Manage Your Stress With Chiropractic Care

Anyone who has heard the word “stress” can tell you that it is incredibly common. A recent survey revealed that nearly 80 percent of Americans experience stress, with 44 percent encountering it frequently in their daily lives. While stress is a normal part of life, it can negatively impact your relationships, your career, and even your physical well-being if it becomes chronic. But here is some good news – you can take control of your stress level with chiropractic care before it takes control of you.

What Exactly is Stress and How is it Identified?

Simply put, stress is the body’s response to pressure from certain events or situations, and can be triggered by any number of factors including personal relationship issues, financial worries, career troubles, or health concerns. 

While stress can generate a number of reactions, physical manifestations are overwhelmingly common, and knowing the signs is one of the most crucial steps in successful stress management. A study by the American Institute of Stress revealed that 77 percent of people who identify as being stressed reported physical symptoms such as:

• Chronic pain
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Digestive issues
• Elevated blood pressure
• Disturbed sleep cycle
• Chest pain
• Rapid heartbeat

How Chiropractic Care Helps

Chiropractic treatment can interrupt the cycle of stress, tension, and pain by treating the cause of pain as well as activating the parasympathetic system, which calms the “fight or flight” reaction that commonly occurs during stressful situations. Research suggests that receiving regular chiropractic adjustments and muscle therapy such as myofascial release can have a number of benefits that may help your body fight against prolonged chronic stress, including:   

• Easing muscle tension
• Reducing pain
• Soothing irritated nerves
• Improving sleep

You Play a Role Too

You can manage your stress in several ways that are not only healthy, but also provide an excellent complement to your chiropractic care. These include:

• Having a healthy diet rich in healthy fats (avocado, nuts, and seeds), antioxidants (dark berries and leafy greens), and omega-3 fatty acids (fish)
• Exercising for 30 minutes three days per week
• Relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation
• Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night
• Maintaining personal connections and a strong, healthy support system to keep you encouraged and motivated

As an additional benefit, these changes are easy to implement and can be done right in your home so you can get on the path to stress reduction today.