Stressed out?

“So how are you coping with :::gestures wildly::: everything?”

This question has been the start of many conversations over the past couple of weeks, as events so insane that we’ve run out of superlatives to describe them, fill the daily news cycle. The answers vary. Many people are feeling the fear and anxiety so deeply that sleep is impacted, or they are experiencing spiraling ruminations. Many are choosing to limit exposure to information, while others are drawn to consume as much information as they can. The fears are not unfounded, as the potential impact of current events are wide-reaching and potentially devastating to everyone. Many are already directly impacted. We are all feeling the dark cloud of dread. 

So how does one “cope” with so much uncertainty and fear — when reality is the basis for both? How do we face fearful things without letting them take control of our bodies? 

It helps to have some tools for nervous system regulation, and to be developing the skills that enable us to move from the reactive place of our amygdala to the reasoning place of our frontal lobes. Utilizing exercise and body-based activities to regulate the nervous system is one of the tasks of trauma-informed personal training. When stress, anxiety, worry, or fear grow out of control, the skills gained in this kind of training can help!

The positive impact of exercise on mental health is well-known. TIPT builds on these by using exercise to hone in on awareness of nervous system activity in the body, and train skills in activating and calming the nervous system on purpose. So when we encounter information that is upsetting and anxiety-provoking, we are able to instantly recognize the response in our body, and consciously move through the stress-response to a more settled, empowered place. In training, we add tools to our tool boxes that we can access any time we need them. 

If you’d like to learn more about how exercise can be used to manage stress and train nervous system regulation, please reach out! Every consultation is a free, no-obligation conversation. Training is currently available in your home, virtually, or at an off-site local training space.