Time to Decompress!

Are you overeating and/or falling off the Paleo bandwagon? Experiencing headaches? Losing sleep? Feeling depressed or socially withdrawn? More than normal fatigue during workouts? Anxiety? Stomach upset?

Well.........I ask these questions because I have found myself the last couple months experiencing some of these things. And I have boiled it down to that nagging threat, STRESS! This enemy can come on out of nowhere (not really, but it appears to) and typically occurs due to external factors such as financial issues, work, relationship issues, etc. And even worse, sometimes it just compounds from one external factor to another making it feel impossible to tackle. While stress is a natural condition and one that each of us experiences throughout our lives, I've come to realize how important it is to try to recognize when stressors identify themselves so that I can take responsibility instead of letting those stressors take over control of my life.

Just to be clear stress can lead to very serious health problems including heart attack, high blood pressure and diabetes. So if you feel that your stress is not being managed, you may want to consult the help of a physician. (Mayo Clinic, 2011) Or in my opinion, just adopt a little Pomeranian and all your stress will diminish!


Okay, maybe snuggling with a Pom will only go so far. Many experts recommend adhering to a healthy diet (check. I mean.......well........I guess I'd better get back on the bandwagon), partake in an exercise regimen (check), utilizing relaxation techniques (check, time to snuggle with that Pom) and seek a friend to talk to when need be. I'm not a doctor nor an expert but I can tell you from experience that I have allowed stress to completely take over my life and then when I regain my sanity (Ha!), I look back and realize how much time I wasted mulling over things that I can not change. So as I look back at the challenges that this year has already provided - so graciously (insert sarcasm here) -  sometimes the stress I experienced felt unbearable but I realize stress is necessary as well as those challenges.

"By beginning to identify and understand the sources of your stress, you've taken the first step in learning to better manage it. Manage it, not eliminate it. Stress is a fact of life. And that's OK. You can handle it."(Mayo Clinic, 2011)

Reference:

Mayo Clinic (2011) Stress management. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved November 16, 2011 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/SR00031/NSECTIONGROUP=2.