ARE YOU STRESSED OUT?

What Is Stress?

When faced with a perceived danger, our body reacts with a "fight or flight" response. Our nervous system becomes highly activated and our body releases adrenaline to prepare us to face the threat. Muscles tense for action, heart rate and blood pressure increase, breathing becomes rapid and shallow, and other maintenance functions such as digestion are put on hold.

Once the threat has passed, the "fight or flight" response becomes inactiveated and levels of stress hormones return to normal, a condition called the "relaxation response".

However, when the stressful situation is ongoing, the urge to act (fight or flight) must be supressed. Stress then becomes chronic. Common chronic stressors include:

-on-going highly pressured work
-long term relationship problems
-loneliness
-persistent worries

The Effects of Stress on Your Health...

-Depression or Anxiety
-Heart Disease
-Stroke
-Susceptibility to Infections
-Immune Disorders
-Cancer
-Gastrointestinal Problems
-Eating Problems
-Diabetes
-Pain
-Sleep Disturbances
-Sexual and Reproductive Dysfunction
-Memory, Concentration and Learning
-Allergies
-Skin Disorders
-Unexplained Hair Loss

What Are Some of the Benefits of Massage?

-Massage calms the nervous system.
-Massage promotes a sense of well being.
-Massage reduces tension and anxiety.
-Massage improves blood circulation.
-Massage stimulates the lymphatic system.
-Massage prevents muscle cramps and spasms.
-Massage promotes deep relaxation.
-Massage provides relief from chronic headaches.
-Massage increases restful and restorative sleep.
-Massage releases chronically contracted muscle.
-Massage decreases blood pressure.
-Massage strengthens the immune system.
-Massage stimulates the digestive system.
-Massage satisfies the need for nurturing touch.