Stress Less....

​Stress is a normal part of day to day life and not all stress is bad stress! Some stress is actually helpful..... it can be motivating and exciting. It can prompt us in to action e.g. on a basic level hunger could be classed

as a stress. Natural hunger is our body telling us it needs nutrition and prompts us to eat which is kind of useful in terms of survival.

​But generally when we think about stress we think about the negative aspects. We're usually referring to excess stress - the kind that eventually leads us to feel exhausted, irritable, miserable  etc.....
Symptoms of excess stress can include:

• Poor concentration
• Forgetfulness
• Bowel problems
• Sleep problems
• Appetite change
• Irritability
• Reduced energy
• Tiredness
• Lack of libido
• Aches and pains
• Headaches
• Clumsiness
• Increasing alcohol or smoking
• Lack of enjoyment
• Poor motivation

Stress can also lead to more severe and chronic health problems; causing inflammation in the body and lead to conditions affecting auto-immunity, blood pressure, heart disease, bowel issues such as IBS, cancer, stroke, heart attack, depression and anxiety. (Check your mood HERE)

For a rough guide as to whether you are under excess stress you may like to try this quiz from Popular Science. Note that it's not a diagnostic tool and if you feel you are struggling then looking at ways to try to reduce your stress levels or different ways to cope with life's challenges is going to be a good idea. Ideally we're looking for a balance in our lifestyle but it's not always easy as life can be busy and can catch up on us; although it  can throw us fast balls, stress often is accumulative and we can suddenly find that the things we normally cope well with are now overwhelming us!

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​Particularly if your symptoms are severe and are affecting your health or your ability to function effectively, then it would be useful making an appointment with your 

​GP and with a therapist to get some support and look at managing stress better.
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TOP TIPS FOR REDUCING STRESS

•  Exercise and Yoga
• Change Your Posture
• Mindful Meditation
• A nutrient rich balanced diet
• Nurture Your Microbiome
• Time Outside
• Being Social
• Laughter
• Essential Oils
• Keep a Journal or Just Talk
• Challenge Your Thoughts with “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy”
• Breathing Exercises

Watch the blog for more information on some of these tips..... why and how they can help....