The impact of Stress and how Reflexology may help

Stress in our lives cannot be avoided and Reflexology may assist in reducing our stress response. The effect it has on us can come from many different avenues, such as - pollution, insufficient or poor quality sleep, chemicals in our food, to fun things like playing tennis.  Not all of it is bad.  Some stress gives us a nudge to make changes and take action to achieve and better our lives.  Stress becomes a problem though, when we fail to manage it well and becomes chronic. Excessive long-term stress can both cause and worsen health problems.  Let’s have a look at what is happening in our bodies with our stress response and how reflexology may potentially assist in reducing this response.

Our bodies are designed to protect us.  Which is a great mechanism or our ancestors would not have survived and we would not be here.  This mechanism is known as our sympathetic nervous system.  When we are in danger it gives us our fight, flight or freeze response.  In our modern world what we perceive as danger is very different from our ancestor’s fleeing from the sabre toothed tiger and after running would return to a relaxed state.  Today, in the western world, most of our stress is perceived in our minds and not a physical threat.  Our bodies cannot differentiate between the two and we can stay in a level of high alert all day.  

We can wake up with an overwhelm of all we have to do, we start with a coffee and then get to our job to find more stress triggers.  Our sympathetic nervous system can be turned on all day with no break.  This puts an overload on our adrenals to produce adrenalin, then cortisol (our long-term stress hormone) – communicating to every cell of a danger – raising our heart rate and respiration rate, moving blood from our digestive areas to our muscles to respond to the perceived threat. 

Stress takes our body away from the non-vital processes of the para-sympathetic nervous system.  This is when processes such as digestion, repairing of our cells, hormone balancing, immune function and metabolism take place.  Over time the lack of resources for these non-vital processes can lead to disease in the body, health problems and weight gain that continue to worsen.

If we listen to the messages our bodies give us, we can notice when it is has increased stress put on it and make positive changes.  For example, when we feel bloated after eating, this signals stress on the body from the food that we have eaten and reacted to.  But how many times do we not take notice, and as it has happened before start to think this is normal? If continued, this can trigger the onset of illness. 

So how can Reflexology help with stress? Reflexology induces deep relaxation. The first thing my clients say after a treatment is ‘that was so relaxing’, or ‘I didn’t know it would be that relaxing’.  Most of my clients fall asleep for at least part of the treatment.  In this deeply relaxed state, without any stresses to fight, there is the opportunity for the body to activate its own self-healing abilities and bring the body back into its own natural balance.  Without any stresses on the body, it is in an optimal position to do, what it is designed to do – for repairing, restoring and healing.  As this deep relaxation effects the whole body it is not only the physical condition that is treated but the root cause – or stressor.

Research shows that a single reflexology session may create relaxation, reduce anxiety, reduce the pain sensation, and improve blood flow.

The rebalancing that may occur during a reflexology treatment may enable a reset on our lives.  When a body system has been gently encouraged towards its improved functioning this can allow us to cope more positively with external impacts. 

Our perspectives may be different. Sometimes what seemed overwhelming before a treatment may be tolerable and we may have more of an acceptance of what is.  Some of my clients have also noticed when coming from a place of calm after a treatment this radiates out to those around them as there interactions are different.

With our highly stimulated modern lifestyles we forget to relax properly.  To give our body and mind the permission to fully relax on a regular basis, is the greatest gift to encourage us away from our stress response.  Reflexology may induce the deep relaxation to break the patterns and effects of stress for you, with the potential to prevent illness or further illness from occurring.