Stress creeping up on you? It may be hurting your health

Most of us go about our daily lives working hard to meet all of our responsibilities and be the best we can be in our careers and for our loved ones. It’s all going well, it seems. Until one day, you can’t remember the last time you were NOT tired. Uninspiring diets and exercise routines can’t help shed the extra weight you’ve gained. The occasional drink to take the edge off is more regular. Or you snap at others, maybe your spouse—the one person who chose to be by your side forever and has seen you at your worst.

All of these were eye-opening moments shared by SWIFT clients and are growingly common physical and mental health concerns nationally.

Stress can creep up on us whether we have time to face it or not, but the worst part of stress is that it draws out our unresolved pain. Whether from a recent tragedy, from traumatic childhood experiences or anything in between, stressful situations drag out—at the most inopportune times—a lifetime of pain we’ve tried to bury. And the more we try to avoid this pain by keeping ourselves busy, the easier it beats us down and compromises our ability to react with our best foot forward, especially during trying times.

But SWIFT clients combat the stress from daily demands and its effects on their body, their relationships and their overall happiness. You can, too. Here’s how:

1. Prepare for adverse situations before they arise

Apply Krav Maga’s philosophy of being alert and ready—on the lookout for external forces to quickly respond to threats, ideally before they strike. Strengthen your body and sharpen your mind with fun, high-energy fitness routines that teach situational awareness and life-tested self-defense techniques.

2. Take a time out

In our rush to get through the day, from one work or family task to the next and never-ending phone calls, texts and notifications pulling for our attention, we could all benefit from a time-out.

Meditation, scientifically proven to improve mindfulness (our ability to create a gap between our immediate thoughts and emotions about situations and our reactions), helps us pay attention to our own internal threats and work on ridding us of sabotaging habits. Meditation is also known to support the management of stress-related symptoms such as depression, anxiety and pain.

3. Take a swing

Sometimes, the best way to combat stress is to literally punch it. Or kick it. Or both. Krav Maga is a self-defense and fighting system known for its focus on real-world situations and effectiveness. In the process of learning how to protect yourself and your family from physical attacks, you’ll be punching and kicking your way to real stress relief. “There’s no better way to relieve stress after a long week dealing with jerks than punching it out,” one SWIFT client shared.

Ready to tackle stress creep and live life on your own terms? Contact SWIFT to get started now.