One of the most surprising things that I have experienced as a massage therapist is clients who deny they are experiencing stress. They come to me with a mysterious skin rash, generalized pain, or an inability to sleep that medical professionals cannot explain. They speak in a stream of consciousness about all the things that are wrong with them. They speak throughout the massage, never fully letting go. When I ask if they are under any stress, they react as if I have just insulted them and reassure me that they have no worries.

It’s not their fault, though. They are probably not even aware that they are experiencing a high level of stress. I blame American culture. We treat stress as if it is a bad word. Admitting that we’re feeling pressure indicates that we’re weak and that we don’t have our lives under control. Control is huge in the U.S.

But the problem with denying stress is that you cannot begin to address the problem and get well until you understand that you have a problem.

I was in the same state of denial until recently. I touted an awakened lifestyle of yoga, healthy eating, and exercise, so of course I was totally zen. Except I wasn’t. I was snapping and saying thoughtless things to my kids, I was acting defensively, and I was waking up during the night, unable to get back to sleep. The truth was that I had been living with a fairly high level of stress for so long that I didn’t recognize what stress felt like.

Physical signs that you may be experiencing chronic stress include…

• Insomnia

• Fatigue and/or feeling “wired”

• Poor metabolism, including elevated cortisol and blood sugar, which can lead to diabetes and abdominal weight gain

• Slow digestion, indigestion, gas, pain, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, and/or constipation

• Decreased immune function

• Slower, less effective wound healing and skin irritations

• Frequent headaches

• Unexplainable aches and pains

To understand your stress level a little better, you can complete a stress questionnaire at https://www.isma.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Stress-Questionnaire.pdf

Recognizing chronic stress and how it is affecting your health is the first step to feeling better. I will share with you the coping strategies that I use to deal with the inevitable stress in my life in the next blog. In the meantime, feel free to share your stories with me.

Stay healthy and safe.