Quiz: How Stressed Are You?

META-Health shows how our energy naturally follows a two-phase pattern: a stress phase followed by a regeneration phase. Ideally, we have an equal balance of these two phases on a daily basis: healthy stress and activity during the daytime and healthy regeneration and rest at night. The problem is, many of us are stuck in the stress phase most of the time!

Are you in the stress phase? Answer our 12 questions to find out…

1) Do you feel tension in certain areas of your body (for example, the shoulders, back, neck or stomach)?
YES
NO

2) How busy is your mind on a scale of 0-10 (0 = very calm and 10 = very busy) – is it 7 or above?
YES
NO

3) Are your hands and feet are often cold? (If you’re not sure, put your fingertips on your cheeks now to test your fingertip temperature)
YES
NO

4) Do you often find yourself worrying about the future or dwelling on past events?
YES
NO

5) Do you keep your energy high with caffeine, sugar or other stimulants most days?
YES
NO

6) Do you find it hard to meditate or relax because you find it boring or uncomfortable?
YES
NO

7) Do you find that you’re so busy there’s no time left for you?
YES
NO

8) When you do get to relax, do you find yourself crashing, for example, falling asleep in front of the TV or getting ill on holiday?
YES
NO

9) Do your thoughts keep you awake or wake you up in the night?
YES
NO

10) Do you find that minor irritations or conflicts seem to keep affecting you (e.g. frequently feeling frustrated with yourself or annoyed with the actions and behaviour of others)?
YES
NO

11) Do you sometimes forget to eat regular meals because you’re so busy or not hungry?
YES
NO

12) Do you find your breathing is mainly restricted to your upper chest?
YES
NO

Add up your answers…

How many ‘yes’ answers did you get?

If you got 3 or less, congratulations – you’re already well on the way to a balanced lifestyle. Please share your tips for relaxation below!

If you got more than 3, the chances are you’re in the stress phase and would benefit from more rest and regeneration in your life. Read on for our six tips for releasing stress…

Increase your relaxation with our top tips:

1) Take breaks

Take two (or more) 20-minute breaks during your working day in which you take your focus completely away from work of any kind (including chores!)

Take this time to reflect, relax, empty your mind, go outside to enjoy the sunshine or fresh air or engage in a creative activity. Also make sure you’re refuelling by eating well and staying hydrated!

2) Enjoy rejuvenating movement

When in the stress phase, it can be tempting to use the buzz of adrenaline you feel by doing vigorous physical exercise. While this is sometimes beneficial, it is equally (and sometimes more) important to bring in balance by doing rejuvenative practice.

You can do this through gentle body movement – for example, stretching, going for a walk, or holistic practices such as Tai Chi, Yoga or Qi Gong, which build your energy reserves in a healthy, sustainable way.

3) Meditate daily

Meditation has innumerable benefits, including inducing the parasympathetic response (rest and relaxation) and developing a witness consciousness.

It doesn’t have to be difficult – you can simply follow your breathing or focus on a mantra for a few minutes each day. Alternatively, you can listen to a brain wave entrainment technology such as Holosync, which gets you into a beneficial meditative state effortlessly.

4) Immerse yourself in a warm environment

If it’s suitable for you, it can be highly relaxing to enjoy a sauna, steam room, warm bath (aromatherapy and magnesium salts can boost the experience!), or hydrotherapy pool (my favourite!), as this immersion allows your body to enter parasympathetic regeneration.

Receiving regenerative therapies like massage and reiki can offer similar benefits.

5) Practice kindness and gratitude

One of our META-Health Conference speakers, Dr David Hamilton, has researched and written about the benefits of small compassionate acts.

Simple acts of kindness, such as carrying someone’s shopping, calling an old friend, smiling at people and making contact with others, redirect your focus from your problems, reduce stress and increase your feel-good hormones.

Another popular practice that boosts wellbeing is to write a gratitude journal, a daily record of what you’re thankful for.

6)  Address the causes of stress

The deepest and most systemic way of addressing your stress levels is to uncover the situations, thoughts and feelings that are creating stress and change your perception of them.

META-Health and META-Kinetics pinpoint specifically why each of us reacts to certain stressors, and reveals the underlying beliefs and emotional patterns. Once you are aware of these deeper patterns, you can release them using a therapeutic tool like EFT.

Share your views…

What are your signs of stress, and how do you get into regeneration? Please share your comments below or on our Facebook page