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Treatments to de-stress
Stress is an inevitable part of life. Stress is what happens when you react to a situation and your body releases cortisol (and other hormones, such as adrenaline) into your bloodstream. These hormones give you more strength and energy.
Stress hormones developed in the days when we needed to have an effective "fight or flight" system. This is great when you're on the run from a sabre-toothed tiger, not so helpful when you're stuck at your desk, your boss is shouting, you're overdrawn at the bank and the child-minder just called in sick!
How stress affects our bodyTouch
Heat
Traditional therapies
Hot tip!
References
How stress affects our body
The stress hormones produce instant changes:
* Your heart rate increases
* The blood flowing to your brain and your muscles speeds up
* Your digestion process stops so your body can maximise your energy
* Your muscles tense up
* Your breathing speeds up to enable an increase of oxygen.
With that kind of pressure on your body, it's clear to see why some studies say that 80% of illnesses are stress-related, from issues with digestion to aches, pains and muscle problems.
So what are the best treatments or therapies which are designed to help reduce stress?
Touch
Many studies confirm that the human touch releases the hormone oxytocin, which helps to counteract the stress hormones. Oxytocin is a hormone which increases feelings of trust and enables bonding.
One study showed that adults who received a weekly chair massage for five weeks had lower job stress at the end of the trial than the control group who simply sat relaxing for the same amount of time.
Clearly, one magical stress-buster is massage. There are endless varieties on offer, from deep-tissue to Thai massage. The important thing is that you're relaxed and de-stressed at the end, so do some research and find out what your local spa offers before you decide what you want.
Heat
Stressed muscles and tense bodies respond well to being warmed, so, to aid your de-stress, try to incorporate heat into your spa experience. You could do that by visiting a spa that offers thermal experiences, such as steam rooms or a sauna. When your body temperature rises, which it does when you experience heat, this fools your body into thinking it has a fever. Your body therefore increases the production of white blood cells, and these help boost your immune system.
Steam rooms have also been found to be good for your mental health, too, as they reduce your levels of adrenaline and increase endorphins — Nature's"happy" hormones. Take at least half an hour to warm up before having a massage to enjoy extra relaxing benefits.
You could also try a rasul treatment, which combines thermal mud with beneficial scented steam for the perfect relaxing treat. Or maybe a lava shell or hot stone massage -- a massage which uses heated stones or shells to soothe stressed bodies.
Traditional therapies
Therapies such as shiatsu, ayurvedic massage, acupuncture and reflexology are rooted in ancient traditions. Healing therapies from Asia and India take a holistic approach to healing; that is, they aim to treat all parts of the person, not just treat an individual symptom. If you're looking for a long-term approach to managing stress, trying a traditional therapy is certainly a positive step in the right direction.
Again, research is key to having the right treatment, so keep an open mind. Who knows? You may find yourself becoming a huge fan of jin shin jyutsu!
Hot tip!
Combine a treatment with aromatherapy to maximise your de-stress potential. Studies on brain wave frequency have shown that smelling lavender increases alpha waves in the back of the head, which are associated with relaxation.
References
Massage therapy reduces anxiety: International Journal of Neuroscience, 86, 197-205. Field, T., Ironson, G., Scafidi, F., Nawrocki, T.,Goncalves, A., Burman, I., Pickens, J., Fox, N., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1996). Accessible at this link.
See also:
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