Did you know that 70 to 80 percent of all doctor visits are for stress-related and stress-induced illness? Stress contributes to 50 percent of all illness in the U.S. and the cost of job stress in the U.S. is estimated at $200 billion annually. A certain amount of stress is normal and can even be motivating. It’s the chronic negative stress that is harmful to our health. When we “stress”, our body goes into a fight or flight response; our heart races, breathing accelerates, muscles tense up, and our adrenal glands release stress hormones into our bloodstream. These reactions cause digestion to stop, blood sugar levels to increase, and the heart to pump more blood. If stress persists, there may be a breakdown of bodily resources which can lead to behavioral and biological processes that contribute to the onset of disease. Some effects of chronic stress are allergies, headaches, sleep disorders, digestive disorders, muscle tightness, breathing problems, heart palpitations, and chronic fatigue.

Here’s a few ideas for you to dodge the stress bullet: Take periodic mini-vacations, walk in nature, take up a hobby, and practice yoga. Set aside a few minutes each day to breathe. Yes, that’s right…practice deep breathing throughout the day and especially during times of stress. Research has shown that deep breathing and yoga can significantly lower the physiological effects of stress. Find a stress-relieving practice that works for you and begin today.

I use both relaxation and Yoga as part of my chiropractic practice. To find out more see Chiropractor Beaverton