Chronic stress has become an epidemic in our society where faster is better and we all need to be doing rather than being.
Stress is the cause of many diseases yet we continue on the hamster wheel rushing and always doing. Many of us find it hard to stop and just be! Many people ask how stress affects the body – it is a known fact that stress is the cause of many chronic illnesses, weight gain and weakens your immune system, yet it is part of living and something we all experience. How you handle it can have a profound long term negative or positive impact on your health.
Parasympathetic vs Sympathetic Nervous System
The parasympathetic nervous system is known as REST, DIGEST and RESTORE vs the sympathetic nervous system is known as FIGHT or FLIGHT. As we go through our daily lives we should be functioning 70% PSNS and 30% SNS but the majority of people are on the reverse.
When we are stressed our bodies are functioning from a state of panic – fight or flight. Our adrenal glands release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that flood our system, raising our heart rate, increasing blood pressure, inflammation and belly fat. This plays havoc on the entire body. If we continue to function like this day after day eventually our health suffers and we burn out.
Learn to actively just BE.
Many people find it hard to stop and relax. They define success by how much they are doing rather than being. To be able to actively sit in slience is a skill and has profound positive benefits to your overall health.
Start with baby steps
On rising every morning sit in an up right position with a lengthened spine. Close your eyes and focus your attention between your eyebrows. Connect with every inhale and exhale, in and out through your nose. This practice will lower your blood pressure and heart rate and help regulate your autonomic nervous system throughout the day. Remember stress is part of life but learning how to cope with it is key.
Discipline and Consistency
If you want to see and feel the benefits you need to be disciplined and consistant in implementing this healthy habit into your daily routine. It is more beneficial to practice this daily for five minutes rather than three times a week for longer.
To build resilience and vitality longterm start to implement managable healthy habits into your daily life.
As a Buteyko Breathing Instructor, Oxgen Advantage for yoga teacher, Nutriton /Health Coaching I can help guide you with the tools on how to feel calmer, breathe more efficiently, get quality sleep and combat many common health issues.
We all would like to live a life as long as possible and die young as late as possible!