Taking care of ourselves isn’t a luxury. It is fundamental to a healthy happy life. If we feel good, life is easier and we can manage whatever happens. If we are off balance, ill, tense, tired, pressured or frustrated it is harder to function.
The best we can do is prevent dis-ease by making more ease.
We need to understand the affect stress has on our body, be able to recognise when we feel it and be able to bring ourselves back to ease.
The word ‘stress’ can be described as physical, mental and emotional tension.
It is well known that stress effects our health and happiness. Interestingly, chronic stress not only exacerbates disease, it can cause it.
When we feel stressed we secrete cortisol (our bodies main stress hormone). Excess cortisol can…
✨Increase abdominal fat Cause the common stressed, unexercised body with a large middle, out of proportion body shape. Under stress, sugar turns to fat and is stored in the nearest place to digestive system. (Think of this as an inspiration to make time to relax and enjoy your food 😊)
✨Affect mood, libido and appetite Stress hormones stimulate our preference for foods full of sugar, starch and fat, and effect how we feel.
✨Cause sleep problems Too much cortisol can wake us up in the night and makes it difficult to get back to sleep Sleep deprivation can cause impaired memory, lack of emotional control and lead to more strain in our physical body and mind.
✨Cause increased inflammatory responses in the body, put pressure on our heart and circulation, and promote digestive ulcers.
Excess cortisol has also been linked to nutritional deficiencies, slow wound healing and makes it more likely for us to get sick from viruses.
If we can be aware of when we are tense and learn to relax and let go it will have a positive effect on our physical, mental and emotional bodies. It is also helpful to recognise when our loved ones are lost in stress and support them back to ease.
Here’s are a few examples of how stress can play out in our life…
✨Physical inactivity (sitting at a desk too long or in a car) + mental strain (deadlines, traffic) = tight shoulders and neck, possibly frustrated thoughts and quick tempered, grumpy behaviour!)
✨Rushing around too much + grabbing unhealthy food on the go + not making space to digest (physical, mental and emotional) = can commonly cause an unsettled tummy, feeling tired, drained, anxious, nervous, over whelmed and ungrounded
✨Too much reliance on substances to get through the day (caffeine and sugar to stimulate, alcohol to relax and unwind) + feeling scared to stop as everything might fall – so must keep going on the hamster wheel = will result in something breaking down eventually It might be our immune responses or maybe our sleep pattern. We can wake up in the early hours when the world is asleep to give us space to consciously stop and process (not helpful as can lead to sleep deprivation but can be helpful short term for the mind to have space)
How do you come back to ease?
How do you take care of yourself?
How would you like to take care of yourself?
Some of my favourite ways are… Having aromatherapy baths, massage, time at a spa, time in nature and eating wholesome.
Knowing ourselves, knowing our needs and making it reality is key.
We all have something we take care of… Family, friends, animals, gardens, cars, work and home.
We all give space, time and energy to making these better.
How would it be if we gave the same care and attention to ourselves?
To our health and happiness?
Thinking about making this space for ourselves can bring up thoughts that may distract us. Maybe we think we can’t afford the time or money or we have too many more important things to do first.
It might be helpful here to have a chat with yourself! 🙂 Remember what is most important. You may feel you can clear out some habits that don’t serve you any more such as TV, social media or gossiping! Instead, choosing to gift yourself with this time and space. If we added up the time spent on distractions, dramas and energy drainers we are involved with and instead gave it to ourselves we would definitely feel the benefit. Taking care of ourselves isn’t a luxury. It’s smart living. 😊