Over the course of time I have realized we all have a lot of hidden sources of stress in day to day life. From something we absolutely do not like to do, to people you don’t want to deal with, there are so many ways to generate stress in life. Stress is one of the biggest triggers for Ankylosis Spondylitis (AS) that I have had to address to keep my inflammation at bay. From acupuncture to meditation, I am willing to try anything, but in the end some of my ventures work and others simply do not. I will be sharing some of the causes of stress and my coping mechanisms in this series of blog posts.
Covid-19 Induced Stress
With the pandemic, a compromised immune system, and high blood pressure, both my family and I have had to be extra careful, adding to stress factors. When I got my blood work done a month after the lockdown began, my ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) numbers were relatively high. ESR is a marker to measure chronic inflammation, so I have my blood work done regularly to check this marker to track my disease. I knew I needed to control this quickly if I did not want a flare in my condition.
Edit the Media You Consume
The only way I can manage stress is by focusing on mindfulness; I need to stay positive in order to stay healthy. Small things like watching the news started causing anxiety, which drove my husband mad. So first I took out the news. I no longer watch the news, and have restricted myself to reading it online in the morning everyday to stay on top of what’s going on in the world. This also gives me time to process it throughout the day… Outcome: better sleep!!!
I also followed the Good News Movement on Instagram. I love this handle; if you have not, please check it out. They highlight positive, uplifting stories — from showcasing the first all female crew in a fire department to a rescued baby squirrel getting its first photo shoot.
Sleep Meditation
Another thing I added to my routine was sleep meditation or Yog Nidra. I could not meditate for the life of me, but now if I try to focus while laying down, it works. I allocate 20 minutes during my day to close the bedroom door, lay down, turn on the audio, and try to clear my mind. Starting by listening to Yog Nidra, I added some relaxing shloka’s and sound baths to my playlist as I grew comfortable with the process,. It helps me relax and just exist, without negative energy clouding my thoughts.
Cooking
Cooking is also a good stress buster for me. We love exploring new food and cuisines, and I really enjoy incorporating new spices, flavors and food into my menu, experimenting with fun recipes, or recreating my childhood favorites. I always try and put a healthy spin on recipes to meet our dietary needs. Will be posting some of these recipes in food section. Hope they inspire you to try something new 🙂
Please share what you are doing to ease stress from Covid-19. Would love to read about it!!
Sleep meditation video’s I like:
- Yog Nidra by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
- Sound Baths by Healing Vibrations
