insideKENT Magazine Issue 85 - April 2019 | Page 124

HEALTH+WELLNESS
60 Minute Stress Reducers
CONT.
Massage
The first thing you think of when you think of stress relief could
well be a good massage. A massage will relax you, reducing your
stress levels quickly and pleasantly. If you’ve experienced a massage
before, you’ll know that, once complete, you feel renewed. You
feel as though the stresses and strains (sometimes actual, physical
strains) that you were suffering from have just melted away.
And it’s true; they have. When you have a massage, your body
starts to balance its hormones better. Cortisol, the stress hormone
(the hormone that is so useful when it comes to fight or flight,
but is so damaging in high, chronic levels), is reduced, but
serotonin (the ‘happy hormone’) is increased. Although a massage
won’t remove the stress triggers from your life, it will put your
mind and body in a better position to deal with them. You’ll find
that you’re not as affected by problems and challenges after a
massage, and you can more easily come up with solutions to prevent
stress in the future.
If you’re living with a partner or friend whom you trust, they might
be willing to give you a massage on a regular basis, but ideally you
should book in with a professional to get the most out of the
experience. 60 minutes once every few months should be enough
to put you back on track and help you to de-stress.
Take A Long, Warm Bath
What is it about a bubbly bath at just the right temperature that
is such a great way to de-stress? Well, there are many things, as
it happens, all of them good.
It starts with pain relief. Stress causes muscle tension, and
unless you specifically think about it, you won’t realise that
your neck, jaw, and forehead are caught up in this problem.
When you notice, you can work to unclench, but when you’re too
busy dealing with everything life is throwing at you, you won’t,
and when your muscles are tense it can become harder to breathe,
they will hurt and they can be vulnerable to injury – all of which
adds to your stress levels. A warm bath will soothe those muscles,
boosting your circulation and ensure that they are stretched out
rather than bunched up. You’ll feel freer and lighter and a lot less
weighed down.
Warm baths (not hot ones; too hot and your blood pressure will
rise and you’ll feel dizzy, plus you run the risk of scalding) also
allow your skin to produce more endorphins. These are natural
mood enhancers, hormones that actively work to make you feel
good about pretty much everything. It’s the same process as going
out in the sunshine.
A good, long bath will help your breathing too. Remember
how good deep breathing is when it comes to relaxation and
de-stressing? Try it in the bath and it’s even easier; your lungs will
be more able to open thanks to the steam in the room (it eases
swollen blood vessels allowing more oxygen to travel through your
body when you breathe in). Good oxygen levels keeps your blood
pressure low, improves your blood sugar, and relieves pressure
around your heart.
Another bonus of 60 minutes in the bath? It has been shown to
burn as many calories as a 30 minute walk (about 140). That’s
because your heart is beating more quickly when you’re soaking
in warm water.
All of this means that by the time you’re ready to get out of the
tub, you’re stress levels are miniscule and you’re feeling pretty
darned good.
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