We all experience stress.
It’s inevitable.
It’s a part of life and part of being human.
While some of us may experience more stress than others, one thing is certain…
We can’t simply ignore those things that bring added stress into our daily lives.
The question is:
How can we increase our body’s ability to handle the stress, and make stress actually work for us and not against us?
Here’s 5 ways you can help yourself adapt to stress and reduce its detrimental effects on your body.
1. Been there, done that.
The fact that you’re reading this right now means that you’ve survived and gotten through every single stressful event before today.
You have done this before, and you will do this again.
Each time you experience stressful events your body will start to learn how to respond.
It learns to cope.
It adapts.
2. Turn a negative into a positive
You’ve always heard the saying, “turn that frown upside down.”
Rather than think about how your palms are sweaty (knees weak, arms are heavy – lol), think about how those physical reactions to a stressful situation relate to your body’s ability to help you get through the current situation.
Appreciate that your body has the capability to help you get through whatever life is trying to throw at it. That’s pretty extraordinary.
Viewing your body’s changes to stress as purposeful rather than debilitating can make all the difference in how you come out of whatever life is throwing your way. (https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0031201)
3. Move more.
Your body’s stress pathways are intimately tied to your movement pathways.
When you move more, you turn up the body’s auto regulatory systems and turn down the negative effects of stress.
4. Focus on what you can control vs what you can’t control – 2 islands
Here’s an exercise that helps – on a sheet of paper create two islands.
On one island write down everything that you don’t have control over, and on the other island write down everything you do have control over.
What island do you think you should live on?
5. Get your spine and nervous system checked.
Stress shuts off the part of your brain, called the pre-frontal cortex, which is responsible for logical thinking and reasoning. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4800094/)
Have you ever felt like you’re unable to think clearly when you’re experiencing stress?
That’s because your Limbic System is shut off.
Corrective Chiropractic has been shown to improve the pre-frontal cortex and turn on the calming part of our nervous system allowing you to cope and relax better.
How do you cope with stress?
Dr. Derek Gallant
Dr. Derek Gallant has committed himself to helping others live the best life possible. After graduating from Wesleyan University, he received his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Life Chiropractic College West where he finished 2nd in his class. He is the owner of Beverly Family Chiropractic and co-founder of The Well Family Foundation. Dr. Gallant is certified through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) in the Webster technique, an analysis focused on assisting pregnant women in a healthy pregnancy and natural birth. He has inspired thousands of people to take control of their own health using the Life By Design method. Apart from full time practice you can find Derek at the parks and coffee shops around Beverly with his family, training hard at the gym, or at the beach surfing.
