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Although our bodies are really great at informing us when we’re dealing with periods of extreme stress, it can actually be incredibly easy to ignore day-to-day stress or even periods of moderately heightened stress. When we live busy or stressful lives, we can often find ourselves downplaying or ignoring the symptoms that pop up, because we think it isn’t that big of a deal.

What is Stress?

Stress is the body’s automatic response to changes in a situation. When we find ourselves in a new place or facing new circumstances, our brain tells our autonomic nervous system how to regulate the body to keep us alert. Our heart rate speeds up, our vision becomes more aware, and our body enters fight or flight mode until we can become more comfortable and feel more secure in our environment.

Typically, this short-term response is great! It can help keep us safe when we find ourselves in tricky or dangerous situations. But when the short term becomes long term and temporary stress becomes chronic, we start to run into major problems.

Symptoms

During periods of extreme stress, it can be incredibly easy to identify what’s happening in our bodies because it feels so vastly different from how we normally feel. When we experience lower levels of stress over long periods of time, it can be much harder to identify physical and mental symptoms.

Physical symptoms of stress can include:

• Aches and pains like muscular tension, joint pains, inflammation
• Chest pains or feeling like your heart is racing
• Exhaustion and difficulty sleeping
• Clenching your jaw or neck
• Indigestion or other signs of an upset stomach
• Getting sick more frequently as a result of a weakened immune system

Mental and emotional symptoms can include:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression
• Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• Executive dysfunction

These less subtle symptoms can creep up on us over time if we’re not careful and can damage our long-term health goals. It can even result in attempting to manage it with unhealthy coping mechanisms like drugs and alcohol.

Diagnosis

There’s no singular diagnosis for stress. Only you can evaluate how you feel and decide when it’s time to get some help, which is often easier said than done. Chatting with your doctor or other healthcare providers can be a great first step toward healing and reducing stress.

How to Cope

Ready to make a change and live a healthier stress-free life? The good news is that it’s easier than you probably even realize and it doesn’t require too many difficult lifestyle changes!

Mindfulness

Learning how to stay present in the current moment is one of our biggest mental defenses against stress. This can seem like a tricky habit to develop, but practices for putting it into place are actually pretty small and simple. Writing down a few things that you feel grateful for, reflecting on the best parts of your day, or listing out the names of people who love you are just three small mindfulness practices that can have a huge impact in helping you refocus and destress.

Exercise

Moving our bodies is a wonderful way to reduce stress and recenter. You don’t need to be an Olympic track star to see results, either. A quick walk around the block or doing a few simple stretches at home can be a great way to get your blood moving and release your pent-up stress.

Set Attainable Goals

Visualizing exactly what you’ve got on your plate can be a wonderful tool for mitigating stress. When we see our goals broken down into realistic, bite-sized chunks, it becomes much easier to focus on managing one thing at a time, instead of becoming overwhelmed by the long list of to-dos.

Meditation

Quieting your mind for less than five minutes a day has been proven to lower blood pressure and reduce stress. If you’re interested in learning how to meditate, there are many phone apps, youtube videos, and even podcasts that can help you learn to re-center and breathe, for free!

Dedicated Self-Care Time

Self-care can take many forms. It’s an individualized habit that we learn to build over time by figuring out what feels good to us. Some people like to read a book or take a hot bath while others might go out to a coffee shop or take in a movie. But, if you’ve been living with stress for a while, it can be tough to know where to start. We’ve gathered up a few go-to suggestions to help get the ball rolling.

• Curate a quiet space: Dim the lights, turn on some soothing music, and light a scented candle.
• Make a healthy snack: Set aside time to sip a light, refreshing beverage while munching on your favorite sliced fruit or veggie
• Bring the spa to you: Getting a massage or scheduling salon services are perfect for reducing stress while caring for your body. With Soothe, we can bring those services right to your door with no extra stress.

Spa, at Home

If you’re interested in bringing a spa-quality massage or salon experience but unsure which service is right for you, we’ve put together a list of our favorite stress-busting options offered here at Soothe.

• Swedish massage: This massage technique combines soft, long, kneading strokes and shorter tapping strokes to help reduce muscle pressure and ease tension in the body. 60 minutes, once a week can have huge long-term benefits to your overall stress levels.
• Deep Tissue massage: Working the body at a slightly higher intensity, deep tissue massage pinpoints precise areas of muscle tension in order to relieve pain
• Anti-stress facial: Reduces inflammation and helps repair skin from the damage done by environmental stressors, all while helping you relax and rejuvenate
• Hydrating facial: Uncomfortable, dry skin can lead to breakouts or stiffness in the face, making it difficult to settle down and feel your best. A hydrating facial is perfect for replenishing your skin’s moisture and reducing discomfort
• Haircut at home: Instead of trying to cram a visit to the stylist into your busy schedule, bring the stylist to you! They’ll help keep you looking and feeling fresh without adding any new stress to your plate.
• CBD add-on: CBD works to penetrate the skin’s surface and naturally reduce muscular inflammation and tension, making it easier to get the most out of any massage service you book.

Download the Soothe app or check out the Soothe website for more booking options. Plus, when you book, your provider can meet you wherever is most convenient: home, work, or even a hotel if you’re a regular road warrior! They’ll bring everything they need to provide you with a spa-quality service, so you can relax and focus on feeling less stressed.

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While booking an at-home massage is a great way to help manage your anxiety, we know our therapists can’t be there every time you start to feel anxious. At Soothe, it’s our goal to help you relax and feel your best, so we’ve outlined some simple steps that can help you cope with any anxiety at any time.

Mental Wellness: Have to stay connected.

Loneliness can commonly lead to heightened anxiety. If you feel stuck and alone because you’re adhering to social distancing or stay-at-home orders, there are still plenty of ways to be social with your friends and family. Checking in via FaceTime, group chats, and even good old-fashioned phone calls with loved ones can help. Schedule family check-ins, have a virtual game night, or just vent to each other. Technology is a wonderful thing! 

Self-care is key.

When tough situations become overwhelming, step away from the cycle of bad news and anxiety-inducing interactions that are causing your anxiety. Instead, focus on taking care of yourself in fun, relaxing ways, too. A self-care routine is a great way to cope with anxiety, as it reminds you to love yourself without trying to change who you are. Maybe try starting a daily meditation or yoga nidra practice, or treat yourself to an extra-long bath or fun face mask. Do something that makes you feel more relaxed, and do it as often as you need to!

Make a schedule.

It can be tempting to just lounge on the couch and binge an entire Netflix series when you’re feeling down. But psychology has shown that we are less likely to succumb to anxious feelings if we have tasks or a daily routine to keep our minds busy. It can be as simple as a daily to-do list: make a healthy breakfast, work out in the living room, send that email you’ve been putting off, finally clean out that overflowing closet. Crossing items off your to-do’s will help you feel a sense of accomplishment, and distract your mind from anxious thoughts!

Your mental health should be a priority

Anxiety has been shown to contribute to hypochondria – the thought that we are sick when we are not. Now more than ever, it’s important to be aware of your physical wellbeing as it relates to your mental state. Taking care of yourself in small, simple ways can make a big impact. Make sure you’re eating well, drinking plenty of fluids, and maybe even catching up on your sleep — it can make all the difference in helping you cope with anxiety. 

Seek additional help.

It’s normal to feel a little bit anxious every once in a while. But if intense distress impacts your daily life for several days or weeks, you should consider talking to a therapist, counselor, or doctor. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or maintaining positive thoughts, you can also contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-985-5990, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Massage and Coping with Anxiety

Massage is a great tool for managing anxiety! Massage helps you relax and relieves tension associated with anxiety. In addition, therapeutic massage lowers cortisol levels, the hormone our bodies produce in response to stress. Booking a 60-minute massage at home is a great way to release your stress and anxiety, and regular massage can be a powerful tool in managing ongoing symptoms.

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