch up with you at some point.
Ignoring the early signs of burnout can result in adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue or other more serious diseases. Our bodies will tend to give us warning signs very early, little niggles, sleep issues, inability to unwind, anxiety, digestive upsets, etc. As these early signs are ignored, the body will start to give more prominent symptoms. Literally trying to shake some sense into us. The body is an amazing machine, it will continue to adjust and adjust to our surroundings, but everything has it’s breaking point.
If you are experience symptoms, don’t ignore them. Instead of addressing them with a bandaid (pain medication, alcohol, cortisone injectioins, etc), lets start addressing the root cause and get you feeling healthier, with more vitality, energy and a zest to live life instead of existing from day to day.
If you would like to see how I can assist with the issues you have, please feel free to contact me directly. I am always willing to give time to people that reach out to me. Lets take some positive steps towards your wellbeing.