How is stress affecting your body?

When you think about stress, you think about the emotional side to stress. Did you know stress actually comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes? These other, neglected stressors involve physical (posture, repetitive strain etc.) and chemical (what we put onto and into our body), as well as those emotional stressors (being a pain in the neck!). Stress can be measured in our bodies by the amount of the ‘stress’ hormone, cortisol, in our blood.

Cortisol increases blood sugar levels by metabolising fat, protein and carbohydrates. We need the extra sugar when in a stressful situation to be able to ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ (run away) from the danger. In our culture of high-stress situations, the stress response can be activated so often that the body doesn’t have the chance to return to normal. It’s important to have normal quantities of sugar in the blood for healthy function of the body, and it needs to return to normal levels after a stressful event.

Maintained high levels of cortisol can slow the body’s healing process, halt normal cell regeneration, impair digestion and weaken the immune system. It’s also involved in altering the sleep cycle, blood pressure and weight gain.

Alongside lifestyle changes, chiropractic can help us to reduce stress levels in our body. By removing subluxations (misalignments) in the spine, your nervous system is able to flow and function optimally, allowing your body to cope with the physical, chemical and emotional stressors that we undergo each day. This allows for the body to heal more quickly, function healthily and thrive.

Call 01743588190 to book on to our Introduction to Chiropractic talk to learn more about Chiropractic and some top tips on how to reduce the stress in our lives.