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StressIntroductionStress can be defined as the way you feel when you're under too much pressure. Research suggests that a moderate amount of pressure can be positive, making us more alert, helping to keep us motivated, and making us perform better. However, too much pressure, or prolonged pressure, can lead to stress. Stress can cause illness and physical and emotional problems. Research has shown that around 12 million adults see their GP with mental health problems each year. Most of these have anxiety and depression, much of it stress-related. Symptoms When you are stressed, your body produces more of the so-called 'fight or flight' chemicals, which prepare your body for an emergency. Adrenaline and noradrenaline raise your blood pressure, increase the rate at which your heart beats and increase the rate at which you perspire. They can also reduce blood flow to your skin and reduce your stomach activity. Cortisol releases fat and sugar into your system (but also reduces the efficiency of your immune system). All of these changes make it easier for you to fight or run away, which was extremely useful to the human race in past times. Unfortunately these changes are less helpful if you are stuck in a busy office or on an overcrowded train. You cannot fight or run away, and so cannot use the chemicals your own body has produced to protect you. Over time these chemicals and the changes they produce can damage your physical and mental health. For example, you may start to experience headaches, nausea and indigestion. You may breathe more quickly, perspire more, have palpitations or suffer from various aches and pains such as: chest pains, constant tiredness, constipation or diarrhoea, cramps or muscle spasms, craving for food, dizziness, fainting spells, lack of appetite, nail biting, feeling sick, frequent crying, nervous twitches or muscle spasms, pins and needles, restlessness, sleeping problems, and a tendency to sweat. Longer term you may be putting yourself at risk from high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, impotence. Emotional changes When you are stressed you may experience many different feelings, including anxiety, fear, anger, frustration and depression. These feelings can themselves produce physical symptoms, making you feel even worse. Extreme anxiety can cause giddiness, heart palpitations, headaches or stomach disorders. Many of these symptoms may make you feel so unwell that you then worry that you have some serious physical conditions such as heart disease or cancer, making you even more stressed. Behavioural changes When you are stressed you may behave differently. For example, you may become withdrawn, indecisive or inflexible. You may not be able to sleep properly. You may be irritable or tearful all the time. There may be a change in your sexual habits, and even if you were previously mild-mannered you may suddenly become verbally or physically aggressive. Causes All sorts of situations can cause stress. The most common involve work, money matters and relationships with partners, children or other family members. Stress may be caused either by major upheavals and life events such as divorce, unemployment, moving house and bereavement, or by a series of minor irritations such as feeling undervalued at work or dealing with difficult children. Sometimes there are no obvious causes. Some people seem to suffer from stress more than other people. Psychologists call these people 'type A'. Type A people tend to be impatient, driving and sometimes aggressive. They also seem to suffer a higher than average incidence of heart attacks. People who abuse alcohol or drugs are also more likely to suffer from stress. Treatment Do not be afraid to seek professional help if you feel that you are no longer able to manage things on your own. Many people feel reluctant to seek help as they feel that it is an admission of failure. This is not true and it is important to get help as soon as possible so you can begin to get better. The first person to approach is your GP. He or she should be able to advise about treatment and may refer you to another local professional such as a counsellor. Treatment can involve talking your problems through with someone trained to deal with stress conditions and may also mean the use of medication for a short period. There are also a number of voluntary organisations which can help you to tackle the causes of stress and advise you about ways to get better. Complications Excessive, prolonged stress may contribute to a wide range of other mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Stress may also contribute to physical health problems such as: stomach and duodenal ulcers, high blood pressure, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid over-activity, ulcerative colitis, and persistent skin damage from scratching. Prevention An important step in tackling stress is to realise that it is causing you a problem. If you find yourself becoming angry or upset you may find it helpful to take time out, even if only for five minutes. Try to relax your muscles and calm yourself down by slow, deep breathing. Try to identify the underlying causes of your stress. You may need to review your whole lifestyle. Are you taking on too much? Are there things you are doing which could be handed over to someone else? A healthy diet will help prevent you becoming overweight and will reduce the risks of other diet-related diseases. Keep smoking and drinking to a minimum and try doing some form of physical exercise, even if it's only a daily walk to the park. Take time to relax. Saying `I just can't take the time off' is no use if you are forced to take time off later through ill health. Sleeping problems are common when you have stress, but try to ensure you get enough rest. Try not to take sleeping pills for longer than a night or two. One of the best antidotes for stress is enjoying yourself so try to bring some fun into your life by giving yourself treats and rewards for positive actions, attitudes and thoughts. Try to keep things in proportion and don't be too hard on yourself. After all, we all have bad days. Yoga Suggestions for self help Nutrition and Supplements The following nutritional tips may reduce symptoms: Eliminate suspected food allergens, such as dairy (milk, cheese, and ice cream), wheat (gluten), soy, corn, preservatives, and chemical food additives. Your health care provider may want to test you for food allergies. Eat foods high in B-vitamins and calcium, such as almonds, beans, whole grains (if no allergy), dark leafy greens (such as spinach and kale), and sea vegetables. Eat antioxidant foods, including fruits (such as blueberries, cherries, and tomatoes) and vegetables (such as squash and bell peppers). Avoid refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and sugar. Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy), or beans for protein. Use healthy cooking oils, such as olive oil or vegetable oil. Reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids, found in such commercially baked goods as cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, onion rings, donuts, processed foods, and margarine. Avoid coffee and other stimulants, alcohol, and tobacco. Drink 6 - 8 glasses of filtered water daily. Exercise at least 30 minutes daily, 5 days a week. Nutritional deficiencies may be addressed with the following supplements: A multivitamin daily, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, the B-complex vitamins and trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and selenium. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, 1-2 capsules or 1 tablespoonful oil daily, to help decrease inflammation. Cold-water fish, such as salmon or halibut, are good sources. Vitamin C, 500 - 1,000 mg daily, as an antioxidant. Probiotic supplement (containing Lactobacillus acidophilus), 5 - 10 billion CFUs (colony forming units) a day, for maintenance of gastrointestinal and immune health. You should refrigerate your acidophilus products. Resveratrol (from red wine), 50 - 200 mg daily, to help decrease inflammation and for antioxidant effects. Coenzyme Q10, 100 - 200 mg at bedtime, for antioxidant and immune activity. L-theanine, 200 mg one to three times daily, for nervous system and immune support. Melatonin, 2 - 6 mg at bedtime, for immune support and sleep. Herbs Herbs are generally available as standardized dried extracts (pills, capsules, or tablets), teas, or tinctures or liquid extracts (alcohol extraction, unless otherwise noted). Mix liquid extracts with your favorite beverage. Dose for teas is 1 - 2 heaping teaspoonfuls per cup water, steeped for 10 - 15 minutes (roots need longer). The following herbal remedies may provide relief from symptoms: Kava kava (Piper methysticum) standardized extract, 100 - 250 mg one to three times a day as needed, for symptoms of stress and anxiety. Use only under the supervision of your health care provider if you have pre-existing liver problems, drink alcohol, or take prescription and non-prescription medications. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) standardized extract, 250 - 500 mg daily, for antioxidant, anti-stress, and immune effects. Use caffeine free products. You may also prepare teas from the leaf of this herb. Relora, 250 mg one to three times a day, for stress and related adrenal problems. Bacopa (Bacopa monniera) standardized extract, 50 - 100 mg three times a day, for symptoms of stress and anxiety. Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), and Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) are herbs commonly used to help manage stress in tea form. Combine all three herbs, and make calming teas to sip throughout the day. Managing Stress With Regular Exercise Taking frequent effective exercise is one of the best physical stress-reduction techniques available. Exercise not only improves your health and reduces stress caused by unfitness, it also relaxes tense muscles and helps you to sleep. Exercise has a number of other positive benefits you may not be aware of: It improves blood flow to your brain, bringing additional sugars and oxygen that may be needed when you are thinking intensely. When you think hard, the neurons of your brain function more intensely. As they do this, they can build up toxic waste products that can cause foggy thinking (you may have experienced the feeling that your brain has "turned to cotton wool"). By exercising, you speed the flow of blood through your brain, moving these waste products faster. Exercise can cause release of chemicals called endorphins into your blood stream. These give you a feeling of happiness and positively affect your overall sense of well-being. There is also good evidence that physically fit people have less extreme physiological responses when under pressure than those who are not. This means that fit people are more able to handle the long- term effects of stress, without suffering ill health or burnout. There are many wrong approaches to exercise. Some traditionally recommended forms of exercise actually damage your body over the medium- or long-term. Your doctor is a good starting point for recommending good forms of exercise. NB: If you are not used to taking exercise regularly, then it may be appropriate to take medical advice before starting an exercise program. An important thing to remember is that exercise should be fun. It is difficult to keep going with an exercise program that you do not enjoy. Talk to someone A problem shared is a problem halved - great advice, though in practice how many of us take this on board? However, so many times people avoid discussing difficult issues like stress with anyone as they do not want to be perceived to be struggling. Try to find someone to talk to.. if you have a trusted friend or family member they can be of great support or alternatively go to a professional counsellor who can help you to find the areas of stress and deal with it. A large selection of essential oils can help with stress. Sedative and antidepressant essential oils unclude Bergamot, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Jasmine, Lavender, Marjoram, Neroli, Rose, Rosewood and Vetivert. Oils which strengthen the action of the adrenals may help if they are not over used. These include Geranium and Rosemary, Stimulant oils can also help in the short term such as Black Pepper and Peppermint but don’t over use these oils. Aromatic baths and massage can be very beneficial to the sufferer. Alternative Medicine / Therapies for Stress Acupressure Alexander Technique Aromatherapy Arts therapies Autogenic Training Bach Flower Remedies Biofeedback Chiropractic Colour therapy Crystal and gemstone healing Diet/ Nutrition Guided Imagery /Visualization Herbal Therapy Homeopathy Hypnotherapy Imagery Kinesiology MassageMeditation Naturopathy Nutrition Osteopathy Reflexology Relaxation And Meditation Self-hypnosis Vitamin And Mineral Therapy |
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