By London Nutritionist Sylvia Hensher
TOP 7 STRESS BUSTERS
Stress is a constant factor in today’s fast-paced society. Psychological or physical stress can trigger the body’s response to a perceived threat or danger which is called the Fight-or-Flight response. During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released which increase our heart rate, slow digestion and shunt blood flow to major muscle groups in order to give the body a burst of energy and strength for a perceived emergency. It is an evolutionary mechanism designed to enable us to fight or run away when faced with physical danger. When the perceived threat is gone, our bodily systems are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation response.
However, in modern life, this stress response is now activated in situations where it is inappropriate, like in traffic or during a stressful day at work. We also don’t activate the relaxation response often enough to allow our bodies to return to normal function. As a consequence, we experience prolonged, uninterrupted states of physiological arousal which can cause damage to the body. If left unchecked, it can wreak havoc upon our health by reducing our resistance to illness and disease and negatively impacting on our mood.
7 Ways To Reduce And Control Your Stress
1. Learn Tension-Reducing Techniques-these can activate your body’s relaxation response, putting your body in a calm state. These techniques include meditation, yoga, stretching, deep breathing exercises, and positive imagery which can be practised when you’re under stress, helping you feel better relatively quickly.
2. Laughter and Humour- Laughing reduces stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol and also benefits your immune system by increasing the number and activity of Natural Killer T-cells, which act as the first line of defence against viral attacks and damaged cells
3. Sleep-getting enough sound sleep has a profound impact on your stress levels, immune function and disease resistance. A chronic lack of sleep can leave you feeling sluggish, irritable, forgetful, accident-prone, and have difficulty concentrating or coping with life’s daily aggravations. Long-term sleep loss can is also associated with heart disease, stroke, depression, and anxiety. Strive to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Sleep time is when your body and immune system do most of its repairs and rejuvenation. Continue reading “TOP 7 STRESS BUSTERS”
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