Happy Holidays!
While the holidays are meant to be about fun, festivity, and family togetherness, it can also be a time of year filled with stress and many not-so-merry moments. The pressures of shopping, spending time with loved ones, traveling, eating inappropriate foods, and lack of exercise all lead to a whirlwind of potential stressors. However, understanding these challenges and how to counteract them will help you find effective ways to eliminate stress and make this holiday season truly joyful and balanced.
Now is the perfect time to talk about the fourth Fundamental of Health: Stress Resiliency.
It should come as no surprise that stress has been linked to 90% of medical conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, gut and hormone issues, chronic pain, and more. When we feel stressed, our bodies enter into a reactive state, triggering disruptions in our rhythm of life. Since we all experience stress, and it will always be a part of our lives in some form, the question we need to start asking ourselves is, “How can I deal with stress?”
To deal with stress, you’ll need to understand how your body reacts to it first. At Kinney Physical Therapy & Wellness, we have different tests and techniques that give us the information we need to help shift your stress responses more positively.
Stress Metabolic Profile – This test provides us with invaluable insight into how your body responds to stress by taking a snapshot over 24 hours.
HeartMath – As part of my Health Restore Program, Heartmath is a device that measures heart rate variability and gives feedback.
BrainTap – This headset has multiple programs for stress relief, including soundwave therapy, light therapy, positive mindset, and meditation all in one.
You can also incorporate simpler techniques as part of your day to head start your stress resiliency, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, getting outdoors to spend time in nature, working out, and expressing gratitude and appreciation at the beginning and end of every day.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to improve your mind and body’s stress resiliency, reach out to me. I look forward to helping you get the most out of this holiday season so that you may find peace, calm, and happiness.
Be happy & be healthy,
Dan
P.S. Stay tuned for the final fundamental of health next month, where I’ll talk about how to fuel ourselves for success.