StressLess Body Therapy: Taking Care of Your Body

These are hard to do (well except the R&R), but they are important because stress wears the body down and potentially shortens your life. Your body is in overdrive when you are experiencing chronic stress. A car that gets regular oil changes and maintenance checks lasts a lot longer than a car that is neglected and expected to run well with inadequate equipment. It is the same for our bodies. Also when the body is working so hard dealing with ongoing stress, how can the mind be clear enough to make good decisions in the present or in planning for the future? To minimize the effects of stress it is important to change your lifestyle to include healthy habits, which are regular exercise, good nutrition, and adequate rest. Of course, not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation and avoiding recreational use of drugs are also important.

After my husband's death from cancer I began to exercise and take better care of my body so that I would be healthy for my children, but what I found was relief from my stress. I am not going to tell you that a healthy lifestyle will eliminate your stress, but I guarantee it will help you cope and manage chronic stress. I believe taking care of your body is the foundation of stress management, because if you do not tend to the body’s needs, your mind is not going to be able to deal psychologically with the stresses in your life and it will be much more difficult to make necessary changes in your thoughts and attitudes if your body does not release the chemical reactions to stress.

Return to Stress Management Articles from Taking Care of Your Body