What is stress ?
Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to our overall well-being.
In Ayurveda stress is considered to be caused by imbalanced vata dosha.
- Stress affects both the mind and the body. A little bit of stress is good and can help us perform daily activities. Too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems.
Effects of stress on body :
- Stress makes it hard for us to relax & can come with a range of emotions, including anxiety & irritability.
- When stressed, one may find it difficult to concentrate , can experience headaches, other body pains ,an upset stomach or trouble sleeping
- One can lose appetite or eat more than usual.
- Stressful situation leads to mental health conditiona like anxiety & depression or worsen the pre-existing health problems.
- Or one can increase the intake of alcohol, cigrette or tobacco etc.
Management :
Ways to manage through simple lifestyle changes i.e. :
- Keep a daily routine – Set time for regular meals, time with family, exercise, daily chores and other recreational activities.
- Get plenty of sleep – Getting enough sleep is important for both body and mind. Sleep repairs, relaxes and rejuvenates our body and can help reverse the effect of stress.
- Be consistent – Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.
- If possible, make your sleeping area quiet, dark, relaxing and at a comfortable temperature.
- Limit your use of electronic devices, such as TVs, computers and smart phones, before sleeping.
- Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
- Foot massage – In ayurveda massage is discribed as best way to induce sleep specially foot massage (Padabhyanga)
In Ayurveda there are numerous medicine that relaxes mind without any sedation or addiction like bharmi , sankhpushpi , vacha etc called as medya rasayana.
There are procedure in ayurveda that are used to do relaxation of mind like Shirodhara, Shirobasti , Shiroabhyanga , Nasya etc .
At Yogis Ayurveda these procedures are done on regular basis by trained professionals under the guidance of experts
