These exercises will help you reduce the impact of stress on your body.  They are very simple and can be done several times a day as they do not take long to do. The exercises will have a huge benefit on your health, even if you don’t feel like you are stressed.

How do I know if my body is stressed?  Signs you are stressed:

Breathing louder or people notice you are breathing louder.

—-When we are stressed are respiration increases

Your find little things fatigue you faster or you are generally feeling fatigued.

—-Your brain is focusing on stressors in the background so you get tired faster

—-Your heart is beating faster so your cardiovascular system is working harder

Increased tension in your neck and shoulders.

—-Physical manifestations of stress tend to target those areas

Tightness in your hips and low back.

—–Same as above

Lack of focus on tasks at hand

—-Our brains are subconsciously thinking about what is stressing us, so we can’t focus on the tasks at hand

Waking up at night and unable to sleep

—-The stress response in our brain is releasing hormones that want us to fight or flight – not sleep

Digestion problems, upset stomach

—- When you are stressed your digestion slows down because all energy of the body is diverted to arms and legs for you to spring into action

You feel like your joints are inflamed or you feel like your body is stiff all over

—-When you are stressed your body releases cortisol. Cortisol is the pre-curser to inflammation.  Your body is prepping for injury from the perceived stressor, whether it’s a real perception or not.

What happens when my body is stressed?

Imagine that you are being chased by a bear. Instinctively, your body prepares for a fight or flight situation. As you prepare to sprint away, your heart rate increases, your muscles in your shoulder, legs, and hips tense up, you’re your breathing quickens. Your flight or fight response decreases your serotonin levels (your sleep hormone) to make sure you are alert, and your digestion slows because all your energy is needed to run.

The best way to reset the stress in your nervous system is to get adjusted (you knew that was coming) and do specific body movements outlined in the video below. Your body wants to move as a reaction to stress (fight or flight), so let it move.  This movement triggers your brain to inhibit the stress reaction in your body and lessens the physical signs mentioned above. You are in essence using your built-in neurology to decrease your stress response.  The exercises need to be done several times in the day to keep the stress response inhibited.