Healing from Stress

Our mission at Lotus Care KC is to empower the body, mind & spirit to heal from pain, injury & stress through ancient wisdom & modern science. Here are some of the ways that we empower you to understand the stress response and heal from burnout.

Stress is a normal reaction to exciting events like getting a new job, preparing for a trip or starting a new routine. Stress is also a hardwired survival technique built into your body as a means of protection. When triggers arise, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) signals the “fight or flight response,” which mobilizes you to take action and avoid danger.

When your body goes into panic mode, your SNS is activated and your brain triggers the adrenal glands to secrete glucocorticoid hormones, like cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline). The rest of your body is then alerted to these symptoms, equipping you with emergency fuel and energy in reaction to your panic.

Having this alarm stage response is very useful when faced with a life-threatening situation. The issue is that your body doesn’t know the difference between a tiger chasing you and work-related anxiety, grief or loss. Your body’s stress response is perfectly healthy when there’s a real emergency (like a tiger chase), but if your body is constantly getting stress signals for everyday issues (such as work-related anxiety), you’ll burn out over time.

When the body continues to function in this dysregulated state (never fully returning to the rest state), your emergency resources are depleted and your body starts to shut down. This final burnout stage represents your body’s inability to cope with continuously high demands. After all, it’s not natural to constantly feel like you’re being chased by a tiger.

Just as the sympathetic nervous system turns on the “fight or flight response,” the parasympathetic nervous system turns it off. The parasympathetic nervous system helps the body conserve energy and rest. The ability to go from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest” is critical for your well-being.
Unfortunately, there is no magic pill we can take to harmonize our nervous systems. A return to a state of relaxation doesn’t occur promptly for most people in today’s fast-paced society if they don’t take steps to care for themselves in a deep way. While being concerned with everyday worries, chronic stress is disrupting the natural balance required for optimal health, speeding up the aging process, and increasing the body’s susceptibility to illness. Finding ways to activate the relaxation response is vital.
In Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, a state of balance is called sattva. Practitioners of Ayurveda cultivate sattva by performing self-care techniques to purge stagnation and stress. Cultivating a self-care practice gives rise to vibrant health and centered character traits that foster great clarity and creativity.

TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE STRESS

• Practice calming activities like meditation, breathwork and light movement, such as yoga and tai chi.
• Organize your work and living spaces to be clutter-free, peaceful environments.
• Plan your schedule using a daily or weekly planner.
• Prioritize your tasks and focus on one thing at a time.
• Delegate tasks whenever possible if you feel overwhelmed.
• Limit time spent online and connect more with others in-person.
• Create a morning routine and bedtime routine. Be consistent.
• Choose nourishing whole food over processed food.
• Take a warm epsom salt bath before bed every so often.
• Get plenty of quality sleep, 8-9 hours is beneficial.

Here are our most recommended options for self-regulation and stress reduction:

Weekly Classes

• Monday 645 pm Meditation & Breathwork
• Tuesday 9am Therapeutic Yoga
• Tuesday 6pm Self-Awakening Yoga
• Wednesday 7am Yoga Wall
• Thursday 630am Sunrise Yoga
• Thursday 6:45pm Yin Restorative
• Friday 9am Yoga Wall
• Saturday 10:30 am Therapeutic Yoga

Services

• Massage with Betheny or Jackie
• Pranassage with Prema
• Reiki Energy Healing with Amy Vance

*If you are concerned about your stress level, please reach out and we will set up a personalized stress care program for you.


References

1. Van der Kolk, Bessel A. "The body keeps the score : brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma." New York, New York : Viking, 2014.
2. Everly, G. S., Jr., & Lating, J. M. (2002). A clinical guide to the treatment of the human stress response (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
3. Rice, V. (Ed.). (2012). Handbook of stress, coping, and health (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

​-Prema, Yoga Educator & Studio Manager