Adrenal stress and how to manage it
Adrenal stress is one of the latest buzz terms with modern life. I published a blog on the subject a few weeks back (here it is in case you missed it). So to continue on this subject I have found some interesting and very simple methods of managing adrenal stress.
- Music. Both listening and composing music help relieve stress and calm your mind…Playing musical instruments also helps you express yourself and relieve tension. Slow beats, in particular, are associated with meditative states as they encourage slow brainwaves.
- Gardening. Being out in nature is an enjoyable experience that soothes your soul. The sounds, the smell, the breeze and the sunlight—all of these help calm your mind and improve your mood. Plus, the repetitive nature of gardening tasks soothe your mind.
- Painting. As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe puts it, “There is no better deliverance from the world than through art; and a man can form no surer bond with it than through art.” Try meditative painting. Just take a minute to reflect on your thoughts and feelings and paint abstractly without references and with no known conclusion.
- Arts and crafts. Working on craft projects, such as sewing, knitting, scrapbooking and a wide range of DIY projects…allows you to focus on a particular item or pattern and thus forget the things that stress your mind. Studies indicate that crafting can act as an antidepressant and even protect your brain from aging…The repetitive action involved in knitting activates the parasympathetic nervous system that counteracts the “fight or flight” reaction.
- Photography. The fact that it takes your focus off of yourself and involves finding beauty and purpose in everything makes the art of photography quite soothing and satisfying. Plus, your pictures will help you continually appreciate the beautiful side of life and train your mind to keep a positive outlook.
- Reading and writing. Both reading and writing are common hobbies that people use to relax… It helps slow down the heart rate and ease muscle tension. Writing down your emotions and reactions to things going on in your life in a journal can help you clarify your thoughts, making them less stressful.
- Cooking. Though cooking can be a tedious chore for some, it is a pleasurable and stress-busting hobby for those who enjoy it. It works almost as a therapy to clear your mind and serves as a creative outlet. Simply cutting and chopping food can be a great calming ritual.
- Keeping pets. Petting your dog or having your cat on your lap can be naturally soothing. Research shows that living with pets can provide several health benefits, such as reducing stress, improving your mood, lowering high blood pressure, and lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Studies have found that heart attack patients who own pets survive longer than those who don’t have pets.
- Dancing. Dancing is another form of art and movement-based creative expression that can be a refuge from intense emotions and promote well-being. It enlivens the body and allows your mind to expand.
- Riding a bike. It involves repetitive motions that help clear your mind to enjoy the present moment, keeping frantic thinking and restless thoughts away.
Adrenal stress can often feel like you are spreading yourself too thinly between the ever expanding range of jobs, responsibilities and tasks we have on a daily and weekly basis. ‘Centering Yourself’ (as I like to call it) is a method of taking time out for yourself, to pull yourself into one and enjoy something that makes you ‘you’. That could include one of the above activities or anything that draws life back into you. So if you feel adrenal stress is taking too much from you, find what centers you and spend a few moments focusing on what makes you who you are.
Thanks for reading!
Paul.
