Stress and Your Mobility

Stress.  We all face it.  We all handle it in different ways.  Some can take it in stride, and some need ways to “cope.”  Some people internalize it and lock it up.  Others carry their stress in their body or even take it out on the people around them.  Well, proper stress management can influence your life in many different ways.  It can influence your mobility, as well.

Things have been particularly stressful for me lately.  Stress is hard for me, because some bad habits are associated with it; sometimes my old caffeine addiction rears its ugly head.  Sometimes I have the desire to turn to comfort foods.  For me, the biggest problem with stress, however, is my sleep cycle.  Stress can really mess with a person’s ability to get good restful sleep, and that can in turn impact your body’s well-being.  You may not think that mental or emotional stress can influence your knees.  However, if you aren’t getting sufficient rest, your body will take the brunt of it.

Another problem with stress is the possibility of muscle tension.  When things get very stressful, I have horrible tension in my back.  This in turn influences the way my entire body feels and moves.  I know I don’t always handle stress the best, and I think understanding how stress works with (and against) my body is a valuable tool to maintaining a good grip on both my health and my sanity.

Stressful times also generally mean you’re up and going more, for longer periods.  While this wouldn’t necessarily be back if you could guarantee good rest and easy movement, this can compound problems like soreness, stiffness, and exhaustion.

So, next time things get a bit hectic and you’re at your wit’s end, remember how stress and influence your “get up and go.”  Find ways to check your stress.  Make some “you” time to unwind, relax, and blow off some steam.  It may not seem immediately clear, but your joints need you to get some mental downtime, too.