Are you Stress-Ready for Christmas?
Are you Stress ready for Christmas? Do this Survey to find out…..
We all know that the Christmas/New Year period is a season of mixed experiences. For some it is a chance for joyful family togetherness and reunions, while for others it can be a time of loneliness, overindulgence, credit card debt, or a replay of all the reasons why they avoid their families for the rest of the year. Whatever your experience, the surveys and tick lists below can help you discover whether you are ready to cope with Christmas this year.
This first survey, known as the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale was developed back in 1967. It is named after two psychiatrists who surveyed over 5,000 patients and examined their medical records to assess whether the stress of particular life events correlated with illness in any way. They were surprised at what they found and how accurately a high score on this survey could predict the risk of illness.
Have a look down the list of Major Life Events and tally up your Life Event Stress Point Score.
Add the stress points that apply to you to get a total.
Life Event Stress Points
Death of spouse ..................................... 100
Divorce ................................................... 73
Marital separation ................................. 65
Imprisonment ........................................ 63
Death of a close family member .......... 63
Personal injury or illness ....................... 53
Marriage .................................................. 50
Dismissal from work ............................. 47
Marital reconciliation ............................. 45
Retirement ............................................. 45
Change in health of family member .... 44
Pregnancy ............................................. 40
Sexual difficulties .................................... 39
Gain a new family member ................... 39
Business readjustment ........................... 39
Change in financial state ........................ 38
Death of close friend .............................. 37
Change to different line of work ........... 36
Change in number of arguments ........... 35
Major mortgage ......................................... 32
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan ............ 29
Change in responsibilities at work .......... 29
Son or daughter leaving home ................ 29
Trouble with in-laws .................................. 29
Outstanding personal achievement ........ 28
Spouse begins or stops work .................... 26
Begin or end school .................................... 26
Change in living conditions ...................... 25
Revision of personal habits .................... 24
Trouble with boss ....................................... 25
Change of residence ................................... 20
Change in school ......................................... 20
Change in number of family get-togethers ..15
Major holiday .................................................. 12
Minor violation of law .................................... 11
What is your total? Now have a look and see which Category you fall in?
Over 300 = at risk of illness
Between 150 – 299 = risk of illness is moderate
Below 150 = only a slight risk of illness.
OK, so if you have a think about this risk factor, it suggests a couple of important questions......
What makes the difference for someone with a high risk score of over 300 who doesn’t get sick compared to someone with a low risk score below 150 who does get sick?
and
Is there anything that can show us whether we are the one likely to get sick or is it just a matter of chance?
The answer to these questions lies in two small glands about the size of your thumbs which sit on top of your kidneys - the Adrenal glands. These glands have the job of looking after us when we are under stress. They produce the hormones we need to cope with our stress fight/flight stress response. When they are strong it is these glands that help us sail through life, no matter what the chaos is around us. But when overloaded with too much stress, complicated by diet and lifestyle issues, they begin to give us warning signs that they are struggling and that we should be slowing down.
So checkout this Adrenal Health list below. How many of these apply to you?
Part A
It’s hard to get up in the morning
I feel tired most of the time
I crave certain foods
I feel irritated easily
I’m often angry
I often feel cold
I have mood swings
I feel restless
I often feel weak
I need alcohol to calm me down
I’m apathetic
I feel depressed
I need a caffeine hit to get going
I need an afternoon nap regularly
Part A Total ______________
If you answered ‘yes’ to 3 or more of these questions, it’s possible that you are in the middle of adrenal stress imbalance. Now check Part B for more indicators….
PART B
Headaches Poor wound healing
Muscle and joint aches Frequent sore throats
Poor concentration Poor sleep patterns
Water/itchy eyes Excessive sweating
Difficulty making decisions Rapid heartbeat
Faintness Hyperactivity
Allergies Excessive hair loss
Spotty skin PMT
Fat around the waist Feeling hungry all the time
Feeling bloated Poor memory
Always catching colds
If you added 5 or more in this list you probably need three thorough Adrenal Gland balances to get you Christmas ready and three more to help you recover afterwards.
If this sounds like you, then call me now to let me know how you went and get your appointments booked as soon as possible….
