At New Leaf Acupuncture in Dublin, I estimate 60-70% of all visits have for stress-related issues – ranging from back pain to infertility and insomnia. So what’s going on?

There are fun and easy things you can do to de-stress during your lunch-time.

Tens of thousands of people experience stress every year, very often work-related. So, now might be a good time to check . . . when was the last time you took a proper lunch break? That is, a break without being interrupted by your phone or distracted by email.

Many of us will work through our midday break in the hope that we will later be able to leave the office early. But, in fact, all that happens is we just add to the stress already building up during the work day.

But, first, what is stress?

The signs of stress can vary from one individual to the next. They may manifest physically as:

• illness
• irritable bowel
• migraine
• tiredness or lethargy
• sore, tight muscles
• poor skin and hair texture
• disturbed sleep patterns

Mentally stress may manifest in:

• mood swings
• anger
• depression
• jealousy
• withdrawal

Easy things to do during your lunch break to relieve stress

• Laugh: Laughter is the best medicine, and that is the case with stress relief too. (Laughing regularly has been shown in research studies to even help hospital patients heal faster.) Hang out with some fun friends to bring those stress levels down naturally.
• Yoga Pose: The easiest yoga pose called Savasana — or corpse pose — only requires that you lay on your back and relax with arms at your sides. Do this for 15 minutes to de-stress
• Peel an orange: Citrus aromas can curb stress and anxiety, as well as help with digestion and nausea
• Read A Book For 6 Minutes: Research has shown that reading even for six minutes can lower levels of stress
• Take A Nap: A power nap of 20 minutes can do wondrous things for stress – and boost memory, cognitive skills, creativity, and energy level, research has shown
• Eat some Avocado: Avocados have been shown to lower blood pressure, research shows. Other foods to help chill you out include salmon, almonds and spinach.
• Listen To Music: Research has shown that listening to Mozart is more relaxing than listening to new age music. Try listening to Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on your lunch hour

Exercise is another excellent way to release stress, it won’t make the problems disappear but it can help with releasing some of the emotional intensity individuals experience.

A healthy diet and adequate rest can help our bodies cope with stress when it occurs.

Acupuncture for Anxiety and Stress – Acupuncture | Dublin

Acupuncture for anxiety, stress, and other emotional problems focuses on calming the mind through working on the body. The theories underlying traditional Chinese medicine all recognise the relationship between the mind and the body. We are all aware of how certain emotions can express themselves physically, whether it be an unsettling sensation in the abdomen if we are apprehensive about something or else tension in the neck-and-shoulders and possibly even a headache if we feel stressed or frustrated.

Posted by Niall O’Leary

If you would like information on how acupuncture can help your stress, anxiety & depression then give my clinic a call on 087 2632732 for an appointment or free consultation.