De-stress with complementary therapy

According to recent figures, the percentage of individuals admitted to hospital with stress during the past year has increased by 7% – hardly surprising considering the state of the economy, ever increasing working hours and individuals feeling vulnerable in their jobs – but is there anything we can do to prevent a visit to the hospital?

An emergency stress related hospital admission is less than ideal, so here are some simple and effective solutions that could help you to keep your cool in life.

Stress is how our body naturally responds to a threat, and if this reaction is severe enough then the body may begin to release adrenaline and cortisol which increase blood pressure. This is actually a very useful response and works extremely well when the body needs to go into ‘fight or flight’ mode, but not if the response is inappropriate and the reaction continues.

If you are working in a stressful job then there are a number of stress reducing therapies you could try. Yoga, meditation and tai chi have all been championed for their ability to promote relaxation and an overall sense of well-being in those who choose to participate.

If you can’t really afford to spend money on classes such as the above but are looking for simple stress busting techniques then there are plenty of free alternatives. Exercising for example, costs nothing but releases feel good chemicals in the body. If you’re having a down day or week, a meet up with friends and family for a good old natter and a belly laugh could also do the world of good.

According to mental health charity Mind, if you are feeling stressed you should try to limit the amount of things you are trying to do at once, pausing between tasks to reflect at the end of each day.

To find out about the various different complementary therapies available, please browse our Therapy Topics section.

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