5 Tips to Reduce Stress In the New Year

From all of us at The Chiropractic Health Center of Glastonbury, Happy New Year! We would like to express our deepest gratitude to each of you for placing your trust in our doctors to provide your chiropractic healthcare.

We are excited to move forward with a positive outlook and encourage our patients to stay with us on the journey to lifelong wellness. In addition to chiropractic care, we offer nutrition counseling, stress management and more.

A common goal for many of us in 2021 is to cope better with feelings of anxiety. During the current pandemic, nearly 80 percent of adults say COVID-19 is a “significant source of stress”.

We are sharing some easy ways to relieve your physical and mental stress.

How Does Stress Affect Us?

A new year is the perfect time to focus on our health. Now more than ever, it’s important to strengthen immunity and keep our bodies functioning properly. Did you know stress can impede mental and physical wellbeing?

Our body’s response to a challenge or demand, stress causes feelings of emotional or physical tension and is a common trigger for spinal problems. The spine houses the central nervous system, which controls all parts of the body. As such, a misalignment can affect your ability to stay healthy.

What are your options to reduce and manage stress?

1. Deep Breathing Exercises

Experiencing mental stress can result in elevated heart rate, high blood pressure and constricted blood vessels. As a result of limited blood flow back to the heart, you might get a headache or become dizzy in stressful situations.

Deep breathing can expand the lungs, slow the heart rate and activate the body’s relaxation response. When feeling stressed, close your eyes and focus on taking deep breaths.

2. Get Plenty of Sleep

Proper sleep is extremely important to overall health. A regular sleep schedule can help you maintain a healthy weight, lower your risk of developing serious conditions like heart disease, improve mood and prevent fatigue during the day.

If you’re an adult who schedules 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night but you still feel restless in the morning, your mattress could be the problem. Make sure it supports your body but is not too hard or stacked too high with pillows that can cause neck strain.

3. Exercise Regularly

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. For all fitness levels, aerobic workouts like Tai Chi and yoga are low-impact and can help relax the body and mind. Exercise also releases endorphins to improve mood.

4. Consider Health Supplements

A combination of the right supplements can improve your immune system. To boost energy and overall health, consider the following three supplements:

1. Magnesium (120 MG): Take three daily for better sleep quality.
2. Vitamin D (5,000 IU): Take once daily to boost immune health and reduce fatigue.
3. Zinc (15 MG): Take once daily to keep the immune system functioning strong.

Complement this regimen with other healthy habits. Avoid stress eating and drinking alcohol, which both have physical effects that can contribute to undue stress.

5. Get Regular Adjustments

Everyday life causes wear and tear on the body. Whether your job requires long hours of sitting or a hobby places too much strain on your spinal joints, chiropractic treatment can relieve discomfort, improve range of motion and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Correcting a spinal misalignment causes a chain reaction in the body. When nerve interferences are removed, healing takes place from head to toe! Our gentle methods can also increase positive hormones, improve nervous system functioning and alleviate stress.
 
Our team can identify and treat the cause of your physical stress, as well as offer tips to help manage mental stress. Avoid overextending yourself and set aside time for self-care activities, like regular chiropractic adjustments. To make an appointment, contact us today!