Stress Slows Healing: How to Boost Recovery with a Peaceful Mind Therapy Speed Up Your Injury Recovery?
There are lots of factors that can slow down your wound healing time, and a few of those factors include stress, anxiety and depression.
Post-surgery pain can induce higher levels of stress, and stress produces cortisol (a stress hormone), which makes it harder for your body to heal its wounds.
Take a look at these eye-opening scientific results relating to stress and wound healing times.
Female caregivers experiencing chronic stress were found to heal wounds 24% more slowly than did control subjects.
Dental students healed wounds 40% more slowly during examination periods, as opposed to students on vacation.
Conflicting married couples were found to heal more slowly compared to supportive couples; with hostile couples healing at 60% of the rate, compared to low-hostile couples.
Lastly, mice who suffered from restraint stress healed 27% more slowly than their nonstressed counterparts.
The science
In one study on wound healing, it was determined that people who are less confrontational may heal faster and those who are more confrontational healed slower. It was also concluded that depression had a negative effect on wounds.
So, to promote better overall health as well as more efficient wound healing, it can only help to work on positive thinking and healthy coping skills.
What can we do to create a more sound and peaceful mental state?
Recent evidence suggests that proactively participating in simple, stress-reducing activities can prevent poor healing.
It’s perfectly normal to feel added stress before and after surgery, so learning practical ways to lower your stress and feelings of anxiety can be especially helpful in setting yourself up for a quicker, smoother recovery.
Take a peek at some tried and true ways of keeping the peace in your mind and body!
Read a fun book.
Talk to a kind, funny friend.
Exercise, as long as it’s safe after surgery.
Get outside and get some sunshine.
Enjoy a warm bath (without wetting your wound).
Listen to some soothing music.
Watch a funny show, comedy special or movie.
Use the stress-reducing tools and resources in this daily guide, like the ‘freediver’ breathing technique or use the deep breathing tool.
Talk to a therapist or counselor. (Find one you really click with!)