It is not uncommon for our London chiropractors to discover that many patients who attend our clinic share with them that they are experiencing stress in their lives.
While stress is normal, too much stress can be harmful to your mental and physical health. Our chiropractors in our busy chiropractic clinic in central London, often see the results of stress on patients’ bodies in the form of muscular tension, often leading to pain.
Too much stress over a long period of time is also linked with an increased risk of many health conditions including lower immune system function, heart disease, depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse problems and even issues coping with everyday life.
If you are feeling stressed it’s important to find effective ways to handle this and, to reduce the amount of stress, you’re under.
Seven changes you can make in your life to alleviate the stress you are experiencing
#1 Improve your relationship with stress (and reduce avoidance of it)
When we run from our problems or try not to think about them, it can seem like they don’t exist at all. It’s important to remember: The things we run from don’t really go away; they only show up in different ways. By facing what scares us most, we gain confidence and power over our lives rather than giving our power away.
#2 Get enough sleep
When you don’t get enough sleep (less than 7 hours per night), your body releases more cortisol which is the chemical that tells your body to release sugar into the blood stream – this causes you to wake up feeling tired. Also, when you don’t get enough sleep your brain doesn’t produce as much serotonin which is the chemical that makes you feel good – this causes you to feel more depressed and anxious, making your stress levels rise.
#3 Do things you enjoy and treat yourself to some “me time” every day
It’s important to make time for the activities you enjoy – whether it is seeing friends, playing with your kids, running marathons or knitting. These are the times when we recharge our batteries and feel most alive. When life gets busy, these activities can often fall by the wayside so remember what brings you happiness and do them as much as possible.
Set some time aside every day for some “me time”. This could involve taking a bath, having a nap, going for a walk or watching an episode of your favourite programme on TV – it’s important to have down time from the stresses of daily life. This way you’ll feel better equipped to deal with your stressors and reduce pressure levels in your life.
#4 Take regular exercise
Make sure you’re exercising at least three times a week for 30 minutes or more. Exercise releases endorphins which are chemicals that improve mood and reduce pain. Exercise also makes us sleep better at night, improves our energy levels during the day and helps to release some of those stress hormones out of our system! For even more benefit from exercise try meditation, yoga or tai chi – all of which can help to release stress.
#5 Get outdoors and spend time with nature
Being outside in green spaces helps our bodies produce serotonin, reduces the stress hormone cortisol and increases blood flow throughout the body. In fact, a study conducted by The University of Sussex revealed that being outdoors in nature stimulates the left side of our brains (the side responsible for positive emotions). So make sure you get out into nature as much as possible – it will improve your mood and reduce your stress levels!
#6 Eliminate (or at least reduce) unhelpful foods (and drinks) from your diet
It’s surprising how so many foods (and drinks) we consume that contain substances that can have a negative effect on our mood. Here are some foods (and drinks) you should consider eliminating or at least reducing from our diet.
Sugar releases insulin which triggers cortisol production which tells your body to release glucose into the blood stream – this causes your energy levels to rise but then drop again quickly causing fatigue, irritability and difficulty concentrating. Sugar also leads to inflammation in the body which not only affects physical health but mental health too. If we eat sugar when we’re feeling low it can actually cause our mood to get worse and lead to anxiety and depression.
Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, rice and pastries affect the levels of serotonin in the brain – this makes us feel depressed and anxious which leads to increased stress levels. Try eating complex carbs such as oats whole grains, vegetables, fruit etc which release energy slowly – keeping you fuller for longer and making you less likely to overeat or reach for a quick sugary snack.
Caffeine triggers adrenaline production which is linked to anxiety. Reducing caffeine can have a calming effect on both mind and body. Caffeine also disrupts sleep patterns which reduces the amount of serotonin produced during the day – this makes us feel more depressed and anxious, increasing our stress levels.
Alcohol interferes with the brains communication pathways. Drinking too much can have a negative effect on memory, learning, attention span and mood regulation. Too much alcohol over time has been linked with low immune system function, depression, anxiety disorders and heart disease so it’s important not to drink too much or too often!
#7 Visit a chiropractor regularly
There are a few ways that a regular visit to chiropractor can help you reduce stress.
Reducing muscular tension: Additional adrenalin and cortisol are released by your body when you are stressed which can cause muscular tension. Muscular tension can be painful and contribute to other painful conditions arising in your body. Pain often leads to further stress.
Chiropractic treatment and soft tissue therapy can be effective in relieving muscular tension and help reduce the pain and in turn alleviate the stress caused by it.
Improving the function of the nervous system: Having an efficient nervous system helps keep you calm and relaxed. In this state it is easier for you to cope with stressful situations in your life. Chiropractic adjustments can help the nervous system to function more efficiently.
Resolving painful musculoskeletal conditions: Musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain or joint pain can be painful and at times debilitating. Being in pain can often be extremely stressful.
Chiropractic is a primary healthcare profession that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and overall management of conditions that are due to problems with the joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves, especially related to the spine. Therefore, a chiropractor is well placed to help resolve pain related to these types of conditions and alleviate the stress caused by their pain.
Visiting Our London Chiropractors at MotionBack
If you are in pain or discomfort our experienced team of London chiropractors are here to help you. You can book an appointment with one of our team by calling our chiropractic clinic on 0207 112 5408 or you can book an appointment online on our website here.