Three Simple Tips For Managing Stress During This Time
Tracie Smith Acupuncturist
Having trouble sleeping, experiencing body aches or feeling overwhelmed with life’s activities? Managing stress during these challenging times is may help support maintaining your overall well-being.
When the pandemic started, I had to wear many hats and started to see myself getting frustrated easily. I was short-tempered and easily triggered by the silliest things! “Put that sock in the laundry basket!” I also started to experience body aches and my sleep was suffering because of how the pandemic was going to “play out.” Learning techniques for managing stress became crucial for me.
In Chinese medicine, we call this liver qi stagnation. According to Chinese medicine theory, the liver is the organ that can easily be affected by frustration, anger and worry. It is also the organ that holds and supplies the blood in our body! So if the liver is stagnated – or stuck – the blood doesn’t flow. And if the blood doesn’t flow smoothly – then one may experience poor sleep & body tension, highlighting the importance of managing stress effectively.
I’m writing to share my experience because I want to share with you some tips for managing stress that helped me get back to balance:
Breathe: Take time out of your day to pause and breathe. It’s easy to forget to do conscious breathing. A simple breath – inhalation and exhalation can take us out of ‘fight flight’ mode. Breathing adds more oxygen to assist our blood and qi to move more smoothly in the body. When the blood flows smoothly – less pain and fatigue, demonstrating a practical approach to managing stress.
Get Quiet…be still: Start a meditation or mindfulness practice. There are so many free apps out there. Insighttimer.com is a great place to start! Try daily 1min moment to clear the clutter in your mind: https://www.yogawithtracie.com/one-minute-meditation/
Seek help! Acupuncture combined with Meridian Head massage can work wonders for assisting with pain, insomnia and sleep issues. Many patients have already experienced the benefits of this service. I’m offering complimentary Head massages with every 60min acupuncture appointment until the end of October 2021. Book your appointment today!