Reflexology and Stress
Too Much Stress?
Reflexology Can Help
Reflexology is a particularly effective method for achieving the relaxation response and for reducing the feelings of acute stress and the accumulative effects of chronic stress. All of us may feel stressed or overwhelmed at times; this is a normal part of living. However, these feelings, whether acute or chronic, may be excessive and unhealthy. Sometimes you may recognize you are under stress when you feel that you are being “pushed” beyond your coping skills, and sometimes you may not even be aware of it. Stress may occur if you are suffering from a chronic illness or have just had surgery.
Your body still reacts to this kind of event by physiological stress responses, which can have the same effect as the more conscious type of stress. At the very least, acute stress can cause you to be anxious, to feel overwhelmed, and to have difficulty thinking or remembering. At the worst, chronic stress can have serious effects on overall health. Researchers have found that chronic stress can cause depression, suppress your immune system, kill neurons in your brain, and interfere with sleep. In fact, it is estimated that about 75% of all illness is stress-related.
Doctors Have Found that the Following are Often Related to Chronic Stress:
Difficulty relaxing
Insomnia
Prolonged recovering from surgery
Frequent colds or other infections
Chronic pain
Neck stiffness
PMS
Depression
Anxiety
Memory and other cognitive difficulties
Cardiovascular problems, including risk for hypertension,
stroke, and heart attack
Metabolic disturbances, including hyperglycemia,
diabetes, and obesity
What should you do if you feel “stressed?” First, consult a medical doctor to be sure that you are not suffering from a medical illness that can be specifically treated. Your doctor may then refer you to a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, to help you reduce your stress levels. Whether or not you seek such medical/psychological help, you should also try techniques that can help you reduce tension and stress. It is generally agreed that most techniques help individuals achieve what physiologists call “the relaxation response.”
The parasympathetic nervous system predominates, the individual’s autonomic system is not in an emergency mode, and the body is in a more rebuilding, “healing” mode. This is not the same as sleeping although sleeping is also a type of restorative activity.
Reflexology can help!
Reflexology helps revitalize the body’s muscle tissue and organ function. Aches and strains melt away as an experienced certified reflexologist works on your feet, hands, and ears. You just lie quietly as you enter into a profound state of relaxation.
