Flip the Switch on Stress: Your Secret Weapon for Better Health

As a health coach serving financial professionals, I see stress blocking people’s health goals every day. The good news is that your body has a built-in switch to turn off stress. It's called the vagus nerve.

Why Stress Matters (Even When You Think You're Fine)Stress isn't just about feeling frazzled. It can create a physical barrier to your health:

• It breaks down muscle. 
• It disrupts your sleep quality. 
• It tanks your energy and mental clarity. 
• It blocks fat burning (no matter how perfect your diet). 
• It intensifies food cravings (for things like sugar or chips). 

Many successful financial advisors tell me, "I'm handling stress fine." But their bodies tell a different story through weight loss resistance, sleep problems, and afternoon energy crashes.

Your Body's Hidden Stress Switch

Your body has two settings:

• Fight or Flight (ON): Heart rate up, muscles tense, digestion slows, fat-burning stops
• Rest and Digest (OFF): Heart rate down, muscles relax, digestion improves, fat-burning resumes

The vagus nerve is your control switch between these two states. When stressed, this switch gets stuck in the ON position. Learning to flip it OFF is game-changing.

Here's one simple technique I taught in my recent coaching group that you can try today:

4-Count Box Breathing:

1. Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts
2. Hold for 4 counts
3. Breathe out for 4 counts
4. Hold for 4 counts
5. Repeat 4 times

That's it! Less than 2 minutes, and you've just "flipped the switch" on stress.

One of my clients integrated some of the stress management techniques into his daily routine, like box breathing, and started losing weight almost immediately. Today, he is down 90 pounds and able to manage his stress even when the stock market is crazy.  

Your 7-Day Challenge

For the next week, pick ONE of these stress-lowering techniques to practice:

• 4-Count Box Breathing (described above). 
• Legs up the wall for 5 minutes (lay on your back with your feet up the wall). 
• Humming or singing for 1-2 minutes. 
• Splashing cold water on your face or wrists. 
• Slow eye movements with eyelids closed for 1 minute.

Do your chosen technique at the same time each day, whether it's first thing in the morning, during your midday break, or before bed.

Why This Matters for Your Success

What good is the perfect diet if stress keeps you from burning fat? What's the point of the best exercise plan if stress keeps breaking down your muscle? We must turn off the stress switch first. Then everything else gets easier.

If you're ready to discover how simple stress reducing techniques can transform your health, energy, and performance, I'm here to help. Book a free discovery call, and let's explore how my WellthPLAN™ program can work for you.

Your healthiest future might be just a “flip" away!