Social stress: family, friends, partners
Emotional stress: connection, mental health
Financial stress: money, business,
Physical stress: training, undereating, nutritional deficiencies, drugs/alcohol
As the brain cannot differentiate between types of stresses, our bodies are constantly in the fight or flight nervous system (sympathetic). This raises our blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate and muscle tone.
When the body is stressed it is defending to survive so it has to prioritise the systems that will keep it alive. The hierarchy is as follows: brain, lymphatics, gut, vascular, nerves, organs, endocrine system and then the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, the accumulation of stress over a prolonged period of time, coupled with suboptimal recovery will lead to the breakdown of tissues causing injury.
Things that can help relax your nervous system and help with stress management.
- Sleep
- Massage
- Quality nutrition
- Meditation / breathwork
- Sunlight
- Ocean swims
- Journalling
- Connection
Things that can help you achieve optimal recovery.
- Circadian Rhythm and Stress Management
Sunlight, meditation, habits, routine - Nutrition & Hydration
Energy, hydration, macros, micros, vitamins, minerals - Aerobic Capacity
Active Recovery, aerobic conditioning - Passive Therapy
Massage, mobilisation, dry needling, TrP release, Foam Rolling - Adjuncts
– Infrared, cryotherapy, float tank, red light - Supplements
– Protein, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fish oil
Book an appointment if you always seem to be getting injured, the nervous system will the first area we will focus on in our Myotherapy appointments.