We live in stressful times. Between long work hours, our exposure to and dependency on devices, our largely sedentary existence, and negative media, stress and anxiety are par for the course. Add in the holiday season, and this can be a difficult time of year for many. Managing stress becomes a very necessary defense mechanism during the holidays and throughout the year, and things like exercise, proper nutrition, and quality sleep are more important than ever. The chiropractor can be another useful way to combat the side effects of anxiety and stress. Here are four ways the chiropractor can help relieve stress this holiday season and all year long.
We can feel stressed physically, emotionally, and environmentally.
No matter which kind of stress is impacting you, our body reacts in a similar way. Stress initiates our innate fight-or-flight response, which means a stimulated nervous system with increased heart rate and more acute senses. While this kind of reaction is useful in specific scenarios, staying in this state is problematic and can lead to health consequences like high blood pressure, a greater risk of heart disease, muscle tissue damage and more. So how does the chiropractor help?
It’s normal for muscles to tense when you’re feeling stressed. But prolonged muscle tension makes it hard to focus, affects sleep, and causes pain. A chiropractic adjustment can help relieve tension and restore balance. That’s especially true if you visit a chiropractor like Dr. Lynelle McSweeney here in Reno. She begins every treatment with a machine-assisted massage. It does double duty of increasing blood flow to the muscles and relaxing joints.
Stress creates pain in the body, and we can make inadvertent posture changes to accommodate that pain. But poor posture only perpetuates the cycle! Dr. McSweeney can offer useful posture exercises and relaxation techniques that will help you sit and stand up straight.
It surprises some people when they learn that the chiropractor does so much more than just adjust your back. In addition to treating other parts of your body, she can also offer nutrition recommendations and test you for deficiencies. Poor nutrition only exacerbates symptoms of stress.
As stress and tension grow, they inevitably affect the spine, which serves as the literal backbone to your entire neurological system. Restoring proper function to your spine means your whole body can communicate effectively.
