Inagural Post - Stress Management

Hello All,

Welcome to my Blog!

My inaugural blog post will touch briefly on stress management. My assignment this week was to listen to a guided audio track designed to bring me to a state of relaxation and "reset" me if you will. 

I am admittedly pretty non-responsive to the guided-imagery meditation. I tried to follow the soothing man's voice telling me to focus and drift away allowing myself to float to a higher state of consciousness releasing my tensions, worries and fears.

Yeah Right .. halfway through I was thinking about going to the hibachi place for dinner with my sister tonight.

Does my inability to focus on such guided walks down foggy paths after springtime rains speak to my mental capacity? Am I somehow missing out on enhanced brain function?

I think not.

Guided-imagery or visualization is a technique to help people cope with negative emotions, feelings or circumstances .. better known as STRESS.

Keeping your stress levels low is unbelievably critical because prolonged stress effects the body in a multitude of ways. When we get stressed just like our caveman ancestors our body instantly goes in to "flight-or-fight" response. The hypothalamus part of the brain senses stress and activates the sympathetic nervous system. Adrenaline is raised, blood is diverted to muscles from organs, glucose stores are released by the liver and the adrenal glands (on top of the kidneys) release a chemical called Cortisol . Cortisol diverts nonessential functions such as growth, digestion and reproduction and your body literally prepares to fight. When the perceived threat is gone, the body naturally returns itself to balance (homeostasis) by decreasing hormone levels (Mayo Clinic, 2010).

Don't get me wrong, this is the body's natural process and these chemicals are designed to help you deal with a stressful situation. The problem is when we experience prolonged or chronic stress and the body is forced to deal with the overage of these chemicals continuously, disrupting natural body functions.

The results can be very damaging.
 
Heart disease
Sleep problems
Immune suppression
Infertility
Depression
Obesity
Skin problems
Memory loss
Diabetes
Hair loss
Tooth and gum disease
Hypothyroidism
Chronic headaches
Sexual dysfunction
Ulcers
Irritable bowel syndrome
Cancer
(Mayo Clinic 2010)

Stressed just reading that list?

My point is stress management is necessary to a human beings overall health. We as humans need to find what works for us and forces us to cope and release our stress. Shopping, talking to friends, golf, exercise, meditation, and yes guided-imagery .. whatever works for you.

Guided-imagery does not work for me.... But running does. 5 good miles on the trail near my home and my reset button is pushed. I instantly feel calm, relaxed and all around happier. I know this about myself so I make time for it, whatever needs to be rearranged, re-scheduled or coordinated to allow me to get in a run is done. My 2 1/2 year old has logged over 500 miles in his jogging stroller.

I leave you hopefully thinking about stressors in your life and how you can best manage them. What makes you happy, calms you down and pushes your "reset" button? and if guided- imagery is for you try this one ...

Please leave comments, questions, complaints or concerns!

Pursue!
Michelle

Source:
Mayo Clinic (2010). Constant Stress Puts you Health at Risk. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001