More than 'just' managing stress

Summary:

We all experience stress and that's OK – if we regularly get the opportunity to reset.

Aches, tension, poor sleep, busy thoughts and feeling constantly 'on' is often connected to what’s happening in our lives.

And while we know that there are plenty of ways to de-stress, the challenge is to find a practice that actually works for you, something you’ll enjoy and want to keep doing.

My suggestion is TRE, a natural, body-based practice, our most innate way to deal with big stress. And I encourage you to try it for yourself, notice what happens and finally let your body have a say.

At first glance I thought this wee flower needs a bit of stress release

Not sure if that's a confession, but in the past, when I heard somebody talking about stress and its impact, I was, kind of, rolling my eyes.

I clearly remember how angry I was when my dentist told me that my toothache was stress and that I should take things a bit easier.

I was so frustrated and told everybody that every time a doctor doesn't seem to know what's wrong, they blame it on stress.

Well, fast-forward a bit more than a couple of decades and I now know that my dentist was generally right (although, to be honest, not on this occasion as it turned out after a weekend of excruciating pain that I needed a root canal treatment; ouch).

But generally, I've now learned and understood just how much stress can affect our health and well-being, that stress can be the root of almost all evil – and it's not just me. You hear so many health professionals recognising that stress can affect us physically as well as mentally.

We also appreciate that short-term stress isn't necessarily a bad thing as it helps us to get moving, it gives us the energy and focus to deal with what's in front of us, i.e. to run away from the tiger.

Although the tigers of the 21^st century are rather different from the ones our ancestors had to run away from and are more likely to be things like work pressures, deadlines, never-ending to-do lists, financial worries, worries about the state of the world and its climate, demands from all kinds of directions, relationship difficulties, arguments and disagreements, caring responsibilities, being constantly on and available … and our bodies respond to this, too.

The good news is that once we can go back to a normal, healthy base line, our system resets and recovers as this is part of a healthy up and down and we'll be fine again.

The problem is when the demands don't seem to stop and when we rarely get the opportunity to experience that reset back to a 'normal' base line.

I recently read the headline “Why doing less is harder than doing more” and thought, yes, exactly!

We are in this constant cycle of adding more and more items to our to-do lists and I believe this is most certainly more 'normal' than deleting things or 'simply' saying 'no' to more commitments.

Saying no can feel so much harder and stopping can feel trickier than carrying on.

But often we don't even notice how much we are carrying until the body says 'no' and literally forces us to stop.

Maybe it's aches and pains, digestive problems, disturbed sleep, feeling exhausted, not being able to concentrate or not being able to switch off.

And here's the bit I want to make clear – as I've experienced myself, not every symptom is caused by stress, that's why it's important to check with your medical practitioner first to rule out something more serious.

Still, while you are waiting for your appointment or indeed after your doctor has ruled out everything else or – even worse – indicated that it might 'just be all in your head', I suggest to look at your current situation and what's happening in your life and what's happening in your body.

Just being curious is the first step and many people know exactly that when they are going through challenging times that their symptoms worsen, e.g.

• too much pressure at work – might show up as shoulder or back pain

• no time for yourself and constantly rushing – as tension headaches or migraines

• keeping a stiff upper lip – as jaw pain/teeth grinding

These are just a few examples and if you'd like to explore this topic further, I recommend the book When the Body Says No by Dr Gabor Maté. I found it fascinating to see the mind-body connection mapped out so clearly.

So, that's the harsh reality, but I'm all for offering solutions.

What can we do?

There are so many ways to create a bit more calm and take real quality time out – and the challenge might be to find something we actually enjoy doing. Joyfully, without putting more pressure on ourselves.

• I know many people who like the idea of meditation, but can't or don't want to sit still.

  
  

• Others admire runners and their runner's high, but have dodgy knees.

  
  

• Some would love to spend more time in nature, but live nowhere near it and can only get there once or twice a month.

My recommendation is to keep searching until you find something that works for you; that really, really works for you.

And by 'works' I mean the one you'll be actually practising and – dare I say it – really enjoy doing, something that fits into your life and really lifts you up.

Because the best stress release practice in the world isn't of much value, if you don't like it or – even worse – are never going to practise.

And if you cant think of anything – maybe you want to ask a friend, Google some ideas or even ask AI for some suggestions.

Simply be curious, open-minded and try out some ideas.

Or you can read on and let me introduce you to my absolute favourite one.

I mean, you might have guessed it by now, and yes, it is TRE (Tension Releasing Exercises).

That's why I love, practise and teach it.

To me the main argument is that practising TRE doesn't need much time at all. Sometimes I spend a few minutes shaking and by the time I'm off the mat, I feel super refreshed – as if I've just had a nap.

I also practise after a game of tennis when I notice tension in my lower back – and afterwards I feel much more comfortable as the pain can't even develop.

Some clients have described TRE as a mini-spa treatment on the Yoga mat.

Others report that their mind feels quieter, their thoughts slow down and they feel more present.

What will you experience?

Who knows?

We are all different and if you ask five people about their TRE experience, you'll probably get five – or more – different answers – that's why I believe that TRE is something that needs to be experienced rather than read or talked about.

And you don't have to take my word for it as you can learn all the basics in one session, dip your toe in, try it for yourself and notice how that makes you feel.

Then you can decide if you'd like to continue your practice or if you'd like to learn TRE properly – the choice is yours.

As I always say: I teach you. I don't treat you.

I show you the tool and guide you on your TRE journey, then you get to discover what works for your body, in your life and on your terms.

Last but not least, I invite you to get in touch with all your questions so you can explore if this feels right for you.