Stress is a pervasive thing. It seems omnipresent in the modern world, and it can have a profound effect on every aspect of our physical, mental and emotional health. Stress acupuncture is one way to try and tackle all the different pains of stress. That includes these five signs, which, whilst prominent, are only a small part of how stress impacts the body overall.
Headaches
Headaches can appear anywhere around the head or neck. Tension headaches, in particular, are more common when we are stressed. Other factors that can increase the frequency of headaches include dehydration, drinking alcohol, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes, all of which may have links to stress.
Other Pain
All sorts of different aches and pains can appear around the body during stressful times, not just headaches. In the case of prolonged stress, the pain may even become chronic. This may be aggravated by age or injury (other potential sources of stress). Chest pains, in particular, are common and may be linked to a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues.
Sleep Problems
We have probably all tossed and turned at some point because of the stress in our lives. Stress is a major cause of disrupted sleep or outright insomnia. This could involve difficulty falling asleep to begin with, or frequently waking up in the night. This can lead to energy loss and fatigue during the day.
Panic Attacks
Difficulty breathing is a common symptom of immediate stress, as are a racing heart, sweating, light-headedness and nausea. When they all come at the same time, it could mean that you are having a panic attack. You may also experience changes in your mental state, such as extreme fear. A panic attack can last from just a few minutes to closer to half an hour, although most will be somewhere in the middle.
Digestive Issues
Perhaps a less obvious sign of stress can be digestive problems. These may include indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn or stomach pains. In other cases, you may lose your appetite and have trouble eating. Stress can aggravate pre-existing digestive conditions such as IBS. You should also be aware of other potential causes of digestive issues and how they may interact with stress.
How stress acupuncture can help
Acupuncture for stress, and its close cousin acupressure, may be able to alleviate some of the symptoms of stress and encourage your body to rebalance and heal. It increases blood flow around the body and releases the endorphins that help ease pain and improve your mood. This may allow you to return control to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body at rest, rather than remaining stuck in the fight or flight response of the sympathetic nervous system.
The symptoms of stress are numerous, and its physical impact can be felt throughout the body in various aches, pains and disruptions. Stress acupuncture aims to relieve the physical symptoms just as it allows you to mentally and emotionally relax, allowing you to be restored to health.