One humans stress is not the same as another. Differnt things in our life trigger the stress hormones to be released within our bodies. This causes a chain reaction of cortisol levels to surge through our body. Stress is just not physical, it is mechanical as well.  Our body will react causing primary and secondary stress responses.  What is all these stress factors doing to our body?

PRIMARY STRESS RESPONSE
IMMEDIATE & URGENT RESPONSE to SERIOUS THREAT

 MUSCLES: tense in readiness for action.
 SWEAT GLANDS: start up to cool the underlying and overheated muscles.
BLOOD: thickens to help it carry more oxygen, fight infection & stop bleeding
CHOLESTEROL: high cholesterol in blood can cause hardening of the arteries.
BLOOD: heart works harder due to thickened blood.
LIVER: body’s own fats and proteins broken down and released to provide further energy.   
HEART: begins to pound, sending blood around body carrying sugar (energy) and hormones (eg. adrenalin)
SKIN: pales as blood diverted to vital organs.

SECONDARY STRESS RESPONSE
ONGOING RESPONSE to UNDEALT WITH STRESS

HEART: racing heartbeat and high blood pressure can lead to strokes or heart attacks.
SKIN: less blood supply can lead to diseases developing
LIVER: glycogen converted to blood sugar to give ‘short distance’ energy.
LUNGS: air passage dilates, breathing more intense to provide more oxygen to feed increase blood supply. 
MUSCLES: ongoing tension leads to aches & pains, even muscle strain.
LUNGS: super-oxygenated blood can lead to blackouts and upset heart rhythms.                                                                                         
DIGESTION: processes shut down as blood diverted elsewhere. Mouth goes dry to avoid adding extra fluids to stomach.
BLADDER & RECTUM: Muscles relax to release any excess load.
DIGESTION: shutdown can lead to stomach problems, particularly if you eat on the run. Increase in acidity can contribute to stomach ulcers.

However, our body is designed to give us "warning signs" these are the emotional and physical attributes our bodies will process. 

WARNING SIGNS:
Below are some of the messages our bodies send to tell us we’re stressed.
KEY:  Early Warning Signs, Secondary Stress Signs in italics

 PHYSICAL​

• Muscle tension/headaches
• Sleep disturbance/tiredness
• Increased ‘breakouts’
• Rapid pulse
• Nausea
• Indigestion
• Increased Sweating
• Flushing (face feeling hot)
• Prolonged/Frequent headaches
• Susceptibility to mild illness
• Dizziness/Faintness
• Breathlessness/Chest Pain
• Ongoing Nausea/Stomach ache
• Ongoing fitful Sleep

 BEHAVIOURAL

• Appetite changes/compulsive eating
• Impatience, Carelessness, Hyperactivity
• Poor productivity/Low energy
• Avoidance of situations/places
• Change in sleeping patterns
• Increased alcohol, cigarette and drug use
• Increased absenteeism, aggression, irritability
• Sudden tears

 EMOTIONAL

• Anxiety/Sadness
• Moodiness/Grumpiness
• Loss of sense of Humor
• Withdrawal/Feeling of isolation
• Low self-esteem
• Feelings of guilt and shame
• Extreme anger (over-reaction)
• Loss of libido
• Overwhelming feelings of panic/anxiety

 THOUGHTS/PERCEPTION

• Inability to make decisions or muddled thinking
• Reduced co-ordination/creativity
• Becoming more vague/forgetful
• Negative ‘globalization’. Everything seems to go wrong/is bad
• Fear of rejection/defensiveness
• Rushed decisions
• Over-sensitive to criticism
• Poor concentration
• Negative self-talk/fear of failure
• Feelings of ‘unfairness’
• Can’t switch off

  If you have experienced any of the above, stress is effecting your life. This week I want everyone to write in a notebook or journal, about their reactions to stress. Once you find out your reaction, you will be able to help process, the negatives that are causing the stress and find better solutions in the future, thus your ability to self care in the moments where stress feels like it is overwhelming you.  This workshop will be focusing on just that the balance of self care.  The key focus is BALANCE- everyday we will face things in our life that are stressors and triggers of stress, it is our responsiblity to balance the influences, find coping skills and end our own self sabotaging. 

You can download the effects of stress and warning signs, to review and check mark on your own time. This little poster is just a reminder. Add it to your wellness journal. 

This week has me thinking and during some reading I came across this gem of writing letters. However, it was not what you think. You are not writing the letter to a person, rather that you are receiving a letter from someone else. This is suppose to help with role playing on your well being. As we tend to have a hard time expressing gratitude authentic within ourselves. So it's kinda like stepping outside of the box, to look within.  
I thought I would share the role play of "I wish you well" with my readers. I want you to get in touch with your authentic self. 
WRITE A LETTER: “I wish you well”. Imagine you receive a letter from someone (who is still alive or who has passed away) and who wishes you well. 
Let your choice of the person you imagine as ‘the writer’ of the letter spontaneously arise. 
Write this letter. 
Use about 25 min to write the letter. 
Use about 5 min to write about what you experienced when working with this exercise. 
You can decide to read the letter aloud to someone or you can post it on this website. 
Save the letter anyway and reread the letter regularly. Focus on the joy.