Project Description

Stress Management

Stress Management

Stress effects us mentally and physically. Some stress is beneficial. For example, if a wild animal is chasing you, stress makes you more alert, dilates your pupils, gets your heart racing, sends blood to your extremities, and heightens your reflexes. These physiological changes help you quickly escape to save your life.

On the other hand, chronic stress from daily life, work, and responsibilities has a negative effect on our health. It can affect our digestion, immune system, reproductive system, and cardiovascular system. Studies have shown that constant stress experienced over a prolonged period of time can contribute to long-term problems for heart and blood vessels due to ongoing increase in heart rate, elevated levels of stress hormones, and elevated blood pressure. Stress speeds up our aging process.

Mental and emotional symptoms of chronic stress may include:

  • Depression or general unhappiness

  • Anxiety or agitation

  • Moodiness, irritability, or anger

  • Feeling overwhelmed

  • Loneliness and isolation

  • Having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind

  • Having difficulty with focusing and remembering

Physical symptoms of chronic stress may include:

  • Low energy

  • Headaches

  • Insomnia

  • Frequent colds and infections

  • Aches, pain, and tense muscles

  • Loss of sexual desire and/or ability

  • Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea

Our Approach

Acupuncture is proven to activate our Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) which governs “rest and digest”. When we are under stress, our Sympathetic Nervous Systems (SNS) or “flight or fight” response is active. Acupuncture’s ability to reset the body from a SNS to PNS states, is one of the first steps of managing stress.

Chinese medicine recognizes stress as a stagnation of energy. When the natural flow of energy within the body is stagnated, the function of all our organs and systems can suffer. There are specific acupuncture points and herbal formulas that are used to release this stagnant or stuck energy. We complement these “de-stressing” points with additional points to address secondary symptoms such as poor digestion, focus, or headaches.

We suggest weekly sessions to provide treatment and discuss strategies that can help you cope with anything that comes up in life.

Ultimately, managing stress is one of our most powerful anti-aging and disease prevention tools.

STRESS RELIEF TIPS

1. Ask yourself, is this situation life-threatening? Am I or is someone else in danger? If not, pause, take several deep breaths.

2. Breathe. Inhale deeply though your nose, pull your shoulders up to your ears. Simultaneously, exhale through the mouth and drop your shoulders. Repeat 10 times.

3. Make a list of the things that are stressing you out. Go through the list. Determine the stressors you can control and those you can not control. If you have no control, write “I am willing to let go.” If you have some control, make an action plan. Brainstorm what you can do to modify the situation, then wisely take action.

4. Try progressive muscle relaxation. Start at your head, imagine relaxing the muscles in the forehead, cheeks, jaw, and throat. Then relax the neck, shoulders, arms and hands. Imagine relaxing the muscles of the chest and the belly. Continue down the body, relaxing the hips, thighs, knees, legs, and feet. Repeat if needed.

OUR PATIENTS SAY

In the 4 months that I have sought treatment, it has alleviated my pain so drastically and decimated my anxiety. I wonder how were I alive with such pain. Now, I experience a whole new rejuvenated ‘me’, increased sense of mindfulness, no overwhelming feeling and no confusion while making decisions. Also, I have stopped taking my anxiety pill since the past month.

Satheesh N.

I love this place, it’s such a serene environment and the treatments help with anxiety and chronic pain.

Helen B.

It’s absolutely amazing how meeting and going somewhere once can change your life! Evoke Acupuncture and Neda did that for me,  and I have only had two visits. I have an anxiety disorder and decided to get off antidepressants and came to Evoke from a recommendation. I have felt the greatest I have in years. I have begun to sleep during night, feel calm and based. I always said meditation should be prescribed to everyone. Now I say acupuncture and Neda’s knowledge should be prescribed to everyone.

Lena G.

COME VISIT US

We are a team of licensed practitioners, each with slightly different specialties, so we can match you with the best practitioner for your case.