Is Stress causing your Pain?
How Massage Therapy and other simple lifestyle tweaks can help you get to grips with Stress.
A common theme crops up when working with massage clients on their wellness goals - stress and pain more often than not go hand in hand. Emerging from a pandemic and head first into a financial crisis has left our nervous systems more fragile than ever before, and when I see clients that are reporting symptoms of upper back and neck pain, headaches, cramping and tingling nerve pains to name a few - they are also usually scoring 7 and above on their stress levels (10 being the highest.)
People are often working long hours, leaving minimal time for self care and things they enjoy - or juggling intensive family demands at home (sometimes both.) If we cannot change our circumstances (at least not straight away) and the many demands we find piled on our plates - it is crucial that you put your self care as one of your highest priorities. This is the opposite of selfish, as it in turn helps us regulate ourselves and our moods more effectively if our needs and being met.
When we feel stressed our bodies often involuntarily tighten, causing tense muscles - putting pressure paticularily on our spines, upper back and necks.
We are historically designed to cope with short bursts of stress (to stop us being eaten by wild animals for example) but its when we find ourselves in a constant state of stress that problems can occur. Our bodies can start producing physical responses to our stress that cause wear and tear on our bodies.
Slow down and listen to your body - what is it trying to tell you? All our symptoms are signals, sometimes when you ignore your wellness for prolonged periods of time - your body is waving its arms around, frantically trying to get your attention! Its your job to listen.
If you experience one or more of the following symptoms - stress could be something that needs addressing in your current lifestyle:
Aches and Pains (specifically upper back and neck.)
Exhaustion and low energy levels, or feeling tired after a nights sleep.
Headaches.
High blood pressure.
Muscle tension.
Tummy issues.
Weak immunity.
Panic attacks.
Low mood and anxious thoughts.
When faced with these unplesant symptoms we tend to try and numb or reward our discomfort with quick fixes such as alcohol, food, shopping, smoking or drugs. Which just exaserbates in the long run.
Sometimes we need to take a step back and get an ariel perspective of our lifestyles and habits, what can we edit? Whats no longer serving you?
Here are some tips to bring yourself back into alignment:
Notice the moments of the day you dread, and the tasks that are sucking the life and joy out of you, write them down. How can you make a shift? What can you let go of or ask for help with? For example if you feel cooped inside and cranky as a stay at home parent - how can you get more movement and fresh air into your routine? If you are drowning at work - could working from home another day a week be an option?
Prioritise rest and sleep. Try skipping caffeine after lunch and switch your phone off in the evening to avoid night time doom scrolling! Create a restorative night time wind down routine.
Notice what foods and drinks make you feel more edgy and uncomfortable and base your diet around things that improve how you feel.
Start a daily journal practice, Its really helpful to get thoughts, frustrations, goals and to dos onto paper and out of your head.
Move your body! Find an exercise (preferably outside for an extra vitamin D boost!) that you like, that makes your body feel good. Prioritise it, you are worthy of feeling good.
Align your mornings. Waking up to your toddler jumping on your head, missing socks and a rushed routine will not help your stress levels. Align your mornings with things to restore you, even if this means getting up earlier. Use that time for things to help you get your day off to a better start, or to make progress on something meaningful to you - whether thats researching a holiday or progressing a side hustle. Avoid checking your phone untill after your morning routine, its the quickest way to give away your time and energy to other people once you wake.
Incorperate a 4 - 8 weekly Massage treatment into your self care routine - studies have shown even 10 minutes of Massage Therapy can help activate your happy hormones.
How can Massage help with Stress? Some benefits can include:
Massage encourages the production of serotonin - the happy hormone! Helping to stabalise your mood.
Improved sleep quality.
Improved blood circulation (helpful if high blood pressure is of concern).
Reduced cortisol levels - the stress hormone.
Helps to coax our bodies into an improved state of wellbeing.
An ease in tense, tight mucles.
Reduction in headaches.
Improved digestion (massage can help your detox systems work more effectively.)
What to expect - your first treatment.
Norwich Massage Company treatments are bespoke to the individual, meaning we can work on specific areas of tension you wish to focus on. For example many clients experiencing high stress levels find a rebalancing scalp massage at the end of a treatment - paticularily beneficial.
Different people have different tolerances and preferences for massage pressure, so this can also be adjusted throughout the treatment to ensure you are relaxed and comfortable. A full consulation will take place beforehand either via email or before the treatment.
To get the most out of your treatment its preferable to not do anything too strenuous for the rest of the day and to up your water intake to aid in detoxification and an improved feeling of wellness.
Treatment durations range from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on what you feel you need at the time. For bookings or enquiries contact Maria on 07795071606 or email: norwichmassagecompany@gmail.com.
Disclaimer - If stress, depression, anxiety or other health factors are seriously effecting or worrying you - always discuss your options with your GP.
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