It now seems to be an accepted part of modern life that we feel stressed, often on a regular or long term basis. The majority of people I see in my practice will tell me that they feel their lives are stressful, but how does stress make itself known? Do you feel tired or sick, or does your stress show through headaches or lack of appetite? Common signs of stress Stress can be expressed in many ways, though some of the common signs include:
feeling anxious and edgy tired all the time or...
Feeling wired and tired is really common. It seems strange that you can feel like you have energy but actually you’re very tired. It’s all about how you are reacting to stress. Your body creates stress hormones in response to stressful situations, these hormones are made from raw materials which is the food you eat. If your tank gets depleted because you’re over-stressed, then you’re more likely to notice symptoms. Other common symptoms of stress might...
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a condition featuring depressive-like symptoms, for most people in the winter months. It has greatest prevalence at higher latitudes. For example, in the USA prevalence of SAD ranges from 1% in Florida to 10% in New Hampshire. In the UK, prevalence is reported to be around 3%, with women affected three times more often than men according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP). If less strict criteria are used, a more significant proportion of the...
We all react differently to pressures and challenges in our lives. It’s for this reason that stress manifests itself differently in each of us.
We tend to pay a lot of attention to the physical signs of stress; insomnia, depression, fatigue, headaches and irritability. But, stress can impact us in other ways - notably, affecting the choices we make around food. It’s not only what we choose to eat, but also why we’re choosing these foods that we should be aware of.
What is stress...
Work and life balance is a combination that can push our stress levels to near breaking point! While many of us who suffer from stress can pinpoint the main causes, we often fail to manage it and put measures in place that reduce its burden. Stress can evolve into serious issues such as depression, social withdrawal and ill-health, which is why managing and preventing it is so important. In this article, I want to talk about our how our diets can be both a cause and cure for stress. Our diets...
When was the last time you felt stressed? If it was recently then you’re not alone. According to the Huffington Post, 59% of British adults say that they find their lives are more stressful than five years ago. A survey of 2,050 adults carried out by Mind, the mental health charity, found that one in five working people take time off for stress and one in 10 have sought professional help to deal with stress. It has become of such importance that October 10th is now designated...
Stress is linked to a dizzying array of conditions, ranging from infertility to psoriasis and eczema, to IBS and IBD, to depression and anxiety to virtually all autoimmune diseases. Or you may not have any of these but you’ve started waking up like a shot in the middle of the night with a pounding heart and wondering how this is affecting your health? Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal axis dysfunction (HPA-D) is the scientific term for the popular syndrome known as “adrenal...
Gone are the days where our stress response primarily helped us get out of danger, now it seems to be putting us in it! Our stress response evolved primarily as a means of survival from our ancestors facing immediate, life-threatening situations. Unfortunately, that kind of response isn’t ideal for the type of chronic, ongoing stress we face today. When you experience any kind of stress, whether physical (slamming on your brakes), emotional (going through a heartbreak), or mental...
New year is one of the most exciting and stressful times of the year. Everything speeds up around us, and we inhale its atmosphere. It feels like we do not have enough time and this creates physical and emotional stress. When the tension takes over and persists, the stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) are raised and this impairs our immune system. That is why it is very common during this period to catch a cold and feel poorly. To support our immune system, the first point would be to...
Having suffered for many years with digestive and bowel related health issues, I'm going to share my top tips on how to overcome these problems. The first thing to point out is that stress is a huge factor in gut related ill health. I'm sure you'll have heard of 'gut feeling' or 'gut instinct', that's because the bowel is born out of the exact same part of the embryo as the brain, and therefore shares all the same chemicals. So, how to tackle stress? One really important tip is to take your...
Get our free monthly e-magazine straight to your inbox
Find out more at happiful.com
