I have a tendency to want to end my workday with a libation. Is that because I actually want one, or is it an emotional reaction to my day? I’d like to think it’s a little bit of both, but if I’m being honest with myself it’s more the latter. Sometimes I think just the action of pouring a beer or glass of wine relieves some of my stress, moreover drinking it. The next question that begs to be answered is why am I so stressed?
Stress is hard to define in its essence because everyone is affected by it differently. We are affected daily by chronic stressors such as the cost of living (kids, bills, career aspirations), by acute stress most commonly known as our bodies fight or flight, and then eustress or distress. Eutress relates to positive stressors like making new friends, graduating, marriage and having a baby, and distress involves circumstances with negative connotations like injury, negative thoughts, or work difficulties (stress.org).
However, whether dealing with chronic, acute, eutress, or distress, we are affected differently (mentally, physically and/ or emotionally), and manage such stress in very distinct ways. I for one don’t deal with stress well on a consistent basis, I have cried, screamed, and may have had a tantrum or two, and I have also emotionally eaten, and still occasionally do. But it should be noted that I have also dealt with stress through developing positive and engaging behaviors to help relieve anxiety, worry, and self-deprecating thoughts by:
unplugging myself from social media,
turning off my phone entirely,
crafting,
buying myself flowers,
dropping an f-bomb,
watching a tear jerker,
creating lists,
organizing parts of my home,
cooking new meals,
petting and playing with my furbabies (…for those who don’t know, I am a proud cat mom of two loyal, curious, and slightly devious cats),
planning trips to see friends,
burning a candle,
writing,
and booking massages.
Stress no matter what kind affects our health, and our health is dramatically affected by our coping skills—or lack there of. Despite not have a doctorial degree in medicine or knowing that much about the cardiovascular system, I do believe there is a strong correlation between stress and women’s health, specifically in regards to heart disease. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. Which according to the American Heart Association “is approximately one woman every minute.” With that being said, as a woman, and a woman who suffers from anxiety, I think we as a gender and as a nation need to seek out more studies to analyze the relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease in women.
However, that is out of your control relatively speaking, but what we can control is how we take care of ourselves. Through some research on emotionality and heart disease from the American Heart Associations webpage (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/), I found the following to be quite fascinating:
Roman physician Celsus noted the mind and heart relationship by saying, “fear and anger, and any other state of the mind may often be apt to excite the pulse.”
In addition, William Harvey, wrote in 1628, “every affection of the mind that is attended either with pain or pleasure, hope or fear, is the cause of an agitation whose influence extends to the heart.”
Furthermore, Corvisart (a physician) wrote that heart disease was due to “the passions of the mind, among which he included anger, madness, fear, jealousy, terror, love, despair, joy, avarice, stupidity, and ambition.”
We must be attentive to the mind and heart connection by nurturing ourselves—we all need to take time for us, and learn how to make ourselves healthier by coping with what life throws at us. I have personally vowed that I will book a massage every 6 weeks to help with my chronic stress. By going to Green Ridge & OM Wellness, LCC (GROW) and booking an hour Swedish massage, I am able to be more mindful and to tap into a meditative state helping me to relax and reach a level of calm that is at times almost unthinkable.
GROW’s mission is to help individuals create a balance between mind, body, and soul through practical and effective holistic sessions and classes to boost overall wellness. GROW offers board certified massage therapy, nutrition classes and consultations by a registered dietician, and yoga and meditation classes (http://www.greenridgewellness.com).
GROW has a very serene feel and offers a level of tranquility that is unmatched. GROW is located in Scranton, PA in the old Ritz Theater on Wyoming Avenue, and is the business across from Terra Preta within the theater.
Feel invigorated and let the healing begin!
spunkandspice 