Stress... Is it a Threat to Your Health?

Stress is talked about by many but the damaging health effects are acknowledged or understood by few. Medications don't seems to provide much long-term relief so what is a person to do?

First let me say that not all stress is bad for you. Some stress is exciting, even invigorating, such as finding a new love, winning the lottery, getting married or receiving a major award. It is not these stressful events that are going to damage your health.

The events that hurt your health are the ones where negative emotions come into play. Psychologists have known for along time that the negative health effects that come from stress are the result of your reactions to a given situation.

If not properly managed, these reactions to negative stress can affect your health by subjecting your organs to a barrage of unhealthy hormones. What are the classic signs of negative stress reactions?

Most commonly stress shows up in the form of sleep disturbances, low energy or fatigue, chronic muscle pain, worry, anger and anxiety. It is the stresses that weigh heavily on the heart and mind that do the most damage to your body.

It has been shown clinically that the chronic anxiety from a high stress lifestyle can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems, back pain, headaches and digestive disturbances just to name a few.

So what is the solution? There are two basic changes you can make to reduce the negative effects of stress. First you can try to take yourself out of or avoid the stressful situations. This is the simplest of the two choices but not usually the most practical.

For example, if you have a "stressful job" you can choose not go to work or find another one or  but neither of these options are practical in any real sense. The second, more realistic option but also more challenging, is to learn to change your reaction to the stressful events that surround you.

Changing your reaction takes practice but is extremely effective in helping you feel better both mentally and physically. The second option, learning to change your reaction to events, is the one that I concentrate on with clients.

I have developed a three step program of health-based exercise, visualization and relaxation that helps make my clients feel stronger both physically and mentally.

For a free consultation or to learn more about how to feel better with my three step program, contact Woody McMahon at 703.628.2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.