It’s an unfortunate fact that the pace and complexity of modern life can be a key driver in developing stress. Americans are particularly susceptible to suffering from stress. Recent statistics indicate that approximately 55% of American adults feel stressed at some point during the day. A common reason for this is linked to the pressures of cultivating and maintaining a professional career and dealing with conflicting objectives during the working day.
Whilst experiencing feelings of stress on an occasional basis is normal, being under stress for prolonged periods can damage the body and can increase the risk of suffering from chronic health conditions in later life. Adrenaline and cortisol are released into the bloodstream when the body’s “fight or flight” mechanisms react to perceived stressors and challenging situations. The blood pressure is elevated, and changes take place in the digestive and immune systems.
Extended periods of stress can dramatically increase the likelihood of experiencing depression, anxiety, weight gain, and cardiovascular problems such as strokes and heart disease. Thankfully, stress can be effectively managed and minimized with a range of non-invasive techniques. In this article, two such treatments will be discussed.
1. Practice mindfulness
The art of mindfulness has grown in popularity in the last decade, and it’s now estimated that around two million Americans practice some form of mindfulness. Put simply, mindfulness is a technique where people focus on the present moment and train themselves to eradicate other subconscious thoughts or concerns that can detract from this form of meditation. A session of mindfulness can only take around ten minutes to accomplish and regular practice can improve the impact and efficiency of the technique.
Research indicates that practicing mindfulness can be a key way to improve mental well-being and reduce stress. A meta-analysis combined 209 individual studies into mindfulness and concluded that mindfulness-based therapies are effective in treating a range of psychological problems whilst being an exceptionally beneficial method of reducing stress levels.
2. Consider massage treatments
When the body experiences stress over a protracted period, it can result in muscle pains. This is because the chemicals released during stressful situations, such as adrenaline, cause the body’s blood vessels to constrict. This leads them to deliver lower volumes of blood to muscles which can lead to tension and aches developing. In some cases, stress has been linked to the development of fibromyalgia in some patients.
Thankfully, the muscular effects of stress can be alleviated by visiting a professional massage treatment centre, such as those that can be found at https://melbournemassageandtreatment.au/. Well-run massage centres will have highly trained staff who can locate the source of muscular pain, aches and discomfort before focusing the treatments in these areas.
Massage has been demonstrated to improve blood flow in areas that are affected by stress as well as improving the circulation of lymph flow. In short, effective massage treatments can provide relief from the musculoskeletal effects of prolonged periods of stress.
However, it’s important to note that the underlying causes of stress should be investigated so the root cause can be ascertained and remedial measures can be taken to prevent reoccurrences.
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