About Stress
Out-of-control stress is the number one underlying factor to the onset of disease in the body. Aside from the emotional toll stress takes, it also affects our health, says Diane Robinson, PhD, of UF Health Center. However, according to author of The Upside of Stress Dr. Kelly McGonigal, more recent studies show that it's our belief that stress is harmful that can be most damaging; not stress itself. Unfortunately, the reality is that most of us have been conditioned and are convinced of the potentially damaging effects of chronic stress, including the fact that long term stress can, among other things, affect our immune system, compromise the digestive system, lead to depression and result in the general deterioration of health.

So we are aware that stress is not always bad; it's necessary to help us achieve our goals, or as a defense mechanism in case of danger. In addition, we are aware that there are many things we can do to prevent, reduce and cope with stress, such as proper diet, exercise, rest and play time; practicing meditation and relaxation techniques such as yoga and breath work; etc. Now we also know that we can learn to re-direct stress and put it to work for us, instead of against us. So why is it that most people don't take advantage of these solutions?

One of the reasons is that, in our fast paced society, many of us learn to carry stress as a badge of honor, showing to the world (and ourselves) how productive and needed we are. On a physical level, we can also become addicted to the cortisol and adrenaline that get released into our system when we are in "fight or flight" mode. However, not only does the continuous release of these hormones wreak havoc in our bodies, it gets us hooked and looking for more. "Like a drug addict, you need a bigger fix all the time," says Debbie Mandel, a stress management specialist and author of Addicted to Stress.

In addition, the way we perceive and handle time can have a lot to do with how much stress we feel in our lives. According to Gay Hendricks, author of The Big Leap, we need to make the switch from our Newtonian perception of time (which says that there's only a finite amount of time) to Einstein Time (in which time is relative, so we need to take charge of the amount of time we have and realize we are where time comes from). From that perspective, we can then figure out areas in our lives that we are trying to disown and take full ownership of it (in other words, become aware of the fact that our life circumstances stem from ourselves, and we can change them). According to Hendricks, "stress and conflict are caused by resisting acceptance and ownership," and the stress will disappear once we are able to accept and claim ownership of it.

Whichever the causes behind stress, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool for stress management. Through hypnotherapy we can tap into the subconscious and reprogram unwanted behavior via suggestions. In addition to performing hypnosis sessions for stress reduction, a hypnotherapist can also help the client determine the core issues behind the stress, as well as help break unhealthy habits and patterns. For these reasons, more and more people are seeking hypnotherapy as a safe, noninvasive therapeutic option.

© Gisele Marasca-Vargas; 12/16/2015
theragicenter.com

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Having trouble sleeping lately?

You're not alone; thousands of people in this country and millions around the world suffer from some type of sleeping disorder. Common causes stem from eating, smoking and drinking habits, as well as other lifestyle choices; drugs and medications; and health issues such as sleep apnea, depression and stress.
Some of the aggravating causes of your inability to calm your mind when you want to sleep may be related to your bedtime habits, such as:

• Watching unsettling programs/news before bedtime
• Working until close to bedtime
• Eating heavy meals too close to bedtime
• Doing any other stressful or stimulating activity right before bed, such as exercising, paying bills, etc

Therefore, to increase your chances of a good night of sleep, observe your night time habits and determine if any of them should be dropped or modified. Here are some suggestions:

• Have your evening meals at least 2-3 hours of digestion time before going to bed; 4-5 hours is best
• Eat light meals in the evening
• Write down a list of the things that are troubling you and/or the things you have do the next day before going to bed, and tell yourself that you will deal with them the next day; that way you won't be thinking about them and making mental lists while you are trying to go to sleep
• Try natural sleep aids such as a taking warm bath; drinking chamomile or Sleepy Time tea (but not too close to bed time, as teas usually function as diuretics); quiet, inspirational reading; meditation; breathing techniques; lavender drops on your wrists (this aroma is supposed to be calming and help induce sleep), etc

Another effective option to deal with sleep trouble is Hypnotherapy, a therapeutic method of healing by using hypnosis. Hypnosis is a trance or altered state of consciousness that's between waking and sleep, and is characterized by increased suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination. Whether helping you manage stress, cope with depression or simply direct the subconscious to relax and sleep well, hypnosis is a powerful tool in to consider if you are looking to have a great night of sleep.

© Gisele Marasca-Vargas; 06/02/2014
theragicenter.com

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash