Stress is good if one properly copes with the demands. It helps to improve our performance and efficiency at work or in life. It makes us more alert in the activities indulged in. This bring out satisfaction, excitement and fun at work. But stress is bad when one is not able to cope with the demands due to the physical, mental and emotional resources. Chronic unmanaged stress leads to chronic illness at various levels. This results in physical, mental and emotional disorders. As per Ayurveda, the chronic stress vitiates the doshas. Vitiated doshas slowly affects the normal functioning of tissues and organs. It also slows down the metabolism resulting in the formation of aama (metabolic toxins) in the tissues and organs. Later this cause lack of immunity, various disorders in the organs and infectious diseases. Stress can affects the various organ systems of our body. Stress cause an imbalance in the various organ systems such as immune system, digestive system, respiratory system, muscular system, nervous system and endocrine system. It can also affects sex and reproduction of humans. In Ayurveda management, we prefer to avoid stress causing factors. Vata shaman therapies like shirodhara, abhyangam, shirovasti can be practiced. Detoxification or panchakarma therapies should be practiced. For patients with severe stress, can practice yoga therapy satsanga and counselling.
Prolonged exposure to stress can cause hyper tension and depression.
As per Ayurveda stress inducing factors can be classified as physical stress or psychological stress.
Ayurveda for stress and anxiety
However in todays world stress is an inevitable companion of success, therefor avoiding stress is always not a practical solution. The best practical solution for this is improving the coping capacity of our body towards stress. As per Ayurveda the stress management can be done by life style changes,dietary interventions and drug treatment. All these are well organized under Rasayana treatment. is one of the eight branches of classical Ayurveda. Susruta and Charaka shares the same view about rasayana treatment. They define it as a branch of Ayurveda that improves the physical and mental health along with longevity. Rasayana therapy is a multidimensional approach which is not purely drug oriented .Instead drug is only an aspect of this approach. Other than drugs rasayana therapy includes dietary regimens and code of conduct. Acara rasayana isissts a balanced use of sense organs, non violence and a routine free from stress. Ajasrika rasayana insists on the importance of taking a balanced and nutritious diet. A balance diet is the food which contains all six rasas .A balanced diet contains all six rasas modified according to the climate, environment, season age and constitution of the individual. For getting the maximum benefit of rasayana therapy one should take care of acara rasayana, careful about the diet and take the drugs for stress reduction.Rasayan therapy helps to improve ojas, the essence of all dhathus.
Along with Ayurveda treatment yoga therapy also should accompany the treatment process. Yoga aims to encourage positive health through the development of inner natural powers of body and mind by various eliminative process that reconditions the body and mind. Yoga is for everyone but little modification of the asanas as per the physical conditions and other associated health problems need to be considered. Savitri, nadisudhi and bhramaripranayama are excellent to reduce stress. Anjali mudra helps to relieve stress, anxiety and mental disorders.