Stress plays a crucial role in pain management. Stress and anxiety can worsen the pain. This can lead to the start of a cycle because high levels of pain can automatically cause stress and even anxiety. Pain and stress can psychologically overlap because both of these phenomena affect the body’s homeostasis. Pain and stress occurring side by side can lead to harmful side effects and health complications in the long term.
How Are Stress and Pain Connected?
There are various ways to get rid of stress and pain, but before you try to get rid of them – you need to understand why they are so likely to occur together. It is essential to understand the stress-pain connection to get rid of it.
Researchers are not entirely sure how stress and pain are connected, but people who are stressed out are more likely to experience neck, back, and shoulder pain. This could be because of the tension in their muscles or their brain chemicals.
The brain allows us to keep functioning with the pain, and that’s why it tries to maintain balance when it receives pain signals from the body. However, once stress becomes a part of the component, this balance can be ruined.
Pain is regulated by the central nervous system (CNS), and that is why the brain is an essential component of when and how we perceive pain. The brain tries to regulate the balance in the body when it receives pain signals, but when stress is added to the equation, the signals are affected, and the pain might increase.
How to Manage Pain and Stress Side-by-Side
Stress can lead to pain. The worst part is the cycle it starts. Stress can lead to pain, but chronic pain can lead to high stress. There are a lot of simple ways to manage both stress and pain, and they are not time-consuming! Here are a few.
Start Exercising
You may have heard this a thousand times before. Exercising is effective for your physical health and your mental health. Being active can decrease stress levels, which can automatically reduce pain in the body. Make sure to exercise 30 to 40 minutes every day. If you spend long hours at the office and don’t have time to go to the gym, you can always exercise at home.
Another way to decrease stress levels is by walking. If your commute to work is long, try walking halfway and see the difference for yourself. You can also dance if you want to release stress and deal with pain. Swimming is a great option to consider if you’re serious about de-stressing.
Get Better Sleep
Sleeping on time is more important than you think. The sleep you need at night is essential and cannot be replaced by any nap you take during the day – no matter how long. Proper sleep can help you cope with stress, which will automatically relieve pain in the body.
Relax
You might think this one is a huge cliché, but it works. Relax once in a while. If work keeps you busy, take a day off. Nothing is more important than your physical and mental health. You can try yoga to relax or just lounge around at home if you prefer to do nothing on your casual days.
These tips can be quickly applied to your daily life and are also efficient. To learn more, contact us today.