How do you manage your stress levels?

Especially over the last 6 months where for most of us these have significantly increased. Often finding time to relax and de-stress when we’re so busy keeping work, families and the home ticking along can be pretty challenging

If we all knew just how important stress management was we’d surely make this a priority.

Stress comes in many forms created by many scenarios most of which are out of our control. But there’s one thing we need to control and factor in to our wellbeing and that’s ‘US TIME’.

Too much stress in our lives plays havoc with our stress hormone Cortisol, Cortisol is our built in alarm system and when thrown off kilt it can affect us both physically and mentally. It’s our ‘fight or flight’ instinct in a crisis, and affects our mood, fear and motivation but cortisol also plays an important role in a number of things your body does.

For example, it:

Manages how your body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins

Keeps inflammation down

Regulates your blood pressure

Increases your blood sugar (glucose)

Controls your sleep/wake cycle

Boosts energy so you can handle stress and restores balance afterward

If our stress levels are unmanaged and constantly on high alert this can alter or shut down functions that get in the way. These might include your digestive or reproductive systems, your immune system, or even your growth processes leading to other health problems.

So going back to my favourite quote over these last 6 months ‘Your Health is your Wealth’ – it’s surely time to address your stress levels and make some plans moving forward.

Moving more, eating well, sleeping well, making plans (something to look forward to), meditation, reading a good book, watching a good film, removing negative people from your day.

My gift to you this week is to share last weeks Fitness Pilates, Core Back & Deep Stretch. Take 50 minutes, light a candle and throw yourself into this chilled form of fitness pilates.

I hope you enjoy it and if you’d like to join me for any future classes message me here or email [email protected]

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