Stress

The stress response: "fight or flight"

Under stress, your body reacts just as your ancestors' did when confronted by a physical threat: you metabolize to fight or flee.  Your nervous system becomes highly activated and hormonal changes, such as the release of adrenaline, prepare your body to respond to an emergency.  Muscles tense for action, heart rate and blood pressure increase, breathing becomes rapid and shallow and digestion and other maintenance functions are put on hold. 

Unfortunately, fighting or running is rarely a useful response to modern difficulties. Much of our stress comes from an accelerated pace of living.  Major life changes occur with increasing frequency such as moving to a new city, relationship upheavals, or changes in employment.  In addition, today' s stresses are often ambiguous and ongoing, for example money worries, environmental concerns, interpersonal conflict, or job expectations.  Without a sense of resolution- knowing that danger has passed-your body and mind receive no clear signal that it is safe to stop, relax and recuperate. 

Though stress can be unpleasant, it is an important and useful part of life.  It stimulates learning and personal growth, and is a natural part of any important accomplishment.  In fact, the most effective and healthiest people are not those who avoid stress, but those who respond successfully to it. 

Therapeutic massage is a remarkable tool for helping you cope with stress.  In the short term, a deeply relaxing massage can give you a welcome break and help you feel better both physically and mentally.  Over time, you can use massage to help you develop healthy and productive responses to the stressful challenges in your daily life. 

Studies show that massage triggers the "relaxation response",  taking your body off alert and setting in motion the biological processes needed to restore your physical resources.  Heart rate and blood pressure decrease, breathing slows and deepens, tense muscles relax.  Digestion and restorative functions return toward normal, and your hormone balance shifts to create a state of deep relaxation.