April is Stress Awareness Month which has been held every April since 1992. The reasoning behind shining a light on this very important topic is to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic.
I’m a big stress head and I stress about everything, big or small. Sadly, also things that I have no control over. Sound familiar? Some of us deal with stress better than others. Unfortunately, not in my case.
Who doesn’t get stressed?
We all know what it’s like to feel stressed and under pressure. Stress is something that all of us will experience at some point, if not daily, and nobody is immune to it. There are lots of situations or events that we can find difficult to cope with and being under pressure is a normal part of life. But if we become overwhelmed by it too often, it can negatively affect our health.
What is stress?
Stress is our body’s reaction to any kind of threat or pressure. When you sense danger the body’s defenses kick in. This automatic process is known as the ‘fight or flight’ reaction and this ‘stress response’ is our body’s way of protecting us. When this response works properly, it helps us to stay energetic, focused, and alert or helps us to meet challenges.
Health problems caused by stress include:
- Sleep problems and heart disease
- Pain of any kind
- Autoimmune diseases
- Depression and anxiety
- Skin conditions such as eczema
- Weight problems and digestive problems
- Reproductive issues
- Thinking and memory problems
Are any of these ringing a bell? Well, they do for me, and it’s quite worrying. The good news is that there are ways to help us cope better with some of the stressors.
How to improve your ability to cope with stress:
- Connect with others and share your worries. It can help to calm your nervous system and improve your mood
- Get active. Regular exercise can lift your mood and work as a distraction from your worries
- Engage your senses and try to find sensory input that will work for you
- Learn to relax, meditate
- Get rest
- Eat a healthy balanced diet as food has a big impact on your mood and can affect your ability to cope with stress
Stress in dogs
Our pets can get stressed too. However, because they can’t tell us how they feel it’s our responsibility to watch for signs. So, how do you know if your dog is stressed?
Signs of stress in dogs include:
- Whining, barking
- Pacing, shaking, panting
- Yawning, drooling, and licking
- Avoidance or displacement behaviour
- Hiding or escape behaviour
- Changes in bodily functions
- Changes in eyes and ears or changes in body posture
Vita Canis is here to help and there is indeed a way to help your dogs deal with stress naturally – because you know we’re all about natural!
A few years back Jitka, the founder of Vita Canis, developed a unique Calming Floral Spray that helps doggies feel better, less stressed, and less anxious. Calming Floral Spray has already helped many dogs deal with stress from fireworks, hyperactivity, motion sickness, difficulties adjusting, vets’ visits, grooming salon visits and so much more! It’s a little miracle to be truthful and I’ve witnessed it myself on many occasions 😀. I won’t claim that it helps every dog, but it sure does help many of them. Sometimes there can be other underlying issues that are causing the stress.
Calming Floral Spray comes in 3 sizes: 250ml, 100ml (the most popular size), and the handy 30 ml size for your handbag.
Why not give it a try? Or why not gift it to a dog-loving family or friend?
Have a lovely and stress-free day if possible.
Bea xx