Pandemic Stress Stalls Lyme Recovery Diffuse It

Stress stalls Lyme recovery, and we know this. When we look at symptom flare-ups, they often connect to stressful times or events. Discomfort that we know about contributes, but also tension bubbling below our conscious awareness can hurt us. We often dismiss the distress because we are moving quickly and don’t have time to process and feel. A stress response is individual, meaning what stresses me might be a regular activity to you. 

Seasonal change, bad weather, illness, chronic illness like Lyme disease, lousy traffic, work overwhelm, no prom or graduation, menopause, loss of a job, divorce, death, loud noises, strange dog encounters, and oh yah a Covid-19 pandemic all potentially add ongoing stress to our lives. Stress like this can sneak in and set up shop below the radar. Pay attention to and recognize when you feel pressure. Take action to diffuse tension in your life.

How Does stress show up for you?

Cloudy, unfocused, or sharp and short-tempered?  Stress may be the answer. A constant sense of overwhelm and needing to juggle is also a typical stress response.  Me, well, I get cranky, tend to overeat, and walk around exhausted all the time when I am overloaded.  Some people break out in a stinky sweat. Many of the symptoms of Lyme disease overlap with the symptoms of excess stress. I know stress stalls Lyme recovery, so when I experience a symptom flare I actively diffuse tension and build ease. Take a minute and identify your attitude and behavior shifts from overload.

Sensory imputes flood the brain every waking minute.  The mind filters out many and processes the important ones based on your understanding of the world. A specialized area of your brain (amygdala) signals danger and raises the alarm. Hormones alter your essential body functions like respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, and immune system activity.  Your sympathetic nervous system springs into action.

Your brain then the body responds to stress as if something wrong and dangerous must be dealt with now.  Flee, Fight, or Freeze becomes the dominant option. This works great for danger or emergencies, but not as well for chronic distress. Higher thought, digestion, repair, infection protection, and cleaning get put on the back burner. We have all heard of fleeing, fight, or freeze terms, but what does this mean for Lyme disease recovery?

4 Ways Stress Stalls Lyme Recovery

• It alters our hormonal environment away from healing by suppressing healthy immune system activity.
• Increases sensations perception of physical pain
• Boosts toxin build up in the body by slowing down regular detoxification.
• Raises the risk of other infections.

4 Actions to Balance Stress

During this time of uncertainty, tension builds and hangs out in our bodies.  It doesn’t necessarily dissipate on its own. Self-care will support releasing stress and building ease.

8 hours +/- Sleep

Chronic stress often interferes with rest. Sound healthy sleep is essential to combat the effects of ongoing tension.  Dreamland is the place where the conscious mind rests, and the body digests the day and cleans up.  Organize your evening to help you go to bed and sleep through the night.

Outdoor Time

I am always surprised by how relaxing outdoor time is for me.  A walk on a trail is an entirely different experience than an exercise video.  The sensory imputes from nature, the colors, sounds, and smells generally signal your brain to relax.

Ha Breath

Ha Breath is a traditional form of pranayama (structured breathing) taught to promote relaxation and detoxification. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, making the sound Haaa.  Do this breath a few times a day to move tension and toxins out of your body.

Progressive Relaxation

Muscle tightness is a common side effect of stress.  Progressive muscle relaxation effectively eases that tension.  Also, it moves blood and lymph through your muscles, collecting stress-induced metabolic waste for disposal.

The stress from this pandemic is global. It has stalled people going off to college, house sales and the whole economy. Don’t let it derail your Lyme treatment and recovery. The conditions we are living in behoove us to plug in, understand how we are feeling, and diffuse tension on an ongoing basis. Stress stalls Lyme recovery manage it to stay on track with our healing journey.

The purpose of this article and its contents is to share and educate on Lyme disease recovery strategies. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment, or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.