Bring on the Needles for Stress Management

When it comes to finding the balance between work, home, family and personal obligations, feeling overwhelmed, stressed and anxious is unfortunately common. So much to do, so little time!

While some stress is a normal part of a life, in excess it can impair productivity and, more importantly, affect our physical and emotional well-being. Working overtime, pressure to perform, trying to impress everyone, proving you are super-mom or super-dad or keeping a perfect tidy and clean home can be exhausting. Managing stress is important to maintain a positive attitude and ensure you are successful, creative, productive and happy!

Not sure if you are stressed?

Signs and symptoms are far reaching and include feelings of anxiety, irritability, loss of interest in work, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, muscle tension, insomnia and digestive problems—just to name a few! We all express stress in different ways, so any combination of symptoms is possible.

Bring on the needles!

There is a growing interest in acupuncture to regulate the body’s stress response. Acupuncture points are chosen for your individual presentation of stress and accompanying health concerns. When needled, your body releases natural pain-killing chemicals in the brain and reduces stress hormones circulating in your body. By spending 20 to 30 minutes receiving a treatment in a relaxing setting, decreased heart rate, blood pressure and muscle relaxation are positive side effects. A few studies have shown acupuncture treatments are comparable to typical cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) treatments in anxiety and just as effective as counseling for moderate depression. Starting regular acupuncture treatments can certainly be a great addition to your stress-busting and mood-boosting regime.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Written by: Dr. Josée Boyer, ND

Josée is a Naturopathic Doctor at Ottawa Holistic Wellness Centre. Her clinical focus the study of interactions between the psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems of the human body. She focuses on anxiety, stress, insomnia and depression which can cause fatigue, digestive complaints, a weak immune system and pain.