Mastering Stress Relief: A Holistic Approach - Part 1: Understanding Stress

Understanding Stress

Stress is your body’s natural response to threats or pressures leading to chronic stress symptoms like anxiety and fatigue. Effective stress anxiety management requires understanding it’s types.

There are three main types of stress:

1. Acute Stress: Short-term response to immediate threats or surprising events, such as public speaking, experiencing a sudden power outage leaving you in darkness and uncertainty, or being involved in a minor car accident.

2. Chronic Stress: Long-term exposure to stressors, causing persistent feelings of anxiety or fatigue, such as working long hours consistently, caring for a sick family member indefinitely, experiencing ongoing financial struggles, dealing with a toxic work environment.

3. Episodic Stress: Frequent acute stress episodes, recurring due to predictable events or situations, such as quarterly deadlines at work, holiday seasons with difficult family dynamics, monthly financial obligations, weekly meetings with a demanding boss.

Physical symptoms include:

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Digestive Issues

• Muscle Tension

  
  Emotional Symptoms Include:

• Anxiety

• Irritability

• Mood Swings

• Feeling Overwhelmed
  

  Common Stress Causes:

• Work Pressures

• Relationship Issues

• Financial Concerns

• Health Problems

  Lifestyle Changes for Stress Reduction

  Implementing healthy lifestyle habits reduces stress vulnerability and promotes resilience. Focus on these natural stress relief methods:

  1. Nutrition for Stress Resilience

  Fuel your body with whole foods rich in nutrients

  • Leafy Greens

  • antioxidants

  • Omega-3’s

  • Healthy Fats & Fiber
    
    Supplement Wisely:

  • Omega 3-fatty acids for brain health

  • Vitamin C for immune system support

  • Magnesium for muscle relaxation and sleep quality
    
    2. Exercise Routines for Stress Relief
    Regular physical activity reduces stress anxiety:

    • Yoga: Combines physical movement with deep breathing and meditation for relaxation response (Check out Nomadik Yoga and Free Community Yoga for classes in and around San Antonio)

    • Walking: lowers blood pressure, increases calmness, and improves mood

    • Gentle Stretching and Relaxation Exercises
      
      3. Sleep Hygiene Practices

    • Set regular bedtime schedules (Try the Sleep Reset or the Headspace app to help create a routine to help you wind down for bedtime)

    • Optimize sleep environment (dark, quiet, cool spaces promote relaxation)

    • Avoid screens (phones, tablets, TV’s) at least an hour before bedtime

    • Practice relaxation techniques (deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation) before sleep
      
      
      These lifestyle changes foster a strong foundation for stress reduction and overall wellness.
      
      In the next blog post we will discuss mindfulness techniques and how Mindfulness techniques may help for stress relief and anxiety triggers.