Stress is something that many of us feel like we just have to live with. “It’s part of life” people will tell you.
We spend half or more of our days on a caffeine bender and shove whatever vending machine snack we can find into our mouths without any thought to the repercussions. We find ourselves as addicted to those “convenient” work phones as we are to the caffeine to the point that we forget what our family and friends look like even though they are right across the table.
And then we complain because we are exhausted and can’t enjoy our weekends or vacations. It’s a vicious cycle for sure and I see a lot of people just blow it off.
Let’s take a look into the crystal ball at 5 reasons why you may want to take stress seriously.
Reason 1: You are dreaming of that retirement home and rockin’ lifestyle in Cali.
That stress you’re under and all of that caffeine is taxing your adrenals depleting your energy as I type. I don’t think you’re going to have the energy to pull it off if you keep it up.
Reason 2: You eagerly await the days you can just toodle around and waste time in the garden.
That caffeine and late nights that are jazzing up your adrenals and stealing your precious sleep are keeping your body from restoring your tissues, regulating your hormones (including the hunger ones), and healing your immune system. You might not be doing too much toodling if that weight keeps adding up, joint pain flares up, and you catch every illness that breezes by you.
Reason 3: You’re looking super forward to that exciting weekend you know where!
Hold up…don’t get too excited. Those late nights at the office have caused you a few issues. “Honey…did you pack enough Imodium for a football team? And pain killers? Oh and can you go to that one thing alone? I’m not feeling it today.”
Reason 4: You can’t wait for all of those awesome milestones. Your wedding, your kid’s weddings, grandchildren, great-grandchildren.
Girl. Did you see the list of things stress can cause? Heart disease, cancer, immune system issues (autoimmune will knock you down REAL quick), premature aging, weight gain, depression, etc. I’m thinking that diet full of sugar and caffeine, huge portions, no vegetables, no fruit, and factory farmed meat are adding up real quick to a stressed out liver, taxed adrenals, unhappy digestive system, and more. It might be rough to keep up.
Reason 5: You are actually looking forward to your 40s and 50s. The time when you can just be you and really enjoy life.
Stop right there sister! Autoimmune (or maybe Fibromyalgia) is knocking and it loves to be triggered by stress. You can’t step up on a curb without pain, there’s no way you can walk more than a half mile, and heck no you aren’t going to be up past 8PM. Who has that kind of energy? Hey…can somebody call a guy? I can’t do my own household chores. Boy I bet you wish you could call that “you’re salaried and that means 45-80 hours a week” boss today and give him a piece of your brain foggy mind!
If looking into the crystal ball has you desperately wanting to boost your energy and reduce stress, my top three areas to focus on are as follows:
1. Get your 8 hours of sleep. When we sleep, our body is repairing and restoring our bodies. Here are a few of the amazing things that happen when we sleep:
- Tissue growth and repair.
- Restoration of energy, hormones, and neurotransmitters.
- Release of hormones for growth and other functions. Without these hormones you can experience fatigue, muscle issues, brain fog, pain, and depression.
- Immune system repair.
- Hunger hormones are regulated (lack of sleep can make you more hungry).
- Your body gets important relaxation time.
2. Get the junk food and caffeine out of your life. These things cause stress in the body which in turn overworks your adrenal glands. Overworked adrenals means fatigue, brain fog, and feeling unwell.
3. Develop a plan for self-care. Saying you don’t have time doesn’t fly. You need to take care of you to be able to function at your optimal level and be fully available for friends and family. Consider exercise, stretching, yoga, massage, reading, listening to music, mini-breaks, mini-vacations, etc. Whatever will relax you and help you feel less stressed.
We tend to have an “it won’t happen to me” attitude until we see “it” happen to someone else. Take stress seriously to reduce the chance of any of the above happening to you. Nobody wants to spend their better years or retirement sick after working their entire lives. At least not me and I’m sure you don’t either.
Develop a plan for better sleep, healthier eating, and self-care and you will be stepping into a happier, healthier life.
Want more help reducing your stress? You can get my stress management program, Stress Closet Cleanout, for FREE if you join my holistic health group for women on Facebook at http://hhwigroup.com.
Read my article, “The Hidden Dangers of Stress,” for more information at http://suzpro.com/hidden-dangers-stress .
Bio:
Suzanne helps motivated women who have found themselves in a debacle with their weight, less than vibrant energy, skyrocketing stress levels, and tanking mindset create a wellness system that fits their unique lifestyle so they can regain that mythical thing called energy, finally walk by a mirror without cringing, and ditch some or all of the small pharmacy located on their kitchen counter. Suzanne also specializes in helping women with autoimmune and Type II Diabetes better manage their illness through holistic methods. Suzanne has “been there and done that,” having battled weight issues and chronic illness for years herself while working in the business world.
Suzanne is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach, an AADP Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, a PHR and SHRM-CP Certified Human Resource Professional with over 16 years of Human Resources experience, a Huffington Post Contributor, and the Founder of Holistic Health and Wellness Innovations and SuzPro. Suzanne also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management.