Keeping Healthy and Fit THE “BUSYNESS� ADDICTION STORY BY SHALEE SUCHER
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ONTEMPORARY CULTURE PRAISES busyness. We feel valued and validated when the bulk of our time is occupied, most commonly by work. As a result, we experience high levels of chronic fatigue, prolonged periods of stress, digestive disorders, thyroid issues, sleep irregularity, mood swings, muscle tension and headaches. It impacts our relationships with ourselves, our loved ones and our communities. Yet most perpetuate this cycle by adding even more to the already-full plate. We want to be busy. And many knowingly sacrifice mental, spiritual and emotional health in pursuit of busyness. There is an inaccurate belief that only high levels of stress damage our bodies. But even low-grade recurring stress can be profoundly disruptive to health and well-being over time. Endocrinologist Hans Selye said, “Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older.� Hectic lifestyles and the resulting stresses are known causes of deterioration of the body through cell damage. This dramatically speeds up the physical and mental process of aging. Many of the physical effects of stress are due to an increase in the production of the adrenal glands. The two main hormones they secrete directly into the bloodstream are cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones affect everything from blood sugar levels to thyroid hormone production and sleep quality. They can be very useful and even life-saving at times, however
many of us routinely live in high-stress environments, and our brains ignore messages to calm down. As a result, there is no reason for the adrenal glands to stop producing and releasing the hormones into the blood stream, eventually depleting our resources and wreaking havoc on our bodies. For many of us, being busy has become an addiction; a destructive way of being that has become habitual. The first step to restore healthy living is to get off the hamster wheel and reconsider lifestyle choices. Frenzied schedules and over commitments provide a false sense of importance Thinkstock/collection Pixland and are simply not sustainable. Taking control of time needs to become a priority for optimal health, equally as important as getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising and meditating. This will ultimately result in having healthier bodies, longer lives and a greater sense of well-being.
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Lisa M. Jukes Wellness Center 5656 Bee Caves Road, Suite B101 Austin, TX 78746 Lisa M. Jukes, MD