We may live in one of the most picturesque places in the world here in Canmore and Banff, but that doesn’t mean we are devoid of stress. Life…am I right?
A great way to help manage stress in the body is to receive a massage.
Benefits of Massage Therapy for Stress
- Decrease heart rate
- Decrease blood pressure
- Decrease cortisol levels (stress hormone)
- Improve sleep
- Relax muscles to reduce muscle tension and tension headaches
- Reduce anxiety and depression
- Increased endorphins (your body’s natural “feel-good” chemical)
- Serotonin and dopamine are released (helping you to feel calm and relaxed)
What happens to the body in times of stress?
Short-term:
- Adrenaline boosts your heart rate
- Cortisol levels increase blood sugar
- Energy is diverted away from digestive system and immune responses
Long-term:
- The body goes into fight-or-flight response
- Headaches
- Upset stomach
- Elevated blood pressure
- Chest pain
- Problems sleeping
- Behavior changes (such as angry outbursts, drug and alcohol abuse, social withdrawal)
- Mood changes (Anxiety, irritability or anger, lack of motivation or focus, sadness or depression)
- Body Changes (Chest pain, fatigue, headache, decreased sex drive, interrupted sleep)
What is fight or flight?
When our fight or flight system is activated, we tend to perceive everything in our environment as a possible threat to our survival. By its very nature, the fight or flight system bypasses our rational mind—where our more well thought out beliefs exist—and moves us into “attack” mode. This state of alert causes us to perceive almost everything in our world as a possible threat to our survival. As such, we tend to see everyone and everything as a possible enemy. We may overreact to the slightest comment. Our fear is exaggerated. Our thinking is distorted. We see everything through the filter of possible danger. We narrow our focus to those things that can harm us. Fear becomes the lens through which we see the world.
Sustained fight-or-flight response can cause problems. In fact, constant stress actually becomes “distress” — a negative stress reaction. We can begin to see how it is almost impossible to cultivate positive attitudes and beliefs when we are stuck in survival mode. Our heart is not open. Our rational mind is disengaged. Our consciousness is focused on fear, not love. Making clear choices and recognizing the consequences of those choices is unfeasible. We are focused on short-term survival, not the long-term consequences of our beliefs and choices. When we are overwhelmed with excessive stress, our life becomes a series of short-term emergencies. We lose the ability to relax and enjoy the moment. We live from crisis to crisis, with no relief in sight. Burnout is inevitable.
See what I mean?
SO BOOK IN FOR A MASSAGE!! 🙂
