It is not uncommon for patient visiting our Fareham chiropractic clinic to be suffering with severe muscular tension. It is no coincidence that many of these patients are experiencing high levels of stress in their day to day lives.
Stress can be a significant contributor to tension in the muscles, which can cause pain, increase the risk of injury, and negatively impact sporting performance.
Having ‘chronic’ stress is even more dangerous. This long-lasting form of stress can increase the risk of several health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and obesity.
As you can see, stress is not something you should ignore. To help you stress less, this post will share some of our chiropractors’ favourite strategies for stress reduction.
What Does Stress Look Like?
So, how do you know you are stressed? Well, there are several tell-tale signs to look for including:
- Muscle tension
- Feelings of anxiety, panic, depression, or being overwhelmed
- Chest pain
- Lower back pain
- Digestive issues (indigestion, acid reflux)
- Difficultly focusing
- Trouble sleeping
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Weight changes
5 Ways To Stress Less
1. Tackle The Source Of Your Stress
In many cases, feelings of stress stem from problems involving work, money, health or relationships. If you can, take some time to think about the problem that is causing your stress and take action to address it. In some cases, you may be able to lessen your stress levels significantly by simply tackling an issue head-on.
If a health issue like spinal misalignment, poor posture, or back pain is responsible for your high stress levels, visiting a doctor or chiropractor who can help you would be a step forward. They will help you sort out your underlying health problems, which will relieve any feelings of stress.
2. Exercise Often
Exercise is a wonderful stress buster. When you workout, the body will release hormones called endorphins. Endorphins will provide an analgesic (pain killing) effect and a sense of euphoria. During this post-exercise period, you will feel amazing which will give you some respite from feelings of stress.
Exercise can also relieve stress-related muscle tension, improve the quality of your sleep, and boost your mood. It also gives you a general feeling of physical wellbeing which improves your mental health.
It is advisable to seek advice from a medical professional prior to starting any new form of exercise if you have any underlying health conditions.
3. Eat A Stress Busting Diet
Certain foods can boost your serotonin levels, which helps you remain mentally calm and resilient in stressful situations. The nutrients found within healthy foods will also help your body remain in great shape. Healthy food will strengthen the immune system, reduce blood pressure, and help you avoid weight gain (a common symptom of stress).
Some of the best ‘stress busting’ foods include complex carbs (wholemeal pasta, whole-grain bread), oranges, spinach, fatty fish, black tea, pistachios, avocados, almonds, raw vegetables (carrot, cucumber, celery), blueberries, and warm milk.
4. Organise Your Life
Stress can often occur when a person feels overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks laying ahead of them or the deadlines that are approaching. The best way to manage this type of stress is to create a to-do list and employ some time management techniques. This will help you feel more in control of your life, with less chaos and less stress.
5. See a Chiropractor Regularly
Seeing a chiropractor is a very effective way to reduce stress. Chiropractors can help in several ways:
Reducing muscle tension
When you are stressed, your muscles become tense, because of the additional adrenaline and cortisol released by your body. Having tense muscles can be quite painful, which causes even more stress — resulting in a negative feedback loop.
A chiropractor can perform chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue therapy to deal with muscle tension. This short circuits the feedback loop, providing some respite from your stress. These treatments can also release endorphins, which counteract feelings of stress.
Improved nervous system function
Chiropractic adjustments can help the body’s nervous system function more efficiently. This is important when you are suffering from stress, as it will help you relax more easily.
Eliminating pain
If you are dealing with severe back or joint pain, it can significantly worsen feelings of stress. Seeing a chiropractor can resolve the issues that are causing your pain, helping to relieve feelings of stress.
Relaxations tips
Chiropractors are well-versed in a number of health-related topics including nutrition, exercise, and complementary therapies like yoga and mindfulness. They can provide you with tips which will help you enjoy a balanced and relaxed lifestyle with less stress. To learn more, get in touch with the Homewood Chiropractic Clinic today.
Visiting Homewood Chiropractic Clinic in Fareham
If you suffer from any musculoskeletal problem, you will know how debilitating ongoing pain on a daily basis can be. But whether you’re troubled by day to day essentials, like sitting at your desk or getting a good night’s sleep, or prevented from doing things you enjoy, Chiropractic offers a natural way to restore quality to your life.
Treatment by the highly qualified and experienced professionals at Homewood Chiropractic has been an effective solution for over 50 years.
We aim to help you to feel as well as possible, as quickly as possible – so that you can get back to getting the most out of life.
To book an appointment with one of team, call our clinic on 01329 280 283 or book online on our website here.