Unlocking Tranquility: The Surprising Impact of Stress on Your Health and a Modern Solution
When one aspect of our life becomes less stressful, another aspect WILL. That's just how life works.
Unfortunately, stress doesn't just make us feel anxious or overwhelmed; it has a profound impact on our physical and mental health, potentially triggering a cascade of negative consequences throughout the body.
If we want to optimize our health and increase longevity, addressing stress needs to be a huge part of your protocol.
In this article, we will not only explore how unaddressed stress is altering your health - we’ll also explore one effective way to reduce your feelings of stress in your life.
5 Ways Stress Affects Your Health
1. Inflammation:
Stress throws our immune system into disarray, leading to the production of inflammatory chemicals like cortisol and cytokines. This chronic inflammation can damage healthy tissues and organs, increasing the risk of various diseases, including:
Autoimmune diseases: Where the body attacks its own tissues, like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Cardiovascular problems: Inflammation can accelerate plaque buildup in arteries, leading to heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
Cancer: Chronic inflammation can promote the growth and spread of cancer cells.
2. Anxiety and Depression:
The constant fight-or-flight response triggered by stress wreaks havoc on our neurotransmitters, impacting mood and cognitive function. This can lead to:
Anxiety: Increased stress hormones can worsen anxiety symptoms like nervousness, racing thoughts, and panic attacks.
Depression: Chronic stress can deplete serotonin and dopamine, chemicals crucial for mood regulation, increasing the risk of depression.
3. Weight Fluctuations:
Stress hormones can disrupt our metabolic processes, leading to unhealthy weight changes. Increased cortisol promotes fat storage, particularly around the abdomen, raising the risk of metabolic syndrome and other health issues. Cortisol also increases appetite and cravings for sugary and fatty foods, leading to weight gain.
Chronic stress can slow down metabolism, making it harder to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight.
4. Digestive issues
Stress disrupts the production and release of gut hormones responsible for regulating appetite, motility, and communication between the gut and brain. This can lead to altered eating patterns, irregular bowel movements, and digestive discomfort.
Chronic stress can increase intestinal permeability, making the gut barrier "leaky" and allowing undigested food particles and harmful bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This can trigger inflammation and contribute to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
5. Sleepless Nights
Stress hormones like cortisol suppress melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, making it harder to fall asleep. Even if you fall asleep, stress can disrupt deep sleep cycles, essential for physical and mental restoration. This can lead to:
Daytime fatigue: Feeling tired and sluggish throughout the day due to inadequate sleep.
Decreased cognitive function: Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
Weakened immune system: Insufficient sleep makes us more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
How to Reduce Your Stress Naturally
What I have found to be incredibly effective is using my Sensate device either first thing in the morning when I wake up and right before I got to bed (and sometimes both!). You could even use it in the middle of the day if things get out of hand.
Sensate is an infrasound resonance device that, when paired with the sessions in the Sensate companion app, works towards reducing stress and improving
wellbeing by helping to tone your Vagus nerve.
The device emits infrasonic sound waves that are synchronized with the soundscapes in the app to provide deep relaxation in 10 to 30 minute sessions.
Sensate not only works towards releasing stress and anxieties in the present moment, but it also increases your stress resilience over time, improves your heart rate variability, and helps with better quality sleep, among many other benefits.
Why use frequencies to reduce stress?
The principle of using frequencies to interact with bodily tissues isn’t new – think ultrasound in medicine.
Sensate takes this concept to a new level, utilizing infrasound to gently impact the body.
Research indicates that these frequencies may positively affect the vagus nerve, as well as our autonomic nervous systems.
What frequencies are capable of doing for your stress…
Sensate emits vibrations in a range that has been studied for therapeutic benefits: pain relief, reduced inflammation, and improved joint mobility, to name a few.
This range of 0.001 Hz to 150 Hz (with the soundscape extending up to 20,000 Hz) is specifically chosen for its ability to resonate with the body, fostering a sense of deep relaxation.
If you’ve ever envied a cat’s ability to relax and purr away stress, Sensate offers a human equivalent.
Cats use purring as a means to soothe themselves, and Sensate allows us to tap into a similar frequency range, embracing the same sense of internal peace.
Why not just meditate?
While traditional relaxation methods like meditation and yoga require time and practice, Sensate provides a more immediate path to tranquility.
It’s a modern tool for those seeking a quick and effective way to unwind, or as a complimentary methodology alongside our other practices, like breathing exercises, yoga or mindfulness.
The Role of the Vagus Nerve
At the heart of Sensate’s effectiveness is the vagus nerve, integral to our feelings of relaxation and calm.
By soothing this nerve, Sensate helps emulate the sensations of deep relaxation often achieved through long-term meditation practices.
Each person’s experience with Sensate is unique. Whether it’s reducing anxiety or enhancing feelings of safety and contentment, Sensate offers a personal journey to tranquility.
A New Approach to Stress Management
In today's fast-paced world, managing stress effectively is crucial. Sensate offers a unique solution, blending ancient relaxation principles with modern technology, making tranquility more accessible in our busy lives.
Incorporating Sensate into your daily routine could be as simple as a morning session to start the day positively, or an evening session to help unwind.
Its ease of use makes it accessible to anyone, regardless of their experience with traditional relaxation techniques.
Every individual's journey towards relaxation and well-being is unique. Sensate serves as a companion on this journey, offering a tool to aid in finding peace and balance.
We encourage you to breathe, tune in, and explore the serene world that Sensate opens up.
Use code NATHALIE for 10% off any orders!