Stress is a normal physical response to events that make us feel threatened or upset our balance in some way.
When we sense danger – whether real or imagined – the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the 'fight-or-flight' reaction, or stress response. The stress response is the body’s way of protecting us. So it’s important to know effective ways to manage stress.
Stress can lead to depression. In fact, depression is one of the major outcomes of stress.
From the Ayurvedic point of view, most depression is an imbalance of doshas. A dosha is a fundamental principle in the body that goes out of balance. If left untreated imbalanced doshas can lead to more serious problems.
There are three doshas in the body.
Kapha dosha is the earth and water principle in the body. Kapha forms the glue and structure of our bodies. Its qualities are heaviness, slowness, and steadiness. Depression is an imbalance of kapha dosha that begins to set in when stress occurs.
In depression, first the air principle (Vata dosha) and then the fire principle (Pitta dosha) get out of balance. In other words, the brain’s electrochemistry has an erratic overreaction to stressful circumstances. This triggers a loss of enzymatic activity in the metabolism.
The body responds by trying to glue everything down, bringing about heaviness, darkness, and stagnation. The mind-body interprets this as a negative message of hopelessness and depression ensues.
In other words, because of specific etiological factors, Vata from the colon, pitta from the intestine, or Kapha from the stomach enters the general circulation and lodges in the nervous system. These imbalanced doshas interfere with the normal functioning of the mind and nervous system and cause depression.
So before stress gets control over your body and mind you must learn ways to manage stress. It is actually easy to do.
1. Keep a daily routine.
If you follow a daily routine, stress never can be a part of your life.
In Sanskrit the daily routine is called dinacharya. It means to merge your daily cycle with the natural cycle of the Sun, Moon, Earth, and the other planets in our solar system.
Dinacharya is one of the best things that you can do to stay in balance, prevent disease and heal almost any disease. Set your daily routine from the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed in a correct manner and follow it regularly without any excuse.
Fix your time of waking up, breakfast, lunch, dinner, time with family, and time you go to bed. To conquer stress, it is very important to manage your daily routine in this way.
2. Get A Relaxing Massage
An oil massage is an integral part of the daily routine recommended by Ayurveda for overall health and well-being. Traditional Ayurvedic texts wax eloquent on the benefits.
Give yourself a full-body oil massage on a daily basis. It is nourishing, pacifies the doshas, relieves fatigue, provides stamina, pleasure, and perfect sleep, enhances the complexion and the luster of the skin, promotes longevity, and nourishes all parts of the body.
3. Do Yoga
Make Yoga and Meditation a part of your daily life. Yoga helps to connect our body to our mind and our mind to our soul. This is the best natural way to health and happiness, realizing our inner self and our true nature.
4. Meditate Daily
An ordinary person may consider meditation as worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. Watching your breath is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.
5. Receive Shirodhara
Shirodhara is an ancient Ayurvedic therapy where warm oil or other liquid is poured in a continuous stream over the forehead. This treatment is perfect for stress and other imbalances of the nervous system. It’s deeply relaxing, rejuvenating, and loved by all.
Shirodhara balances the doshas, soothes the mind, and gives complete mental relaxation.
6. Destress Your Life
There are lots of natural ways to protect yourself from stress.
To remain healthy physically as well as mentally, live in harmony with nature. Go for Ayurveda procedures like Panchakarma and its associated treatments. Shirodhara, nasyam, and massage will bring balance to the doshas. You can receive them at least once a week or fortnightly.
Photos: Unsplash.com
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