Stress and tensions

Image by Pandiyan via Flickr

Stress has a tendency to settle in the muscles, making them tense and eventually painful. For myself, it's especially the jaw-muscles which tense up and can become so tense and sore that it can be hard to yawn. For many mothers I've treated tension is located in shoulders and back. For working people it's often neck and shoulders.

Stress is an emotional response to situations we're faced with, which often manifests itself physically. When muscles tense up, their function is impaired. Other muscles have to take over part of the work and become strained as they're forced to do work they're not meant for. Tense muscles also affects the blood flow in the area, which impairs the effectiveness of the immune system as the white blood cells can't easily go to an infected area. Tension also reduces the lymphatic process which serves to transport waste products away from the affected and neighbouring areas.

It is then no surprise that stress, and the following muscular tensions, can lead to a number of diseases and injuries. I've read statements that as high a number as 95% of all diseases and sicknesses are caused by stress. That is a lot. 95% because of stress.

Stress is also the most widespread ailment in Western society today. Not many people have time to take room for themselves to pause, stop up, relax and just let go of daily life for half an hour every day. We have many things to consider and many demands placed on our shoulders.

With the current worldwide financial crisis and all the uncertainty that brings along, it is a given that stress has increased and it's even more important we focus on reducing stress.

Massage and bodywork is useful on many levels. The physical work of the massage release the tension from the muscles, allowing them to function optimally again. On a mental level massage is highly relaxing and de-stressing as you lie passively for perhaps an hour, being forced to let go of the urge to do things. A massage gives you that break and pause you need to recharge and bring a bit of distance into the picture.

So don't forget to take those breaks and grant yourself massages regularly, even if the money are tight and you're busy. It can be the factor that makes the difference between sailing out of the crisis in good health, and sinking in the storm.

Wellness plans

A wellness plan is different than a massage treatment plan. Where a treatment plan focuses on treating an injury or acute physical problem and prevent it from happening again, a wellness plan focuses on your overall health and well-being. A wellness plan aims towards preventing illness and diseases, on improving your life quality and wellness.

It's been proven by various studies that our mental well-being is closely related to our physical well-being, just as our physical well-being affects our mental well-being. Both in direct effect; such as depression causing poor sleeping patterns which cause our immune system to become weaker. And indirectly where our habits and behaviour stops us from taking the actions needed to improve our well-being; such as regularly exercising, eating healthy food or go to bed at a proper time.

In order to achieve wellness, you shouldn't only look at the physical aspects of your life. But also include the spiritual, mental and emotional aspects. Ideally a wellness plan will include advice and support in all four areas, creating a holistic plan of action, which you can follow and work on to improve your health and well-being in all areas.

A wellness plan could include the following advice to a client:

• Exercise for half an hour every day, 3 times a week by brisk walking, 2 times a week strength training.
• Eat healthy; cut out junk-food and quick microwave meals, and eat at least half a kilo of fresh fruit, vegetables and greens every day.
• Eat breakfast every single morning within one hour of waking up.
• Make sure you get at least 7 hours of good sleep every night.
• Meditate for 15 minutes each morning and each evening (this doesn't need to be any specific type of meditation), or half an hour once a day.
  
• Focus on the positive in life and let go of what's annoying you (here a life coach or psychotherapist might be needed)
  
• Make a plan for what you would like to change/achieve and break that down into small steps. Focus at one step at a time.
• Make time to meet up with friends at least once a week for socializing and relaxation.
• Get a massage at least once a week to help you get into touch with your body and relax and accept physical contact (Again, a psychologist or therapist might be consulted and a plan worked out together if there are serious issues).
  
• Look at yourself in the mirror each morning and tell yourself; "I love me, I can do anything I truly want."

The therapist will help you set up these steps, adjusting the plan to your situation and your needs. The list I've mentioned might seem big, and it is. You might have a big list, but be told to only focus at one or two steps at a time at first, or the list will be a short one at first and during later sessions be increased and adapted to suit your specific situation. Some advice are physical and directly related to your physical health, and other advice is more related to how you approach life and counter stress and create good habits.

A wellness plan is not only linked to your physical well-being, but your emotional and mental health as well. It is important to make sure the therapist making you a wellness plan is suited and educated. She must be qualified to cover all aspects of the wellness plan you are getting in your current situation.

Due to the nature of wellness plans, it's important to find a therapist whom you trust fully, and you be willing to follow the advice and work on the points listed. Wellness can't be achieved without you dedicating and commiting yourself to it fully.

When the aspects covered are smaller matters related to daily life, general advice and common sense can be sufficient. Most massage therapists will know how to advice you on physical maintenance (such as exercise and simple nutritional advice), the importance of relaxation and meditation, encourage positive thinking, socializing, remind you to love yourself, be appreciative of what you have and are supportive in situations of crisis.

Once things become more complex and there are deeper underlying problems and reasons, it's important to find a therapist who either has complementary education in coaching or equivalent, or who works together with a professional life coach, psychotherapist, psychiatrist and the like.

If you're uncertain about your massage therapist's qualifications, don't hesitate to ask about them or insist to contact a mental health professional and get a second opinion. If the massage therapist refuses, then you know that he or she isn't the right therapist for you. Most massage therapists will be happy to work together with your life coach or psychotherapist to create the best wellness plan for yourself.


Relevant articles: A few wellness tricks, Massage treatment plans, Massage and wellness, Some wellness blogs and sites.

Massage and illness

When you are sick, you shouldn't get a massage. It can be put as simple as that. In worst case it can complicate matters further and do damage, and in best case it will just not be pleasant to you. For some illnesses and problems massage is not advice since it can be harmful. For other conditions a partial massage or a certain massage type can be recommended in smaller quantities.

If the massage therapist notices problems and conditions she might recommend the client to see a specialist or doctor to get a medical opinion if it's safe to massage. If not, then the client will have to wait until the issues have been settled and treated.

Situations where any massage can be harmful:

• Active state of contagious diseases
• Acute skin conditions and diseases
• Cancer without doctor's approval
• Cardiac arrest and other heart related problems
• Severe diabetes without doctor's recommendation
• Fever
• Inflammation
• Hepatics
  
• Lice
• Significant recent injury
• Recent surgery
  
• Under influence of alcohol or drugs
• Certain medical drugs

Situations where local massage can be harmful:

• Abnormal lumbs
• Acne and like skin conditions
• Blisters
• Fresh bruises
• Cysts
• Herpes outbreaks
• Inflammations
• Open wounds
• Shingles outbreak
• Skin rashes on a small area
• Spina bifida (split spine) and other spine conditions
• Swollen lymph glands
• Unhealed burns and abrasions
  
• Warts

Situations where referral to a doctor might be necessary:

• Severe pain
• Significant fatigue
• Inflammation
• Lumps and changes in skin
• Oedema
• Unstable mood and strong changes in mood
• Infections
• Bleeding or bruising
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
  
• Fever

These lists are far from comprehensive but meant to give an idea of what sort of conditions you should pay attention to when considering a massage. If you are in doubt if a massage is appropriate or potentially harmful, get your doctor's evaluation and respect his recommendations. Wait the time asked, avoid the type of massage, and fully inform the therapist about your conditions and what your doctor has said.

Source:
The Concise Book of Muscles

Massage treatment plans

Treatment plans are not used or needed for general relaxation and wellness massages. But if there is a physical problem that needs to be addressed and if a client returns complaining about the same issues time after time, a treatment plan can be very helpful. It not only helps the therapist be organized and guided, but also helps educate the client so they can take an active role in their recovery and commit to improving health and well-being.

A treatment plan doesn't isn't only applied to a series of sessions, but can also be used to determine how a single session will take place and what areas to focus what style of massage and treatment on. The later is usually a quick mental assessment based on the conversation with the client and the first impression when starting the massage.

Treatment plans can take many shapes and include different elements. It is not only the therapist planning how to treat a client and what type of massage to give, but often giving the client things to do. This can include stretch and strength exercises, advice on posture and work habits, even food and general health advice.

When a treatment plan is put together it will often work in different phases addressing the problem at hand and changing as the muscles are normalized and problems are reduced. At first it will usually be rather intensive and often a massage is suggested and to the end a general monthly maintenance and wellness massage is recommended.

Before any treatment plan is laid out, it is important that the therapist speaks in depth with the client. All problems must be discussed beforehand. The first massage session will help the therapist assess and examine the reported problems and most likely find others related to it. After the session the therapist will determine the best treatment plan and present this to the client along with homework to support the massage the most possible.

A treatment plan can change over time and be adapted to each situation. It can turn out that a problem is more serious than first assessed and the plan needs to compensate for this. It can also be that normalizing certain muscles and postures take shorter time than anticipated and the plan will be modified accordingly. Or it can be that other problems occur during the timespan and must be taken into consideration as well. The plan is a guideline meant to aid both therapist and client in obtaining the best health and wellness.

If a therapist makes a treatment plan can be very individual. For some it is an regular occurrence, for others only in certain situations. For massages which are not medical creating a treatment plan or not is no indication of the competences and capabilities of the therapist. If you are interested in a plan and homework to improve your health and wellness, do discuss the matter with your therapist. Together you can find what will be the best for you.

The importance of strength training

It is important to keep our body in shape and use it regularly, especially with the sedated lives many of us live with computers, cars, television and other modern comforts. It is generally recommended that we do at least half an hour of exercise every day merely to maintain our bodies. If we want to counter the stresses to our bodies, it is important to build our strength as well as endurance.

Strength training can help you avoid many of the pains and discomforts which comes from excessive time spent in front of the computer and at the desk. For many people who suffer from tense shoulders and sore backs by the end of a day, a regular routine of strength training can practically eliminate the pains and help you maintain a healthy posture.

A routine 3 times a week for half an hour can create amazing results and be the first step to a life where tense and sore muscles after a work day is history only. Combine the strength training with cardiac exercise such as brisk walking, biking, running or swimming to obtain the best conditions for your body and your health.

It is important to strengthen the muscles which are lengthened and weakened due to postural distortion in order to help the body move back to a balanced alignment where the bones support the weight, and not the muscles.

Apart from countering pains and problems from computer use, there are many physical benefits to strength training, among those are:

• Increased Metabolic Rate - muscle mass burns more calories than fat. So merely by being stronger, you'll use more energy and it can be a good supplement to a weightless program.
• Bones are strengthened and the training can prevent osteoporosis and delay the deterioration of bones which comes with age.
• Increased strength and endurance which benefits the overall performance level and enables us to engage longer in all sort of physical activities; playing with the children in the park, gardening, dancing, housework and so on.
• Many injuries happens because the muscles are not strong enough. Training can prevent a wide range of injuries coming from ordinary living.
• When our muscles are stronger our balance is improved. The muscles main function is the keep the skeleton aligned and make sure we can stand and sit straight without falling to one side. With training the muscles gain strength which increases their control over the body.
• Strength training is an exercise just like running, swimming and walking is. The same benefits apply, like decreased risk of heart related diseases, lowering blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol etc.
• Flexibility is increased with strength training

To add to this, a regular training routine will make you feel better about yourself. Not only due to the exercise and getting better sleep, having less stress and be more energized, but also make you feel more satisfied with your body and how it looks. It is easy to begin a program; the investment is small and you can start right in your own home.

Postural distortion

Misalignment of the body often gives pain and injury. When a body is aligned and has a proper posture, the skeleton is supporting the weight of the body and the muscles are just balancing it and providing movement and stability. Poor habits, a bad working position, repetitive work and lack of muscular strength can all lead to postural distortion.

The body can be divided into planes. The mid-sagittal plane runs vertically from the top of the head to the feet and divides the body half, the left and the right side. The coronal plane is seen in the side view and divides the body in front and back.

With proper alignment on the coronal plane the ear, shoulder, hip joint, knee joint and ankle joint are directly above and below each other. They form a straight line.

The body can then be divided into horizontal planes which are perpendicular to the mid-sagittal plane. They align structures of the body horizontally. The eyes, shoulders, arms, hips, knees and ankles should be at the same height on the left as on the right. The hands should rest at the side of the thighs, with the thumb and index finger facing forward.

When the body moves out of alignment, the skeleton no longer supports the body and the muscles have to take over the work. While such is natural and no problem for shorter periods of time, extended stress will result in the muscles to become exhausted, ischemic and painful. It is not only the muscles which are stressed, but also the bones and joints, which can lead to pain, injury and premature failure.

One of the most common postural distortions is the slumped posture. The head is moved forward and the shoulders are internally rotated. It is caused by much of the work we do, from knitting and reading, to writing and working on the computer. The head is jutted forward in order to observe what we are doing and our hands are performing tasks in front of our body often for extended periods of time.

In the slumped posture, the muscles on the front of the neck are pulling the head forward, and the muscles at the back of the neck are stretched and strained in order to keep the head in place. The same is true for the chest mucles which pulls the shoulders forward, while the muscles in the upper back are stretched and strained to keep the shoulders in place. The anterior muscles are shortened, tight and concentrically contracted, while the posterior muscles are lengthened, tauth and eccentrically contracted.

While the pain is felt in the lengthened, weaker muscles the problem actually lies in the shortened stronger muscles. If only the lengthened muscles are massage it will provide a relief of pain, making them relax. This unfortunately has the effect that the shortened muscles will become even shorter and increase the problem.

In order to solve this relief should be given to the lengthened muscles, but most focus should be placed on relaxing the tight shortened muscles so they can release their pull on the opposite side. Through massage and stretching the shortened muscles can be made to relax and returned to their normal state, helping the lengthened muscles to return as well.

When the postural problems are severe massage alone is not enough. The client must engage in regular stretch exercises in order to lengthen the shortened muscles and ideally do strength training particularely focused on the weakened muscles.

Becoming aware of postural distortion and working to correct the misalignments will not only bring relief and less pain, but also protect your joints and bones from premature failure and greatly postpone the postural problems which comes with age. A trained massage therapist can help you discover your misalignments and give you a treatmentplan and exercises to perform to correct your posture and bring you greater life quality and better health.


Related articles:
Pain from computer and desk, When to get a massage, Why get massages, Stretch exercises

Stretch exercises

Regular stretching exercises are important if you wish to maintain the benefits of a massage and avoid the strains of poor posture and repetitive work. Stretching also provides good breaks from a work routine and can energize and refresh your mind, which in return improves your work performance. Below is a list of exercises which can easily be performed during the day. Taking a 5 minutes break every hour from the computer and do some of the exercises will have large effect.

For all the stretches, it's recommended that you exhale while performing the stretch and inhale as you return to normal position. Stretches should be done slowly and smoothly, not jerking. Repeat each stretch 3-5 times and do not stretch further than what is comfortable. If a stretch becomes painful it will be counter productive.

Neck:	Do this exercise without rotating the head: Pull left shoulder away from the ear and draw the right ear towards the right shoulder with your hand. Then pull to the other side. Turn head to the right side, using your hands to add pressure. Then repeat to the other side.
Trunk:	Sit on the chair and grab the back of the chair with both hands. Use the arm across your front to pull towards the side so your trunk twists rather than the shoulders and arms. Shift your hands and repeat and twist to the other side. Place the left arm over your head while the right arm hangs to the ground. Slowly try and touch the ground with your right hand. Keep the back straight. Repeat to the other side. Reach for the sky and stretch your arms up as far as you can reach. Arch your back lightly.
Shoulder and upper arm:	Turn your head to the right so you look over the right shoulder and tug your chin in. Pull the left shoulder down while you place your right hand on the back of the head. Pull head and left shoulder apart from each other. Repeat to the other side. Drop the chin to the chest and turn the head 45°. Use your hand to stretch the neck. Sit on a chair and move your arm in front of the chest. Point your hand upwards while the other hand grabs the elbow and pulls it across the front. Fix the arm against a door frame. Step forward keeping your back straight (not arched). Push against the door frame with your elbow and underarm. Raising or lowering the arm will stretch different parts of the chest muscle. Place your hand against a door frame, holding your elbow in a 90° angle. Step forward while anchoring your hand against the frame. Sit on the chair and place your hand between the shoulder blades. Grab the elbow with the other hand and gently pull the elbow behind the head. Side bending will increase the stretch. Stand with your back to the desk and place your palms on the desk. Keep your arms and torso straight and slowly bend your knees. Hold the doorknob with your hand and gently step away from the door. Raise one arm to shoulder height. Flex the other arm across to the other shoulder and hold the raised elbow with the opposite hand. Pull the elbow backward.
Forearm and hand:	Weave your fingers together and then turn palms outward. Stretch your arms and fingers. Use one hand to gently lever the other wrist into extension, up and down. Can be done with palms facing each other, and palms facing floor and upwards. Place your hand palm down on a table. Gently pull each finger upward into extension. Press your palms together and turn your hands up and down while keeping your arms still.

Even if you can't find time to do the full range of stretch exercises in one break, do a few at a time every hour and during a full day you will have gone through the entire list.

There are plenty of documents, videos and books available on the net for further reading and suggestions. My suggestion is that you create a routine that fits and suits you and do that every day to keep yourself in shape and avoid injuries and serious strains.


Sources, illustrations and further reading:
http://www.ergoindemand.com/PDFs/online_stretches.pdf
http://www.bmarc.net/files/pdf/Office_Stretching_Exercises.pdf
http://www.dragonboat.org.hk/en/dbr/pix/stretch_exercises.gif
The Concise Book of Muscles

Frequency of massages

How often should you receive a massage. It is a question that is impossible to answer generally since it always depends on the individual in question and their situation.

For most people wishing to relax and maintain a normal healthy body, once a month is a suitable frequency. It is often enough that the tensions building up can be dealt with and become a moment of full relaxation and de-stressing as part of your wellness plan.

If you encounter a period of increased stress, then it can be very beneficial to increase the frequency of massages to once a week, or even a couple of times a week while the pressure lasts. Not only are sore and tense muscles relaxed and potential physical problems countered. Mentally you get a chance to fully relax and let go of the stress for a while, which in return helps you cope with the stress in your life and solve the problems and challenges more efficiently. As the stress subsides, so does the frequency of massages received until returning to once a month.

When you begin to see a massage therapist to address postural and physical anomalies it is often necessary to have frequent sessions in the beginning to normalize soft tissue, and later less frequent visits to maintain what has been achieved. It can be necessary to get massages a couple of times a week for several weeks in the beginning and then later lower the frequency to once a week, and then once every other week before starting on the maintenance routine.

The frequency of massages always depends on the individual. A good massage therapist will work out a treatment plan and continuously adjust it to suit the needs of the individual. Be open and direct with your expectations and issues in your current situation, so that the therapist has all the knowledge needed to create the best treatment plan for you.

Related articles:

When to get a massage, Why get a massage, The importance of Touch, Massage and Stress, and Massage relieves Burnt-out.

Pain from computer and desk

When we work in front of the computer, we often experience tension, soreness and even pain in the neck, shoulders, back, wrists and arms. These discomforts are usually caused by poor working position at the desk and by repetitive movements.

Sitting in front of the computer or at the desk can cause rather severe muscular and postural problems. Typically we sit hunched forward, our back is not always straight, our shoulders move forward to control the mouse and use the keyboard, our arms are turned inward towards the centre instead, our head is moved forward and we do a lot of repetitive movements. The perfect formula for soft tissue problems and anomalies.

This poor working position strains the body in unnatural ways. When our shoulders rotate inward and forward, the chest muscles tighten and are shortened, while our back muscles are stretched and lengthened. The constant stretch is what we feel as soreness or pain between our shoulder blades and elsewhere on the back. The same happens with the shoulder muscles. Those in front are shortened and constantly kept tense, while those at the back are stretched and lengthened. Our head is jutted forward which shortens the muscles in the nape and lengthens the muscles on the front. Often one shoulder is higher than the other due to the work with pen or mouse.

All these strains on the soft tissue cause soreness and pain, trigger points (knots) spread, and the tension can cause head-aches as well. The headaches are often caused by nerves, which go through the muscles at the neck, are pressed by the tight muscles. If left unattended, the poor body alignment can become permanent and a life with pain lies ahead. You often see the result of poor working position in old people who are almost hunchbacked with age. A lifelong poor position when working is the likely cause of their current condition.

Luckily it is relatively easy to counter poor working positions and to normalize the body alignment, if dealt with in time.

Massage is an excellent, and one of the best methods to treat symptoms from extensive computer use. Massage relaxes and lengthens the tense shortened muscles, helps strengthen the weakened and lengthened muscles, removes trigger points, makes you relax and helps the body get back into its natural alignment. The massage therapist can also advice you with exercises to do between treatment and to maintain the good a session have given.

Regular strength exercise and condition training will help you avoid these problems. Being aware of and correcting your working position, making sure you don't sit hunched forward, and doing regular stretch exercises will all aid you in avoiding the problems poor posture causes.

When to get a massage

You should get a massage when you feel like it. For most people that would be rather frequent, but often it is an expense which most can't afford as regularly as desired. To maintain the best health, try and get a massage when you start to notice the symptoms of stress, or when your muscles feel sore. It is best not to wait until you experience muscular pain in your body, since by then the anomalies are so severe it will take several sessions to relieve the muscular tension. It is always easier and more efficient to address problems in the beginning than to wait.

When your soft tissue starts to feel sore and strained it is a warning from your body to you that there are problems that you need to pay attention to. It can be things such as poor posture, repetitive movements and overuse. Pain is our body's way of telling us that we need to stop up and relax, that we are pushing our body too far and that we need to stop what we are doing.

For many people it is not possible to change our jobs to heed the warnings from our body and we need to find alternative ways to address them. That is where massage enters the picture. Massage is one of the most effective methods to deal with work related soreness and pains when it is treated early on. If you wait too long it might end up being necessary to get surgical treatment and long rehabilitation.

Stress can cause muscular pains and other health issues, which can easily be addressed by massage. A regular massage will help you cope with stress, increase your productivity and increase your overall health. Should you face a particularly stressful period, take the time to get more frequent massages while it lasts to counter the negative effects stress has upon your body and psyche.

By getting a massage when stress, soreness and tenderness begin, it becomes a preventive healthcare to normalize your body before problems arise which needs medical attention. Don't ignore the warnings of your body.

Massage can't replace medical treatment unless directly instructed by your doctor. If you are sick, just have had an injury or surgery or have a medical condition, check with your doctor to see if a massage is appropriate in your situation. If not, wait until your situation have improved and the doctor no longer sees a risk. Be sure to inform the massage therapist of any such things before the massage begins.

Why get massages

Many ask why should they get a massage. One would think the answer is obvious. A massage feels good, it is relaxing and nice to be pampered and given full attention for an hour or more. It feels wonderful to have skilled hands address all those sore points and just be able to let go and forget about worries and concerns for a while. But there is more to massage, and getting regular massages should be part of any wellness plan.

Massages are not only relaxation. Though receiving a full relaxation massage regularly will greatly improve your wellness. Massage is a preventive health care to improve life quality, release muscular tensions before they become serious problems and increase the overall health.

As discussed in previous articles, stress can cause a wide range of physical and mental problems which can become serious health issues if it is not addressed in time. Stress often reveals its presence by causing tense and tight muscles, which in return causes headaches, muscle pain, stiffness and insomnia. Massage can relieve the symptoms of stress, relax tight muscles and help decrease pain.

Our daily lives place a lot of strain on our body. Repetitive movements and poor postural positions in front of the computer, at the desk, doing housework, taking care of children, lifting etc. causes discomfort, pain and eventually become problems that can significantly decreases life quality and might need medical treatment. Those symptoms will reinforce themselves as pain causes stress which again causes the muscles to tense even further.

By addressing these issues and potential problems early on, several trips to the doctor can be spared and the daily aches that many of us experience can be relieved and avoided. Massage normalizes tense muscular tissue and can help you bring your body back to its natural posture and alignment.

In our modern lives we often experience strains and pains in our backs, shoulders and neck due to working positions. Our body is pulled of the planes of posture and muscles are shortened and stretched unnaturally. Many of our work positions cause our shoulders become internally rotated, our neck to bend and back to slouch. Our range of motion is impaired and can it can easily become painful.

Massage is the most effective method to normalize abnormalities in the soft tissues and restore its range of motion. Medication only addresses the symptoms, but does normally not deal with the cause of the pain. Massage strengthens and stretches the muscles, makes tight shortened tissue relax and gives the lengthened tissue a chance to return to the normal position. Massage helps the body get into its natural alignment.

When the soft tissue has been relaxed and strengthened and the body posture naturally aligned, it needs to be maintained. Here the massage therapist can give advice upon how to keep a good posture, point out what habits you need to change and what you can do to achieve such. Once the body and soft tissue has been normalized, a regular massage will aid you in maintaining your posture and can be used to relieve those anomalies before they become serious problems.

Related articles:

Massage relieves Burnt-out

Why massage the stomach

The stomach is probably the most sensitive area to massage. It is the most unprotected part of our body, and it can be a strong emotional experience to receive a stomach massage.

Physically there are many benefits to an abdominal massage. Stress and emotional tensions are stored in the stomach and can cause digestive and other related health problems. By massaging the stomach the muscles are made to relax, allowing for the organs to settle in their right places. Blood flow is increased which in return makes the organs function better.

Massage is an excellent method to address the symptoms of stress and digestive issues. The stimulation of the intestines helps the system work properly, increases the bowel movements, releases gasses and helps remove blockages that might be present. It is a method that is effective for all people, colicy babies, stressed adults and people, who due to medication have problems with the stomach.

Emotionally it can be a big step to accept a massage of the stomach. It is a very sensitive area and associated with strong emotions. It is in the stomach that we feel the strong feelings such as fear, nervousness and excitement. It is essential that the client trusts the massage therapist to give the massage. The massage therapist must in return be very intuitive and sensitive, listen to the client's signals and pay careful attention to the reactions that might come.

It can become a very releasing experience to receive a sensitive and gentle massage, where pent up feelings finally can be let go of. It takes trust and courage to display emotions to a stranger and many people will feel uncomfortable about it and hold back. Once the trust between client and massage therapist has been established, the massage can be taken to a deeper level. The massage becomes a fully holistic treatment, affecting body, mind and soul.

The importance of touch

Touch is the most important sense we humans have. It is essential to our well-being and health, our perception of ourselves and our growth. Without touch we would wither away and in extreme cases even die.

In the 13th century Frederic II carried out an experiment to see how children would develop language when denied human contact. They were fed and washed, but all died. A monk of the time documented the experiment and wrote "...for the children could not live without clappings of the hands, and gestures, and gladness of countenance, and blandishments." This experiment clearly shows how important touch and closeness are to humans.

Studies show that touching releases a hormone named oxytocin into our system, which is one of the hormones that makes people feel good and happy and lowers blood pressure and reduces the level of stress. The hormone can also affects many other things, from how we heal to how we feel about other people.

The skin is our largest organ and touch is our most important senses. Mothers naturally cradle infants, while small children automatically seek out hugs and closeness when they are scared or hurt. Lovers touch each other at every chance they get, and friends share close touch to communicate their support and love.

Studies performed by the Touch Research Institute show clear benefits from touch both physically and mentally. Physically touch and massage can help with a long list of conditions; stress, blood pressure, side effects from cancer treatments, migraines, pain management, pregnancies and more. Massage and touch can also help with anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, behavioural problems in children, PMS, sexual abuse, sleep, smoking and much more.

Touch is not only important for our well-being and health due to the chemical changes in our system, but is also an effective method of communication. Studies show that emotion can be conveyed precisely via touch, and that touch might convey even more positive emotions than the face.

The Touch Research Institute in Miami, FL, has conducted extensive research in the field. Touch and massage has great health benefits and is essential to our well-being, health and emotional development. This again stresses the importance of close physical contact with other people and especially our children.

There are even signs indicating that the lack of touch and connection with other people might be the base cause for emotional disturbances, such as depression, hyperactivity, aggression, violence and even abuse of stimuli such as cigarettes, alcohol, food, shopping and so on. The theory is that the lack of sensory stimulation from touch and physical closeness leads people to seek sensory stimuli by other means.

There is no doubt that touch is essential to us as human beings, both to give touch and to receive touch. And now studies finally clearly confirm that touch not only affects our mood and love for other people, but also has direct health benefits and is a holistic method of supportive healing which works on all levels. Touch in itself is not directly healing, but a gentle loving touch will help the body heal itself and support the emotional state of the person.

Touch is indeed a deep and profound form of communication. A communication that helps the body heal itself and deal with stresses and imbalances. Don't forget to touch someone today.

Further reading:
http://www.eons.com/body/feature/mindspirit/the-importance-of-touch/17345
http://library.adoption.com/Parenting-Skills/The-Importance-of-Touch/article/3060/1.html
http://www.unilever.ca/ourbrands/beautyandstyle/Morearticles/Science_of_touch.asp
http://www.chisuk.org.uk/articles/result.php?key=63
http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research/ - The Touch Research Institute

Massage and stress

Massage is a good way to relax and relieve stress, not to mention it provides several other health benefits. Stress causes muscular tension, an impaired digestive system, a high blood pressure, and reduced immune system. It gives trouble with sleep, anxiety, lack of patience and even depression.

With a good massage, tense muscles can be relaxed and loosened up. The tensions caused by stress can be reduced or even removed. Since muscular tension doesn't only work one way, the stress itself is also treated by treating the muscles. When you are exposed to a constant pain, you become more irritable and short-tempered, lose focus and tend easier to become distracted. All these things influence your performance which again can cause stress to build. This again influences your body to become more tense and you have entered a vicious circle. The less muscular tension and pain you have, the less stress you feel.

The digestive system can be aided and brought back to normal functioning by massaging the stomach. Reflexology (reflex zone therapy) is another useful tool when dealing with digestive problems and heart issues. High blood pressure can be reduced by making a person relax completely. The immune system can be strengthened from triggering various pressure points using Shiatsu techniques. The lymph system is stimulated and helped by a massage, by emptying the lymph nodes and the lymphatic flow is encouraged through the work on the muscles and surrounding tissues.

Since it's essential for stress management to relax completely, this is another aspect of why massage can be so useful for dealing with stress. During a massage the mind is encouraged to let go of worries and ideally the client will focus on the massage giving the brain a much needed rest. A massage can become a meditative experience with the right massage, as well as tools such as music and scents.

Since massage and the stimulations a massage provides encourages the release of endorphins, there is a clear anti-depressive treatment in a massage as well. The endorphins are natures own natural painkillers and antidepressants. Which again aids dealing with stress since depression stops action to improve upon the situation causing the stress.

Touch can have a powerful emotional impact, and a soft, gentle and caring touch can trigger the release of many built up emotions. Emotions is potentially another great stress-factor, especially when the stress is caused by life situation and past trauma. We all know how a good cry can make us feel lighter and more at ease and balanced. A good massage that releases pent up emotions can do so as well.

Getting a massage makes us feel good about ourselves and relaxed, which is needed when we effectively wish address problems that causes stress. We all deserve this treat and too often we forget to take properly care of ourselves. It can make the difference between success and failure.

Massage relieves burnt-out

A recent study shows that burnt-out causes muscular and skeletal pains. It has long been established that massage helps decrease muscular pains and tensions and eases soreness. This has been known by athletes for many years creating the branch of massage called Sports Massage.

It is already well established that stress can cause depressions and tiredness, just as digestion and general health is affected. Now a Norwegian study shows that there is a connection between physical pain and stress.

Since massage directly works on the affected muscles and connected tissues and relieves muscular pains, it becomes a means to heal and aid with burnt-out recovery.

Massage provides a physical removal of waste products from the muscles. Blood flow increases, bringing oxygen and nutrients with them. The lymphatic drainage is enhanced, which removes waste and reduces the affects of pain inducing chemicals.

Another effect is happening inside the muscle which causes it to become more flexible and stretch easier, which again reduces pain and contractions. This decreases intra-joint pressure and reduces nerve-reactions in the muscles. Massage also encourages the release of endorphins which are the body's natural painkiller.

Massage becomes an effective and natural means for pain relief, both acute and chronic. Including the effects caused by stress and burnt-out. Surveys show that people find massage as effective a pain-manager as medication.


Sources:
http://forskning.no/artikler/2008/april/180629
http://www.nmtcenter.com/articles/Massage_Relieves_Musc_Pain.pdf
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/26/health/webmd/main982596.shtml

Be effective and reduce stress

Often stress is caused by a lot of tasks and matters which demand our attention and time. By becoming more effective and productive, we will suddenly find ourselves with energy, which in return reduces our stress levels.

There are some simple steps which can be taken:

• Dedicate yourself
  
• Don't delay doing things
• Divide big projects into small manageable steps
  
• Do the most important first
• Take action instead of thinking too much
• Positive thinking and stop complaining
• Reduce the number of distractions
  

Once you have decided to do a thing, don't let excuses distract you or cancel your appointment. By being there and dedicating your time and energy to what you planned, you not only feel better about yourself for actually getting out and doing it, but also get things done you had planned. Keeping your decisions and getting out is essential for recharging and growth, as well as for stress management.

Don't delay doing things is very important. If you have a task that needs to be done, then do it at once. Delaying it will only cause you more stress, not only physically because you then have less time to do it in, but also emotionally since you will feel guild and possibly chide yourself for not getting things done. Once a project is over, it is one less stress factor in your life.

If a project or task is too large it becomes overwhelming. When you're overwhelmed you lose sight of the end and only see how difficult it is. Divide large projects into smaller manageable sub-goals and focus on one sub-goal at a time. Forget the end result but focus only on the next step taken. This way you will gain a lot of small victories and see a clear progress which in itself is motivating and de-stressing. A lot of stress comes from seeing no end to our challenges and problems.

When you have many tasks that need to be done it can hard get started. Where to start is just one question, but also that we have a tendency to do the smaller tasks first and postpone the larger and more difficult ones. Prioritise the tasks and find out which one is the most urgent and important. Get the biggest and most important task done with first, even if it's the only thing you get done that day. Once you've completed it it will be a major victory which can carry you on a wave of positive energy to solve the other smaller tasks.

You can spend and waste a lot of time and energy on over-analysing a problem. By thinking too much about possible consequences and outcomes, of what can go wrong and how it can be done the best. Often we'll be well of by limiting the time we think about a thing and just take action. Too much thought can and will cause stress, not to mention it delays when we actually start solving a problem or finish a project.

Think positively. That's essential. Focus on the things you did get done and not what you didn't get done. Celebrate the small victories and the tasks you completed. If you start to complain about how much work you still need to do, how hard it is, how unfair things are and so on you're again wasting a lot of time. Time you could instead have spent completing your task or solving the problem.

Getting distracted by other things is a huge time consumer and lack of time leads to stress. So, when you have important projects that needs to be done, eliminate as many distractions as you can. Shut of the phone, turn off your IM program, decide to only check e-mail thrice a day, don't answer the door, don't check your favourite news-webs etc. A lot of time and energy is wasted just keeping an eye on things eve if it's passively.


Inspiration: 7 habits of highly ineffective people

Types of stress

There are three types of stress:

• Acute stress
• Episodic acute stress
• Chronic stress

Each type of stress will require different approaches.

Acute stress is familiar to most of us. It's the type of stress most people think of when they say stress. Deadlines, a fight, the thrill of sky-diving, an exam, changes in lives, jobs, environment and so on.

Some acute stress is actually beneficial to performance and our lives, and can become almost addictive to some. Think of sky-divers, climbers, off piste skiing, racing and so on. A bit of stress aids us perform better and helps us focus on the task ahead.

While stress can be intense and overwhelming at times, it is a shorter period of stress which usually is fairly easy to deal with and manage. Most people can easily recognize what causes the acute stress and the problems are usually easy to deal with.

The symptoms of acute stress include things like:

• Emotional reactions, anger, irritation, depression, anxiety.
• Muscular tensions, headaches, backache and like symptoms.
• Bowel and digestion issues, heartburn, acid stomach, constipation and diarrhoea.
  

Episodic acute stress is the stress that keeps returning. People who are constantly full of nervous energy, always late, always busy, having a crisis or another all the time, most likely suffer from chronic stress.

They have too much going on in their lives, it's chaotic and disordered. Things that can go wrong will go wrong and they lack an ability to organize and manage all the tasks and obligations they've undertaken.

Another source of this stress type is a constant worry, emotional insecurities and concerns. They are the people who always see things in a negative light, who always expect the worst to happen and fail to see the positives in a situation or even believe in positive outcomes.

The symptoms of this is more chronic pains and problems, such as never ending migraine, constant muscle tension, heart trouble and so on.

Often people suffering from episodic acute stress have become so ingrained in their lifestyle that they don't think more over it or can imagine living in any other manner. Often professional help and a change of lifestyle and perception is needed in order to deal with this stress form.

Chronic stress is a much more subtle and invisible stress. Most often people don't even realize or remember that they suffer from this stress. Chronic stress is caused by long term tension and unbalances such as childhood trauma, dysfunctional families, unemployment and lack of money, a bad job and other things from the past that hasn't been dealt with yet.

Often those suffering from chronic stress have given up hope that their situation can change and settle to a passive acceptance of how their lives and circumstances are. Often the outcome of chronic stress are things like suicide, violence, heart attack and stroke. People wear down until that final breakdown.

Both consistent stress management and professional help is often needed in order to deal with this type of stress. It's a fundamental change og behaviour and mentality which is needed, not to mention dealing with the emotional wounds and scars which the stress has caused.

Source and further reading: http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=21

Causes of stress

Change causes stress as does a crisis of one form or another. The causes of stress can be both positive events as well as negative. It is caused by things which changes our situation one way or another. This is why it can so stressful to have your daily routine changed.

Stress can be caused by many things, but generally the causes can be put into three major categories:

• Major life changes
• Daily hassles and demands
• Internal causes of stress
  

Major life changes and be both good and bad experiences, but all stressing none the less. The birth of a baby, the death of a family member, a move to another country, buying a new home, graduating from school, losing your job, divorce, marriage and so on.

The daily hassles and demands are one of the areas where we can do a lot to change our stress with planning and organization. The major life changes are great stressors, but generally also rare and as such more manageable. The daily stresses constantly nag upon us and build over time if we do not deal with them quickly and effectively. By recognizing them as stress-factors they are easier to deal with.

The daily causes of stress include:

• Environmental stressors - the physical surroundings; noise, people, fear of crime, weather etc.
• Family and relationship stressors - problems with family, partner and friends, children, illnesses, dysfunctional relationships etc.
• Work stressors – deadlines, co-workers, workload, meetings, performances, pay etc.
• Social stressors – The social situation, economy, discrimination due to gender, race, beliefs, unemployment, isolation, loneliness etc.
  

Internal causes of stress are related to how we view ourselves and what attitude we have towards our life, situation and challenges that are presented to us. This might be the most important factor for any person to work on and understand, but also the hardest to change. Our mindset and way of thinking can cause us a lot of unnecessary and additional stress.

These can include:

• Uncertainty or worries
• Negative thinking
• Self-criticism
• Unrealistic expectations and beliefs
• Perfectionism
• Low self-esteem
• Excessive or unexpressed anger
• Lack of assertiveness

source: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm

What is stress?

Stress is nature's survival mechanism for humans. It is a physiological and psychological response to events which upset us or our balance.

In stress situations the body prepares for two responses, flight or fight. This means that stress-hormones, such as adrenaline, are released into the bloodstream in order to make our body and mind perform to its absolute maximum capacity. Once the crisis has passed, the system returns to normal.

Our body does not distinguish between the types of stress we are exposed to, and longer stresses, such as a deadline, relationship trouble, money issues and so on, don't call for an immediate response. This means that the system is in fight or flight mode for far longer than it was originally designed to. Exposed to this for a longer period of time, and the body can take damage. This is due to the effects the stress-hormones have on our system.

Physiologically several things happens in the body in order to focus on survival:

• Heart rate and blow flow into the muscles increases.
• Blood vessels under the skin constrict to prevent blood loss in case of injury.
• Pupils dilate to increase our sight.
• Blood sugar levels increases to enhance our reactions.
• Digestive system slows down.
• Reproductive system slows down.
• Growth hormones are switched off.
• Immune system is weakened and response inhibited.
  

Shortly put, the bodily functions that are not essential for immediate survival, are shut down while those which can make us react faster, think better and be stronger are enhanced.

Sources and further reading:
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm
http://www.mtstcil.org/skills/stress-definition-1.html
http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/stress/STR_affect.html
http://www.mental.health.wa.gov.au/one/resource/46/Stress%20document.pdf

Preventing work related stress

Our professional lives will be a constant source of stress. It is important to manage stress in your work life. It will not only make your work easier and more effective, but will also give you room to truly relax when you are off work.

• Make a plan for your long-term goals.
• Be qualified to perform your tasks and assignments.
• Prioritize your tasks.
• Plan and organize your time making space for the unexpected.
• Learn to say no and stop.
• Delegate tasks and jobs to others.
• Get to know your co-workers and use them.
• Use your leader and co-workers as support.
• Take breaks.
• Give yourself small rewards when you reach a goal.
• Focus on what you have achieved.

Planning your future projects and goals can save you from a lot of stress and worry. By having clear goals and ideas of where you want to be can plan for it and set up a schedule that is both possible and at a pace you can follow. Having goals also provides you with a reason and motivation for completing tasks and assignments.

Plan ahead for at least a year and remember to take in all the partial goals and steps. Make a plan for where you want to be in a week, a month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and a year, or as is appropriate. The more you can write into a calender, the less you have to think about and make sure you remember.

Organize your time and schedule so there is room for the unexpected. This way you will not suddenly end up with a double load of work in half the time if an urgent assignment lands on your desk. It will also give a good sense of achievement and pleasure to be able to finish projects ahead of time, which again helps you relax and reduces stress.

Only accept projects and tasks that you have the professional qualifications for, and which will fit into your schedule. Focus on the projects that has the highest priority and delegate the rest to others, or plan them for later when they will have higher priority.

A lot of stress can be avoided if you stay with projects you are qualified for. Doing research and learning new skills takes a lot of time and energy. When you are stressed by other projects learning will not be efficient and you will end up spending a lot more time on a project than is reasonable.

Knowing your co-workers not only gives you a resource you can turn to for help and knowledge, but also gives you a social network which in itself can reduce stress. Co-workers are important since they can aid you with a project, you can delegate work to them, or obtain knowledge to deal with a specific problem. They also provide a social circle that you can socialize with and speak to when you need to let go of steam and frustration. Having someone listening to you and understand you can release a lot of tensions and provide a fresh view on how to deal with a situation.

Learning to say stop is an important skills. By being realistic about what you can manage, and refuse what you can't cope with, you avoid getting over-burdened. We all want to be nice and helpful to people, but we need to realize that we are doing ourselves a disfavour when we accept more than we can manage. A stressed co-worker is not a good co-worker.

Taking short breaks through the day is important in order to manage stress and reduce the risk of it. By granting yourself those small rewards and breathers you recharge yourself and will be able to focus on a project with fresh energy and clearer mind. Just like you can't run 8 hours in a row without a break to catch our breath, nor can you work constantly without short breaks. Forgetting to grant yourself those small breaks throughout the day is a sure way to burn you out.

By focusing on what you have achieved you give yourself a boost of confidence, a reason to reward yourself and not the least, a chance to relax because you have reached a goal. Focusing on what you still need to do will only cause you stress and make you see all the hard work that is left and not what you already completed.

Positive thinking charges us and reduces stress. Negative thinking drains us for energy and causes stress. Positive thinking is one of the strongest resources we as humans have, and it is important to focus on this.

Source: http://www.netdoktor.dk

Preventing stress

There are several things that can be done to prevent stress. The essential is to limit the number of things you feel you need to do or take care of. To give time to yourself and your own relaxation in spite of duties hanging over your head.

• Get your life organized so your ambitions are realistic.
• Organize your economy.
• Have fun when you take time off.
• Exercise.
• Do meditation or yoga.
• Proper rest and sleep.
• Ask for help and use your social network.
• Know the symptoms of stress and react when you notice them.
• Don't let minor things stress you.
• Focus on the positive and stop all negative thinking.
  

Don't take on more projects than you can realistic cope with and manage. Make a plan and prioritize which projects are the most important and leave the less important ones for later. Deal only with one project at a time and don't try to do everything at once.

Money can be a major emotional stress factor. By having your economy organized and making sure that there's savings and not too tight a budget, you can avoid a lot of stress.

Taking time off is taking time off. Don't spend the time you've scheduled as free time doing other chores and duties. When you have free time, make sure you're doing things that are fun and relaxing. Planning to have leisure time is important and stick to that planning. This is when you've scheduled yourself to relax. Relaxing and having fun is just as important as work and projects.

Physical exercise is a great stress-reliever. By working your body you tire it, so you can get a proper deep rest and sleep. The brain can let go of the stresses and reconstitute itself and charge for the next day. There are many health benefits to exercising. Physical work-out has a positive effect on many stress related problems. Exercise also allows for the brain to relax while you're exercising and the physical strain releases hormones that makes you feel good.

Meditation and yoga are good means to help the brain relax, as well as the body. They are structured exercises which can be a lot easier to follow than tryin on your own. They are aimed towards relaxing and strengthening the mind and body.

Sleep and complete relaxation are essential to managing stress. While we sleep our mind and body heals itself from the strains of the day. It is during sleep that babies grow, it is during sleep we deal with the impressions and problems we have faced during the day. When your sleep is sound your body completely relaxesand can let go of tensions that have built due to stress. Lack of sleep can cause depressions and lowers your immune system.

Asking your social network for help can help you manage your stress. Nobody says you have to do everything on your own. Friends and family are here to help and support you. In most cases they'll be more than happy to give a hand when it's needed, just like you wouldn't hesitate to help them if they're in need. Delegate your workload and accept that others might not be able to do it as well as you can do it. If you're too stressed while doing things, you can't do them as well as you want anyway.

If you know the symptoms of stress you can catch it before it becomes a real problem. Preventing stress is much better than healing stress. Learn what warning signals your body and mind sends you and act on them instantly. You can use your sleep as an early indicator if stress is affecting you. When you notice the signs, pause and stop up. Give yourself that treat, drop that chore, sleep in that morning to prevent stress becoming a problem.

Decide what is important to you and what is unimportant. By letting go of small things and not allowing them to stress, you can lift a considerable burden from your shoulders. Try looking at your own life and notice how many minor things that annoy you. Prioritize and decide what is important to you and what doesn't really matter. Is it that important to have the windows washed every week? Does it really matter if the person in the queue before you is in a bad mood? Does it really matter that the neighbour's dog is barking?

Positive thinking can change the world. By focusing on the positive things in our life we affirm ourselves and learn to value what we achieve and are capable of. Negative thinking is a downward spiral and will become self-enforcing. By focusing on the positive we empower and strengthen ourselves, it makes our mood better and fights depression.

Train yourself in focusing on the positive and stop all negative thoughts as they appear. Turn the negative thoughts around to positive. Teach yourself to see the positive in any situation and push the negative away. Do not allow yourself to dwell in negative thought patters but recognize them as a destructive behaviour that will not change your situation or reduce your stress. Negative thoughts also stops you from acting and giving your best effort. Positive thoughts makes heavy burdens lighter.

Source: http://www.netdoktor.dk

Symptoms of stress

The main group of people with stress and health issues is women between 30 and 40. It's the period in life where many have home, job and kids to look after.

Managers and self-employed people also have a higher risk of developing stress.

Your body will always tell you if you're not taking good enough care of yourself.

Symptoms of stress can vary depending on personality and the type of stress you are exposed to. Most often it's annoyance and sleep problems are the first signs of stress, and it develops over time if not dealt with. Many turn blue or short-tempered, feel their memory is getting worse and there's a risk of developing an actual depression. Other people may experience physical symptoms such as tiredness, headache and dizziness.

Stress can develop into serious illnesses and mental issues.

The symptoms on the list can also be signs of other diseases and imbalances. Always consult a doctor if you are concerned or in doubt about your health. This is always a good way of taking care of yourself.

The symptoms can be:

Physical signs:

• Tension, headache and/or breathing trouble.
• Quick tense movements.
• Back pains and stomach troubles can in some cases also be a sign of stress.
• Tiredness and low energy.
• Sleeplessness and interrupted sleep.
• Changed eating habits, loss of appetite.
• Panic attacks, tension and nervousness.
• Lack of concentration.
• If you begin to forget small things, and at times important things like meetings, etc.
  

Emotional signs:

• Impatience, having a hard time waiting even if it's just a few minutes.
• Multitasking and that you have a hard time sitting down and enjoying the result.
• A constant feeling of lack of time, that you hurry even if you have enough time.
• That you speak quickly, interrupt others and have difficulties listening to what others tell.
• If you're often or always critical, annoyed or angry with other people.
• Fear of problems which you usually manage.
• An unexplainable anxiety.
• Feeling very emotional, close to tears over even small things.
• Different behaviour, including changed drinking and smoking habits.
• Isolating yourself or feeling isolated from other people around you.
• Negative thoughts and comments about yourself, failing to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
• Loss of interest in things apart from what must be done.
  

The risks of stress are many, for instance increased chance of heart problems and depressions, and other diseases we already have a latent risk of developing (think allergies, asthma, diabetes...). Odds of surviving after cancer treatment are also affected by stress.

In addition, mundane issues we face on a daily basis have a way of growing and turning worse when we're stressed.

Sources and further reading:
http://www.netdoktor.dk/
http://www.helpguide.org/
http://www.samaritans.org/