April is National Stress Awareness Month and while many of us may be experiencing varied levels of stress in our everyday lives, we may not fully understand how to identify the different types of stress we encounter.
Learning how to detect certain stress responses, what triggers them and what effect it has on us are the first steps to stress reduction. Massage Envy Spa Phoenix, a co-op of 32 massage clinics and part of the nation’s largest therapeutic massage provider and spa chain, offers these tips to help you relieve the stress in your life.
Tips in Reducing Stress
- Differentiate Between Good and Bad Stress
A common misconception about stress that many people believe to be true is that all stress is bad. Some of the stress we feel can actually result in positive mental improvement, such as heightened motivation. Good stress, or “eustress,” is the stress response our body has when we become excited. We often times have trouble differentiating between a good stress response and a bad one because they both start off with an increased heart rate. Learning how to identify when a stress response is good will help reduce overall feelings of stress because you will be able to acknowledge the situation in a way that does not cause negative emotions.
- Adopt a Healthy Habit
Whether you decide to take on something small, such as getting enough sleep at night, or something that may require more focus and effort like quitting smoking, adopting healthy habits or lifestyle choices will increase your resilience to stress by strengthening your physical health. Cultivating a healthy diet is one of the most popular and beneficial habits you can inherit. Start your day off with a healthy and substantial breakfast, and continue to give your body the food it needs throughout the day to increase energy and focus. Nourishing your body with a healthy diet will better prepare it for stress and it will become easier to cope with the physical effects stress gives us.
- Make Time for Relaxation
Relaxing and setting aside time to do leisure activities that bring you joy will help you recharge and build up positive emotions that will help you cope with future stress. Massage therapy is a great way to relax that is scientifically proven to reduce the levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone,” in your body. Cortisol is what causes the negative side effects of stress, such as headaches or panic attacks. Massage therapy also relaxes your muscles to ease muscle tension and increases the production of endorphins, the “feel good” chemical that your brain releases.
Take Stress Awareness Month seriously this April and use these recommendations to help cope with stress in your everyday life. QCBN
By Mark Love
Mark Love is co-owner of Massage Envy Spa. For more information on the benefits of massage, visit MassageEnvy.com.
For additional information or to schedule an appointment with a massage therapist or esthetician, visit massageenvy.com, call 928-526-ENVY (3689), or visit one of Arizona’s 36 Massage Envy Spa locations. The Flagstaff location is at 1235 S. Plaza Way in the University Plaza Shopping Center off Milton Road next to Ross and Safeway.
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