What Is Stress Doing To You

Stress is something we all go through at some point in our lives. In today’s society stress has become a part of people’s everyday lives, with work and day to day living among the causes. Some people endure more than others and  some cope better than the rest, but just how damaging is stress and what can we do about it to combat the effects? In this edition we will take a snapshot look into stress and how you can avoid the resulting troubles.

We must first acknowledge that it is perfectly normal to stress and will at different points experience situations which cause this. The real problem is long term stress elevations, or chronic stress as it is often referred to. It is chronic stress which large portions of the population go through which causes the health issues and must be addressed early on.

When stressed our bodies release cortisol. Now this hormone may sound familiar to some readers as we have addressed this in multiple articles so far. It is the hormone which we look to keep lower throughout the day though it will fluctuate ideally rhythmically as our day goes on. It responds to stressful situations to allow us to deal with them appropriately and adequately, such as ones that have the potential to cause harm. If we are continually stressed for long periods and over extended durations we can begin to feel fatigued, irritable and experience a decrease in lean muscle mass and increase in body fats (particularly the waistline). Due to these effects our aim now becomes to prevent this and lead happier and healthier lives.

There are many diverse methods to fight stress. Here are a few to help you if this is a problem you experience.

Sleep: This should be the first factor fixed when dealing with chronic stress. Our aim should be to get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night and be asleep by 10pm for the best recovery. Supplements such as Gaba, may assist in getting a good night’s rest. Always check with your GP for suitability before taking supplements.

Magnesium: Taking this is a great way to calm and relax your central nervous system which can be overworked when stressed. It can be easily found at your local pharmacy and appropriate dosages will be individual and should be discussed with a qualified practitioner.

Meditation: This is a great way to calm you after stressful periods and can be performed easily either by yourself or with a qualified instructor.

Mind Body Classes: Yoga is a class available right here at Health Mates which will stretch your muscles and relax your mind. Pilates and Unwind are other popular classes held here that encourage relaxation and a calm mind.

I hope this has helped in beginning your understanding of stress, not only the effects, but also in how to deal with it. So relax and enjoy the upcoming summer with family and friends. Please as always don’t hesitate to ask for any help regarding your training or lifestyle issues.