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Everyone experiences stress in their lives, to varying degrees. The word stress is generally associated with being overwhelmed, or not being able to cope but these extremes do not encompass the full spectrum of stress.
A simple definition of stress is a physical, mental or emotional factor causing a load on the human body – extra load may be being busy and having to rush to finish a task, or waking early and not getting enough sleep, or even doing lots of exercise and not recovering properly. These things can all contribute to overall load on the body and while the effects may vary, they often force our nervous system into the sympathetic stress response, commonly known as the fight or flight response.
Stress is your body’s way of responding to a threat or demand, whether real or imagined. The fight or flight response has evolved for our survival, allowing us to react in potentially life-threatening situations and helps us survive by releasing stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol, which prime the body for action. Heart rate increases, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises and senses sharpen. These changes increase your strength and reaction time and will improve focus – to either fight off the stress or flee from the danger.
Some stress is good as it’s your body’s way of protecting you by helping you stay focused and energetic. For instance, in an emergency situation, stress can give you strength to slam on your brakes to avoid a car accident. It can keep you alert and sharpen your concentration while playing sport and keep you energised during an important work presentation.
However, beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and can cause significant damage to your health, mood and overall quality of life. If you are frequently frazzled, you need to bring your nervous system back into balance.
Because the nervous system can’t differentiate between a real or imagined threat, it reacts in the same way, whether you are in a life-threatening situation or not. Chronic stress and prolonged periods in the fight or flight response can take a toll on physical and psychological health, affecting sleep, digestion and mood. It can also contribute to high blood pressure, damage organs, weaken the immune system and can cause changes in the brain which may contribute to depression, anxiety and addiction.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help with stress by switching the body’s response from the sympathetic fight or flight response to the parasympathetic response, known as the rest and digest response. This will conserve energy, slow the heart rate, improve digestion and promote overall healing – leading to improved sleep and giving your body a better chance of recovering.
10 Reasons to Use Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine for Stress
1. Acupuncture Helps with Sleep
It’s well known that sleep is an incredibly important factor for overall health and affects our stress levels. Acupuncture is known to aid in sleep by improving the energy flow in the body and can help you get to sleep and stay asleep for a quality, restorative rest.
2. Acupuncture Increases Energy
By helping with sleep, your body will have a better chance of recovering and will therefore boost your energy levels. Acupuncture also reduces pain and discomfort which means you will require less energy to move around.
3. Acupuncture Relieves Pain
Acupuncture and acupressure for pain management is a common and very successful treatment, whether the pain is from injury, poor posture, pregnancy or is post-operative. With a reduction in pain, sleep improves, you can move more easily and you will be less stressed, which will also improve your mood.
4. Helping Digestion
Both acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbal medicine have the ability to stimulate the digestive system. With the body in a new rest and digest state, you are in the best possible place to properly digest and heal.
5. Chinese Herbal Medicine is a Tailored Treatment
Many Chinese herbs are specifically designed for working on balancing the body energy levels and target the whole body. Chinese herbal medicine can assist with many ailments and a specialist practitioner like the staff at Village Remedies will address your specific symptoms to promote healing, relaxation and overall well being.
6. Chinese Herbal Medicine Is Used at Home
Using Chinese herbal medicine at home is a great benefit, as it can be difficult attending a clinic several times a week. A unique formula will be compiled for you to assist with reducing and managing stress, for you to take home so you can easily get your regular doses.
7. Acupuncture Can Enhance Mood
If you target stress by dealing with pain reduction, sleep issues, digestion and energy levels, your mood and happiness will improve. Acupuncture is also known to help mood by triggering the brain to release anti-stress hormones which will make you feel better.
8. Acupuncture Has Few Side Effects
It is a totally drug-free treatment and very safe. Acupuncture is relatively pain-free and has almost no adverse effects, unlike a lot of western drugs and medicine which are commonly used today.
9. Acupuncture is Time for You
The time you spend in a session is relaxing, with no distractions and is totally for you. It is all about your health goals and wellbeing and that alone can be beneficial to recharge your health.
10. Chinese Medicine Assists your Whole Lifestyle
Practitioners can provide helpful traditional advice on diet and exercise, or breathing techniques and may refer you to other specialists if needed, in order to manage the impacts stress has on your everyday life.
If you are dealing with stress, feeling overwhelmed or even just a bit out of sorts, make an appointment with an experienced and friendly Chinese medicine practitioner and find your way back to a happy, healthy and calm you.
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