The last few months of shelter-in-place have caused significant angst, stress, and enforced change for most of us in the Bay Area. Our usual coping mechanisms, which might include spending time with friends, trips to a spa, concert and museum visits, parties, and other activities, have not been available to us. Our usual routines which often provide comfort have been upended.
Now that Alameda County is beginning to reopen, are you in need of a full-body reset?
Acupuncture is an incredible mechanism for adjusting the body’s nervous system and resetting your stress response. When the body is experiencing stress, and especially when there are repeated stressors, the body enters a state of “flight or fight” — the heart rate increases, blood pressure increases, blood flow diverts away from digestion and towards the muscles, body temperature and sweating increase, and other physiologic changes occur. Being in this state repeatedly can result in poor digestion (think reflux, bloating, constipation, diarrhea), sustained higher blood pressure, and decreased energy because of how taxing it is for the body to sustain this “alert” state.
It is important after periods of high stress to come back to the “rest and digest” state so that the body can return to a normal resting heart rate, decreased blood pressure, proper digestive function, and proper flow of blood and lymph through the body. If you have been experiencing a lot of stress, digestive disturbance, insomnia, chest pressure, unusual sweating, and a feeling of rapid heart rate, getting a full-body reset with acupuncture will be beneficial.
When you are experiencing stress (and fear, and worry, and anxiety), you will find acupuncture quite calming. For the first time in weeks, you will feel deeply relaxed, calm, and at ease. Your tight muscles will let go. Often your intestines will gurgle as the blood flow is able to return and properly support digestion. You may take a nap while you’re receiving acupuncture. And when you leave, if needed, I will support you with herbal remedies to help maintain decreased stress.
If you have any questions about how acupuncture can support your stress and enable a reset after the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, please send me an email or give me a call! I look forward to hearing from you.
