It is estimated that up to 14million people in the UK suffer from stress, causing some 13.5 million working days a year to be lost – with all the signs that those figures will steadily get worse.
As well as having effects on our mental state, stress also affects our physical fitness – leading to stresses on our immune system, on our bone and muscle structures and changes to our weight.
While a small amount of stress is good for us – the hormone produced when we are stressed is linked to adrenalin – when it rises above a certain level it becomes unhealthy.
Stressful situations at work or in other areas of life, lead to the release of the key stress hormone Cortisol, which is needed to prepare our body for fight or flight situations surrounding danger.
It is also produced when we are fatigued from constant stress or experience frequent emotions such as anger, anxiety or impatience. In these situations, the effects often feel strange as they are designed to help you survive in dangerous situations.
You may feel that you are experiencing life in slow motion – detached from reality. You may also feel irritable and uneasy or even that you are observing but not participating in life.
As well as having effects on our mental health, stress hormones can cause a wide range of physical side effects; from heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, muscle tension - especially in the shoulders and jaw - and headaches or migraines.
The cortisol hormone is also catabolic which means it breaks down vital molecules such as those in bone and muscle tissues – eating away at our bodies, reducing our metabolic rate, leaving us felling tired and fatigued.
Although this may paint a grim picture, there are several tips for reducing stress and dealing with its effects, including ensuring a healthy diet, increasing exercise and regular massage and physiotherapy, to reverse the physical affects.
Physiotherapy and massage therapy are a great way of dealing with stress. When we are stressed our bodies are under a huge amount of pressure and physio can help ease that pressure allowing our bodies and minds to relax again.
Physiotherapy helps by reducing blood pressure and releasing joints and muscles which are tied up in knots – helping your nutrient carrying blood flow freely again. Stressed tissues and tight muscles are unhealthy and often your body needs a helping hand to get back on track.
We can also help reduce stress by assessing our diet. If our body is constantly being over worked then we use up more nutrients than usual and a healthy diet will help you to replace the nutrients you use up thereby improving your ability to repair.
A balanced diet consisting of vitamins and nutrients is essential for our immune system and food rich in proteins and iron are ideal for helping build up our muscles as well as calcium for strengthening our bones.
Exercise is another great way to combat stress, as it releases endorphins, the body’s happy hormones, into the blood stream, helping the body to relax.
It doesn’t have to be physically demanding; often walking is the best form of exercise. Take a brisk stroll during your lunch hour, get off the bus a few stops early or take the stairs instead of the lift – it all helps.
The most obvious way to cope with stress is to deal with what is stressing you out – do something positive to change your work load. This may involve counselling but it may be as simple as saying ‘no’ to taking on more in your life.
For comprehensive advice on how check out The Physiotherapy Centre’s website www.edphysio.com (Edinburgh) and www.ggphysio.com (Glasgow) or call 0131 556 1116 (Edinburgh) and 0141 332 6000 (Glasgow).
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