Naturopathy: stress management

Naturopathy is an excellent way to deal with the stressful situations we face in our daily lives.  Stress is omnipresent in our society (noisy cities, overcrowded public transport, multiple not-to-be-missed deadlines, important appointments, social pressure, mental overload, etc.). Stress can sometimes result in regular insomnia that leaves you feeling unrested. All these factors can have undeniable consequences on the body and can cause digestive disorders, chronic fatigue and even anxiety.

Our naturopath, Sandra Marianacci, discusses a few essential tips to help you better manage stress in your daily life.

A bit of history: What is stress?

The endocrinologist Hans Selye first described the concept of stress in 1925. He defined stress as all the physiological and psychological resources a person uses to adapt to a given event.  He identified two sorts of stress: 

• Adapted normal reaction: EUSTRESS, positive stress that makes us move forward,
• Inappropriate stress reaction: DISTRESS, excess stress.

In 1956, Hans Selye published “Stress of Life” in which he described the various phases of stress:

• Alarm phase: triggered by the release of adrenaline. Physical manifestations include short and rapid breath, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, feeling like you have a knot in your stomach or lump in your throat, etc.
• Adaptation phase: the body sets up resistance to stress to protect itself. It increases cortisol production in the blood. Cortisol is known as one of the stress hormones. When faced with a stressful situation, the body will draw on its reserves as a response to an increased demand for energy. The effect is to increase the body’s ability to resist dangerous or stressful situations. However, this comes at a price as, in some stressful situations, the body becomes more sensitive to the outside environment than it would in normal circumstances. An example of this phenomenon is increased sensitivity to the cold virus.
• Exhaustion phase: the body is unable to cope and is exhausted, there by causing the infamous “burn out”.

To tackle this issue, we will focus more specifically on the management of daily stress, and the solutions we can use to avoid reaching the exhaustion phase, which leads to burn out.

It is worth remembering that stress is positive, normal and useful to our survival when faced with danger. We must, for example, be able to react quickly to avoid an obstacle. The problem with stress is its intensity and (short- or long-term) duration, which can disrupt all our psychological and physiological resources.

Stress and adaptation issues

A patient with adaptation issues means that he/she is unable to adjust to a stressful situation triggered by his/her environment.  Stressful situations can be work-related (change of job, inter- relational conflict at work, redundancy, etc.) or personal (marriage, romantic break-up, divorce, financial difficulties, death, or distress that seems insurmountable). The adaptation issue generally arises within three months after the occurrence of the stress factor and, in theory, disappears within six months.

Prolonged stressful situations then give way to the clinical manifestations of adjustment disorders.

The range of symptoms include: 

• Anxiety with impaired concentration, irritability, headaches (migraines), chest tightness, digestive disorders (stomach ache and/or diarrhoea);
• Behavioural problems accompanied by social isolation and absenteeism;
• Depression and disturbed sleep, change in dietary habits, etc.

Chronic stress affects all body functions. When it is too painful for our body it will go into “survival mode” and favour vital functions to the detriment of others. 

Focus on stress and cystitis

Stress can cause hormonal imbalances in women and disrupt their menstrual cycles.  Stress has a negative impact on the immune system, which becomes increasingly weak the longer the period of stress lasts. During prolonged stressful situations, the body is more open to external attacks. The immune system is then at its weakest point and can no longer provide optimal protection.

Cystitis often occurs after period of prolonged stress or intense fatigue. For example, women often suffer cystitis during the winter when many of them have a weaker immune system. Changing jobs, working on an large project or taking exams are also sources of stress. Many women report that they suffer cystitis during these more stressful situations.

6 tips to help you manage your daily stress

Here are some simple but effective tips to reduce and limit the effects of stress on your body:

Exercise

Doing any sporting activity adjusted to your own level of fitness including walking, cycling, hiking, Pilate's or yoga. Exercising at any level will help you to channel or even offload stress and negative emotions. Thanks to the release of endorphins (feel-good hormones) and dopamine (reward neurotransmitter) you will feel more relaxed. And there are no excuses such as saying “I don’t have the time”! Just 30 minutes a day, 3 or 5 times a week is enough.

Eat well

In times of high stress, the body needs good nutrients to function at full capacity. It needs macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, fats and proteins) but above all micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) which are found in fruit and vegetables. During the stressful period, our resources can be severely depleted and it is essential to allow the body to replenish itself. A course of magnesium is sometimes recommended, as magnesium acts on stress and also sleep.

Do breathing exercises

Breathing and the cardiovascular system are connected. Breathing slowly will lower your heartbeat. Our naturopath particularly recommends cardiac coherence, which is an extremely useful and easy-to-use technique. You can do it anywhere and at any time, whenever you feel the need. For optimal effectiveness, the 3-6-5 rule must be respected: 3 times a day, 6 breaths a minute (breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds), for 5 minutes. Smartphone apps are available to help you maintain a steady rhythm during breathing exercises.

Sleep well

The body regenerates itself during the different phases of sleep, refreshes itself internally, repairs itself and puts everything back in the right place. To make sure you enjoy restful sleep, turn off screens in the evening and avoid stimulants such as coffee, alcohol or chocolate. Also avoid doing high-intensity sport after 6 p.m. A small dim light that exudes calm and tranquillity can be a good idea, as light plays a key role in restful sleep, and for this reason it’s always better to sleep in the dark. Complete darkness triggers the secretion of melatonin, resulting in a much better quality of sleep.

Do reflexology

Reflexology is a technique that allows you to let go by working on your emotions to help combat stress and feel calm.

Use aromatherapy

Several essential oils are reputed to help stress management and sleep. The best known are true lavender essential oil, mandarin essential oil and sweet orange essential oil. These oils can be diffused using a diffuser. (Remember: never heat essential oils).  A combination of essential oils diluted in vegetable oil can also be applied to the inside of the wrists or solar plexus. Caution: it is important to follow the recommendations for use as, when used incorrectly, essential oils can be toxic. In a future article we will look more closely at essential oils for stress and sleep management, and the various ways of using them.

Disclaimer

• Naturopathy is not a medical discipline, it offers support to essential medical care, but cannot replace it.
• A naturopath will always tailor their care to a specific individual.