Has Lingering Holiday Stress Gotten You Down?

Feb. 16, 2012 - PRLog -- Learn simple ways to let it go, feel better, and maybe even look younger! The holiday season is one of the most stressful times of the year. Traveling, family visits, shopping, money concerns, etc. can all cause anxiety that is extremely unhealthy. Increased anxiety and stress can weaken your immune system, allowing you to get sick with illnesses such as the common cold or flu. Who wants to be sick over the holidays, or any time, for that matter?

The accumulation of holiday stress and anxiety can last for months after the season is over. High levels of stress can also cause a wide variety of aches and pains. Some experts believe that stress and anxiety is one of the major causes of back pain. There are even treatments for back pain based around stress and anxiety reduction.

Because high levels of stress and anxiety cause your body to produce very damaging chemicals, many harmful health conditions are possible (even if solid scientific evidence has not discovered the definitive link… YET). Signs and symptoms that you are stressed out are if you are having difficulty sleeping, feel tired (even when you first wake up and no matter how much you sleep) or are easily aggravated. If you have these signs, there is a good chance stress and anxieties are the culprits. You may even gain weight from stress and anxiety.

One of the best ways to relieve stress and anxiety is through breathing. Controlled breathing is the simplest and most practiced relaxation technique for anxiety. It involves deep and slow breathing that helps the diaphragm expand and contract steadily, which in turn helps you control your breathing process. Take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds, and breathe out hardily. Focus on expanding and contracting the stomach rather than the chest. Repeating this empowers one to control the oxygen intake in the body, divert the stress reaction, and regulate the parasympathetic nerves.

Meditation is another great way to relieve stress and anxiety. New research suggests that mindfulness meditation can have benefits for health and performance, including improved immune function, reduced blood pressure and enhanced cognitive function. The study, published in the latest issue of the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, draws on existing scientific literature to attempt to explain the positive effects. The author of the study, Britta Hazel of Justus Liebig University and Harvard Medical School, pointed out that mindful meditation is not a vague cure-all. According to the November 22, 2011 issue of The Telegraph: Effective mindfulness meditation requires training and practice and it has distinct measurable effects on our subjective experiences, our behavior, and our brain function. Dr. Hazel said: "We hope that further research on this topic will enable a much broader spectrum of individuals to utilize mindfulness meditation as a versatile tool to facilitate change both in psychotherapy and in everyday life."

Another great way to eliminate or control stress is massage therapy. Massage therapy helps increase blood flow, calm the body, and relax the individual. A great place in San Diego to get massage that we highly recommend is Happy Head Foot Reflexology and Massage in Hillcrest. Their website is www.HappyHeadMassage.com. We recommend the Swedish full body massage for reducing stress.

And finally, if your body has misalignments, pain, or other musculoskeletal ailments that contribute to stress, chiropractic care is a great way to help get rid of these problems. Chiropractic care helps reduce back and neck pain, increase range of motion, and improves overall health. Regular chiropractic care is a great way to not only reduce stress, but to also live pain free. Get more information about chiropractic care at www.BackCareTreatment.com.

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New Century Spine Centers treats in San Diego for neck pain, low back pain, and leg pain, utilizing spinal decompression therapy, cold laser therapy, advanced New Century rehab and specialized chiropractic care. Visit www.BackCareTreatment.com