How to Manage Stress

​The school year can be daunting for some children and even for parents as well. The simplest things such as not having your best friend from last year in your class, to juggling all the different after school sports can lead to an individual becoming stressed without even realising.

Studies have show that there is a significant relationship between the amount of daily stress you experience and your general well being. Those experiencing higher levels of stress are more prone  to health problems such as flu, sore throat, headaches, and backaches (1). Therefore it is important to manage stress levels to ensure that you and your child are getting the best out of yourselves! 

​The prevention of stress may be achieved by including the following lifestyle considerations:

​    1. Meditation:
    - Anyone can meditate and it only has to be for 5 minutes. Apps can be downloaded to help you such as: Smiling Mind and Insight Timer.  These can help clear the mind and allow you to start fresh which can be very helpful if homework is becoming too difficult to concentrate on.

2. Indulge in physical activity:
    - If you're noticing you're feeling overwhelmed, take a brisk walk around the block to clear your mind. Encourage your children to reach the recommended 1 hour a day of moderate to high intensity of physical activity a day. 

​3. Manage your time:
    - Try planning out your day the night before and ensure you leave some time free to do some physical activity and meditation. This can help the new day not feel as daunting as it might be if not planned out well. This also allows the family to work together to achieve daily goals as everyone is aware of the tasks being completed by everyone. 

​Click for a larger version.
​Figure credit: https://au.reachout.com/articles/what-stress-does-to-the-body

4. Talk to someone:
    - Talk to them about your day, what you're stressed about and even everything else that is bothering you. This will help either distract you or even offload the stress that you are carrying around with you. Who you choose to talk to might even be able to provide you with advice on how to handle stressful situations. (2)

5. Get a chiropractic adjustment:
    - Research shows that a chiropractic adjustment can help with the relaxation of our sympathetic nervous system which is responsible for our stress. This highlights the importance of receiving your monthly check up with your chiropractor to help manage your stress levels and even your general wellbeing.
So over the next few weeks, why not try some of these techniques and find what suits your family the best.
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Resources:
1. DeLongis, A., Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. The impact of daily stress on health and mood: Psychological and social resources as mediators. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(3), 486-495.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.54.3.486

2. Ogura, Takeshi, DC, PhD; Tashiro, Manabu, MD, PhD; Masud, Mehedi, MD, PhD; Watanuki, Shoichi; Shibuya, Katsuhiko, MS; et al. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine; Aliso Viejo Vol. 17, Iss. 6, 

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by ​Catalyst Health and Wellness Group