The stress
of the city:
a hidden killer
Stress. In the modern world it’s hard to avoid it. Wherever you live, there are things that may cause you stress. But when you live in a city, there seems to be more stressful surroundings: crowds, pollution, noise, crime and traffic jams. All of that can make it hard to relax.
You may not be able to get rid of the crowds, but you can reduce stress in your life. Too much stress is actually dangerous to your health. Many serious medical conditions are caused by too much stress. Stress can literally be a killer. That’s why it’s very important to do something about the stress in your life. According to Niall Cooper, a qualified massage therapist based in London, people who live in cities build up a lot of stress. ”There’s so much to do, and everybody wants to do it all,” he says. ”City people are always busy and they build up tension without knowing it.” Cooper should know. He tries to undo the damage of stress every day. ”Stress shows up in the body as ‘muscular tension’,” he says. ”It usually targets the upper back, shoulders and lower back - the areas surrounding the spine. This can lead to severe health problems.” Cooper recommends a few simple stress-relieving stretches. Breathe deeply to get the full relaxation benefits from these stretches. ”It sounds simple, but it’s something many people forget. The body relaxes when you breathe out,” he says.
Stress. In the modern world it’s hard to avoid it. Wherever you live, there are things that may cause you stress. But when you live in a city, there seems to be more stressful surroundings: crowds, pollution, noise, crime and traffic jams. All of that can make it hard to relax.
You may not be able to get rid of the crowds, but you can reduce stress in your life. Too much stress is actually dangerous to your health. Many serious medical conditions are caused by too much stress. Stress can literally be a killer. That’s why it’s very important to do something about the stress in your life. According to Niall Cooper, a qualified massage therapist based in London, people who live in cities build up a lot of stress. ”There’s so much to do, and everybody wants to do it all,” he says. ”City people are always busy and they build up tension without knowing it.” Cooper should know. He tries to undo the damage of stress every day. ”Stress shows up in the body as ‘muscular tension’,” he says. ”It usually targets the upper back, shoulders and lower back - the areas surrounding the spine. This can lead to severe health problems.” Cooper recommends a few simple stress-relieving stretches. Breathe deeply to get the full relaxation benefits from these stretches. ”It sounds simple, but it’s something many people forget. The body relaxes when you breathe out,” he says.