Don't Stress It

We just had an assembly with Dr. Joe Dispenza, which helped reiterate a point that I have recently learned before and feel strongly about.  There is a direct association between the Stress we have in our lives and our health.  In the animal world, we talk about survival.  A deer who is relaxed and grazing in the meadow senses danger, in a blink of an eye, darts off and is gone.  As humans, we also have this reaction.  If one was faced with a wild animal, our body would react.  Without a thought, our heart rate would increase, our breathing would become more rapid, our blood would increase to our muscles, all allowing us to get out of danger.  This reaction is an essential factor for survival.  It is meant to occur in times of need, but that is the problem.  In our society today, we keep this reaction on all the time, like a light switch left on day and night, which will soon burn out.  So are we faced with a giant bear all the time? No, but we are faced with stressers and fears on a constant basis, and we utilize this survival mode to get us through.  We start our day this way, getting up in a stressful manner to a beeping alarm clock, rushing to get ready.  Many read or hear the news in the morning, filling our thoughts with negative ideas.  We get stressed on our commute, rushing to where we need to go.  We are stressed at work, school, or other things that demand our time and attention. We return home, and sadly we occur more stress with family, bills, and activities that we planned for ourselves.  Finally, before getting to bed, we watch the news again, filling our minds with more negative ideas before ending our day.  When does it stop?

Our "survival" switch is on all day, every day.  But you may ask those are just thoughts, it can't be that bad?  Studies have shown that whether it is something we are doing, or if we just think about doing it, or brain activity is the same in both cases.  There is no difference in brain activity if we are in actual danger or thinking about it.  So what does this do?  Think of an air conditioning system that is turned on all the time, that never stops running.  Usually an air system turns out periodically to maintain a comfortable balance, like our survival mode.  But if it is running all the time, it will soon get cold which in the summer may feel nice at the time, but our bill will sky rocket.  It will be a financial burden. If all our money goes to pay the electric bill, we will exhaust all our finances to pay for other needs like groceries, gas, and ESPN (jk).  And soon, the summer will end and winter will come and if the AC is still running, it won't be so pleasent.  So how is this like our survival mode?  Nearly the same.  If our body is increasing heart rate, if our muscles are using the energy to flee from danger . . . soon, it too will exhaust all what we need.  All our energy will be used up, leaving our muscles to utilize other options for energy, causing pain.  Other parts of the body that need energy will not get it, causing several health problems physiologically. And soon, when it is time to relax, but we are still in survival mode, it won't feel so nice.

If we are always in survival mode, there are certain function that are disabled like our gut.  Our intestines and our sphincters work in a relaxed state.  Sexual function and infertility are also effected. We soon get fatigued, insomnia, supress our immune system, or even fibromyalgia.  The list of complications are long, but the solution is simple.  We need to find time away from these stressers.  We need to bring a balance to our body.  The major problem is that several people have been in this mode for so long, they are stuck in that mode and it is not so easy to get out. It is not as simple as just relaxing in our lazyboy after a hard day of work.  We need more.  We need to actively activate certain parts of our brain, mainly the left side, to bring back a balance to our body physiologically. 

Some helpful solutions: (Not in any particular order, but I will try to list what I think is more effective)

1. Avoid stressers - Don't watch or listen to the news especially in the morning and at night, start your morning in a more calm way by giving yourself plenty of time to get ready and to commute, eliminate any unnecessary activities making you feel rushed and stretched, and find the positive things in life.  There is plenty more we can do, but those are just a few ideas that I think everyone can work on
2. Adjustment of the extremities - It has been proven that adjustments can activate the brain and directly effect the body physiologically.  To regain balance to brain activity, an adjustment to the right side extremities will activate the left side of the brain which is responsible to help relax the body
3. Exercise the opposite side extremities - This is similar to the adjustment.  Stimulation to the right side will activate the left brain
4. Talking - be careful with this one, because talking with certain people are about certain things can add more stress, but the left side of the brain is active when we are talking.  Talking things out brings peace to our lives.  This is the basis for counciling.  As well as the foundation between men and women when it comes to talking.  Women are more right side dominant, so talking is the method for balance.  It is theraputic, and essential.

Let me sum up and explain.  Stress is not bad, we need it (in limiting doses).  It is what drives us, it keeps us going, it is our survival method.  But we need to regulate it.  We can't afford to live in survival mode all the time.  A bow that is always strung tight will soon break.  And when we break, or exhaust all our resources, we found serious complications.  It may seem easy enough, but it does take our active attention.  We too often get lost in the rush and demands of life. Just remember, Don't Stress It!