Our modern lifestyle, it wouldn’t be wrong to conclude that stress is universally controlling the lives of all. While some of amount of stress is scientifically proven to be helpful in making individuals more productive, but too much of it is harmful for the physical mental and emotional health. Excessive stress can negatively affect the normal functioning of human body such that the each system is affected.
Ayurveda offers a holistic approach towards dealing with stress such as it a complete all round approach to stress healing. Ayurveda philosophy believes in maintaining complete balance at all levels – emotional, mental, physical and spiritual. Ayurveda, science from the Vedas, offers a beautiful approach towards stress management.
Foundational principle of Ayurveda is that positive increases positive and this helps in balancing out the negatives. Twenty ‘gunas’ (qualities/positives) are arranged in ten pair of ‘doshas’(negatives) with the objective to understand the different phenomena across the natural world. As per the ancient science of Ayurveda, one group of ‘gunas’is supposed to be anabolic (nourishing) in nature and the other group of ‘gunas’ is catabolic in nature.
None of these ‘gunas’ are inherently good or bad, where in each plays a fundamental role in maintaining the balance in its own way. However ‘too-much’ or ‘too-little’ of any of these can prove to be problematic.
Tips to mitigate the side effects of excess stress in your life through the science of Ayurveda are: -h2
- Slow Down: Modern life is moving at pace which is putting too much stress on our lives. Very first basic step in dealing with stress is to slow down the fast –paced life that we are so accustomed to. One can do so devoting time to self-nourishment and self-care; taking time every day to experience the still and calmness.
- Quality Self-Care: A very important step to healing is devoting to purposeful and committed self-love and self-care. It helps in reaffirming a deep commitment on “one self’ – commitment to live life full of wellness and health. Spending time to practice self-nourishing practices play a very fundamental role in overcoming stress.
- Follow a Daily Routine: Ayurveda emphasises on committing to a daily routine – especially when one is undertaking measures for managing excess stress. Following even a modest routine will help ease our nervous system and play a fundamental role in providing comfort and reassurance to mind, body and soul.
- Exercise: Right form of exercises when incorporated appropriately can be a boon for improving health. It helps in supporting the body’s natural mechanisms for rejuvenation – easing the nervous system and helping one heal from excess stress.
- Meditation: Subtle therapies like Paranayam, Yoga and Mediatation help in healing from chronic stress by soothing the nervous system. These activities help in resetting the nervous system and in turn building a healthy response to stress by activating the capacity of human body to re-pattern and re-organize the mind.
- Balanced Diet: Ayurveda encourages committing to a healthy lifestyle and incorporating balance diet in our day to day routine. Incorporating balanced diet in our lifestyle helps the body get the wholesome nourishment that it requires to heal from the side effects of chronic stress.
- Armour Against Stress/Abhyanga: In Ayurveda, Abhyanga is often regarded as an excellent means to building resilience against stress. The entire ritual relaxes the mind and body, rejuvenates and heals the body from the negative effects of excessive stress in one’s life
- Serene Music: A mix of soothing, energetic music is perfect for combating excess stress in one’s life. It not only calms the troubled mind, but also soothes it giving comfort and relaxation which in turn accelerates the process of healing from stress. Serene Soothing melodies help in aligning the biological rhythms in line with natures rhythms and has a very therapeutic effect.
- Ayurvedic herbs/Rasayanas – Ayurvedic herbs popularly referred to as ‘Rasayanas’ are special ayurvedic herbal formulas that help in promoting over all heath of an individual. These herbs strengthen the immunity helping one increase its ability to withstand chronic stress and in turn also nourishes the body and mind.
Stress Busting Beverages: Healthy drinks filled with Ayurveda herbs helps in strengthening the immunity system of the body and build body’s natural ability to deal with stress. These healthy dose of drinks helps in making one’s mind be relaxed and calm.
