The end of August brings the harvest of summer, evenings of cooler temperatures and golden leaves starting to fall. In the natural world, our bodies flow with this rhythm. As human beings we are also gifted with the powers of our mind and free will choice in all that we do. We make decisions, organize, plan and participate in life. All of which require our energy. So what happens to the laid back play of summer? Back to School of course! Programs and activities, homework, families getting up early and out the door with lunches packed.
How does overwhelm happen? I think sometimes it just does; no matter how much we plan for Sept to be organized, ready to go for packing lunches, program registrations, the pile of school forms that are headed our way, it seems to land all at the same time. We feel overwhelmed with so many things to do and are wondering how we will get them all done.
What are a few of the symptoms? Headaches, tense neck and shoulders, back pain or soreness, fatigue, irritability, shallow, rapid breathing, difficulty sleeping, endless thoughts, and feeling alone. Looking at your calendar for the week and wanting to go back to bed and hide under the covers. Your child, spouse or coworker asks you a simple question and you want to burst into tears.
What can we do about it? Care for ourselves. Thinking kind and loving thoughts about ourselves, applaud our own efforts and the hurdles we jump, even if it is just getting out the door on the first day of school. Aiming for perfection in all that we do is setting ourselves up for tension, frustration and rushing around chasing the invisible carrot. It will get us no where. When we care for ourselves, our bodies, minds and hearts say thank-you and make our days easier because we will feel better.
Massage Therapy Calgary
Massage can help reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. The beauty of massage therapy is it incurs relaxation in the body. Bodywork releases tension from the muscles and supports the body in letting go of what it is holding onto. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest mode) and soothes and comforts the sympathetic nervous system (stress, fight/flight mode). This is beneficial whether you have physical maladies or are even just feeling stressed and anxious. A massage session, in my style of practice is completely your time to unwind. If you need to talk about how you are feeling or just rest quietly during the bodywork, you are in charge of that. If you want some deeper tissue work done, or simply long, soothing relaxation strokes, it is my job to support your healing. I am always open to questions too, and can provide suggestions for simple self care practices customized to your well-being and lifestyle. I can also provide references to other practitioners if what you need is beyond my scope of practice.
Reduce feelings of being overwhelmed and BOOK your massage session today!