Body Scan Challenge

How good are your listening skills? We’re pretty good at picking up what others have to say, but are you paying enough attention to some of the most important signals about yourself?

A 2016 study highlighted that being able to sense the physical symptoms of stress while they are occurring can make you more resilient. This detection ability requires self-awareness and the ability to know how to stay calm and in control, even when the pressure is on. Ignoring these symptoms over time, even the low-level everyday symptoms, without sufficient management or adequate recovery can lead to a build up of stress and can potentially lead to serious health problems later on down the line in life.?

Typically, we often think of stress as a bonfire - highly visible with intense flames, usually lasting for a short period and is able to be cleared up afterwards, albeit sometimes leaving behind a scar. But what about if we also thought about stress as a volcano. No visible signs or intense flames, maybe just a few smoke signals here and there, but awareness that there's something building up under the surface and slowly accumulating towards a massive explosion, with permanent destruction a result.

I’m referring here to both acute and chronic stress and both can create significant problems. To help you become more self aware, according to MIND, when you feel stressed it might make you:

• Find it hard to make decisions
• Unable to concentrate
• Unable to remember things, or make your memory feel slower than usual
• Constantly worry or have feelings of dread
• Snap at people
• Bite your nails
• Pick at or itch your skin
• Grind your teeth or clench your jaw
• Experience sexual problems, such as losing interest in sex or being unable to enjoy sex
• Eat too much or too little
• Smoke, use recreational drugs or drink alcohol more than you usually would
• Restless, like you can't sit still
• Cry or feel tearful
• Spend or shop too much
• Not exercise as much as you usually would, or exercise too much
• Withdraw from people around you

Nothing from this list above sounds anything like a bonfire, but if you're recognising any of these in your own behaviour, especially over a long period of time, possibly consider it as part of the smouldering volcano scenario.

Remember, stress is personal, so focus on the responses (like the list above) rather than focus on the stressor. We’re all influenced by different life experiences and all of us have different methods for coping (some good, some not so good - see list above!). No judgement! Acknowledging that everyone’s personal circumstances are unique, and if you’re able to, I encourage you not to ignore your body’s physiological & psychological symptoms of stress. To achieve this, practice doing a quick body scan once, twice or a few times per day. Look out for how you are breathing, how fast your heart is beating, any tension in any muscles, any aches or pains and listen very carefully to what your gut is telling you too.

For the next 7 days, aim to do at least one body scan per day. This could be before you start work, during any work break, or before you go to bed. Here's a 1 minute example for you ?? but don't feel there's any need to rush. Just enjoy some silence and stillness.

If you or your staff would like any help with stress, sleep or physical activity, simply get in touch with me here on LinkedIn or at www.jonnybloomfield.com

Have a great week. Keep up all your good habits.

#HealthyHabits

?Sources:?

When the brain does not adequately feel the body: Links between low resilience and interoception

MIND: Help managing stress