As a chiropractic office, we can’t promote the benefits of chiropractic treatment enough. However, when dealing with stress, there are many other things you can do in the comfort of your own home to manage it.
Stress is an unavoidable part of life. Our brains use stress sensors as a warning or internal alarm against actual or perceived danger. Now, compared to thousands of years ago, we don’t have to worry about lions entering the cave we sleep in. However, there are plenty of other factors that can incite that feeling of worry and anxiety that we call stress. Our lives in the 21st century are much more complex. From financial difficulties, relationships, work, and digital consumption, you are exposed to many factors leading to stress.
The first thing to come to terms with is that stress is a normal part of life. One very quick mental game is to switch your mindset from problems that cause you stress, into challenges to overcome. Nonetheless, we will be covering 5 of the most helpful ways to combat and deal with stress. That includes exercise, meditation, social support, time management, and self-care.
At our chiropractic centre, we cater to patients from all walks of life and facing a multitude of challenges. It’s safe to say that you are not alone and many people can relate to exactly how you feel. What’s crucial is to know how to manage stress effectively to stay healthy and maintain overall well-being. So let’s get straight into it.
Exercise
In a previous article about the benefits of exercise, we touched on the fact that it is a proven stress reliever. That is because exercise releases a hormone called dopamine that transmits through your bloodstream and causes that “feel-good” factor. In fact, you will most likely have experienced that sense of accomplishment and happiness after a workout because of dopamine. Many studies like this one have shown that regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience in dealing with stress. Most aerobic activities, from a nature hike, tennis, or a beach walk can bump up the production of feel-good endorphins.
Energy consumption through exercise can also improve your sleeping habits which will in turn ease your stress levels.
As a chiropractor, we treat patients with sports injuries or are looking to ensure their body is reaching optimum levels. However, chiropractic care is for anyone who feels any discomfort and is looking for ways to make regular exercise possible.
The positive thing about exercise is that there are benefits beyond just dealing with stress. It will help keep you fit and healthy and reduce the risk of illnesses and depression. A good chiropractor will always promote exercise to all of their patients if physically possible.
Meditation
I know what you’re thinking. Meditation involves sitting in silence for hours in an uncomfortable cross-legged position with some strange background music. While that is perfectly suitable for some people to get into a meditative state, it’s not for everyone.
The good news is that meditation can be anything from a beach walk or a sit-down by the park. Think of a place where you can unwind and forget about the background noise around you. Ultimately, it is all about shifting your focus away from the daily irritations and challenges for a period of time. Giving your mind and body a well-deserved rest from the constant feeling of stress.
You’d be surprised with even just a few minutes a day can make a big difference. An article from Harvard suggests that there is data backing meditation as a way to ease anxiety and mental stress. The act of meditating is essentially trying to focus all your attention on the present moment. By letting go of the overwhelming thoughts causing your stress at that moment, your body enters a state of relaxation. This state of rest helps counteract the effects of stress by slowing breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension.
A doctor of chiropractic will always try and get to the bottom of the cause behind your physical symptoms. A full body chiropractic adjustment can help ease the pain that you’re currently feeling. However, if you haven’t learned how to deal and manage with stress, your symptoms may come back yet again. That is why meditation in one form or another is highly recommended as a way to manage stress effectively.
Social Support
If you have ever seen a therapist, you may have noticed that they talk very little. And, when they do, it is generally a question to elaborate on what you’re feeling. That is what we’re talking about when it comes to social support.
Look, as a chiropractor, our patients will often feel a sense of relief just by being able to talk about their pain with someone. Talking with someone about the challenges you’re facing will help you deal with them better. A listening ear, such as a friend, a family member, or a therapist, can help you cope with stress.
Emotional support will help you digest the problems causing stress and gain a sense of validation and understanding. Oftentimes, stressful situations push us into an isolated state, and talking with someone promotes a sense of connection and security.
While we all deal with stress, some people manage it better than others. A professionally licensed therapist is your best bet in helping you gain the tools necessary to manage stress. Of course, having an open conversation with a family member, or a close friend will also help. And as we mentioned before, in cases where physical pain is causing you stress, even talking through the pain with someone like a chiro helps you unload.
Time Management
Feeling like you never have enough time on your hands is certainly one of the worst. The lack of time management itself is certainly a cause of stress. Running a family chiropractic with hundreds of patients every week is most definitely a challenge and everything would fall apart without proper scheduling.
That is exactly what may help you deal with stress better too. Naturally, you’ll have different time pressures and things to do that are different from running our chiropractor South Auckland clinic. However, the concept applies to everyone and every aspect of life.
Managing your time effectively will help you prioritise your tasks, reduce your workload, and thus create more time to relax.
Self-care
Self-care is exactly what you picture. We all know there are certain things that must be done for the human body and mind to function optimally. From exercise to eating well, sleeping enough, listening to music, and practicing your hobbies, these all matter. Getting into a routine and sticking by it is really helpful to find balance and manage stress well.
As long as it’s a healthy habit, anything from playing golf to watching your favourite TV show counts. Of course, it is all about moderation and it relates back to time management. You must find the time for leisure and self-care but there are also responsibilities that must be fulfilled.
Many of our patients see natural chiropractic as part of their self-care routine. Our chiropractic services revolve around a holistic approach to health. Your body and mind are linked through your nervous system and that information highway needs to be taken care of. From the very first chiropractor x ray to the regular chiropractic adjustment, health improvement and longevity are the priority.