Managing Stress

Stress is a normal physiological response to danger and can be defined as any type of change which causes us physical, emotional or psychological strain. It is our body's autonomous reaction to anything that seems unsafe or requires unsettling attention or action.

If we are in danger, or we perceive threat - whether real or imagined - the following physiological changes occur as our body prepares for ‘fight or flight’: our heart rate speeds up and our blood pressure rises; our blood becomes ‘stickier’ in preparation for injury and is diverted to the muscles - away from the digestive system; sugars are released from stores into our blood stream to provide enough energy for action; our breathing speeds up; our mouth goes dry; our pupils dilate....This mechanical response is activated instantaneously and automatically, resulting in our biochemistry changes as part of our neuroendocrine system which is activated and then switched off once we feel safe again.

The stress response is therefore a finely coordinated system of communication throughout our body, which is intelligently designed to switch off once the danger is over.

Everyone experiences stress to some degree, as it is not possible to live a totally stress-free life, however, the way we respond to stress makes a big difference to our overall well-being, especially when the stress becomes chronic.

This journey was designed to help you manage stress, regulate your nervous system and support your body overall, so you can thrive.

This journey comprises 5 sequential steps, each containing a step by step guidance with 2 practical tips and self-management tools which are cost effective and easily actionable.

We explain the how and why the recommendations help, so you can incorporate them into your lifestyle knowing their health benefits.

Each step also includes insights to reflect upon, for deeper understanding, bringing greater awareness of your current health needs, which will support your path further.

As everyone is different, your goals, expectations, starting point and outcomes will be unique to you.

To get the most out of this guided journey, we recommend fully embracing the two practical recommendations in each step for a full week, noticing subtle daily improvements as a result of your efforts.

As you go through the various experiences week by week, you will observe some positive shifts as well as a reduction in the intensity of your stress, related feelings or physical symptoms, and find a welcome sense of relief which is accumulative, encouraging you to continue and reap even more benefits.

Enjoy these observations, as they are not only rewarding, but important for selecting the practices which resonate with you the most, and which could become your health-supporting habits going forward.