Learning to Relax

Source No, this is not my bathroom, I wish

I have several health issues, I will spare everyone the details, and just say that the primary issue is anxiety. I worry about everything, silly things. It's like my brain gets stuck on something and that is all I can think about until I get myself into a tither. As a result of this anxiety, my body is in a constant state of stress. Long story short, when the body is under stress, health issues develop. It's a dangerous cycle. As a result, I have had several medical professionals tell me that I need to learn how to relax. There is only one problem with this. I don't know how to relax. The concept of just turning off my brain and not worrying about... something... is foreign to me. I cannot sit still, I feel as though there is always something to do, a room that needs to be cleaned, paperwork that needs to be dealt with, food to be prepared. On the positive note, Tom and I rarely buy prepared food, and our home is, for the most part, tidy and company ready at any given time.

On Saturday, I had a rough day at work. Our billing system was down for the weekend for a planned upgrade. As a result, I had the opportunity to spend eight hours with countless customers that were either grumpy or down right mean. Like I said, it was rough. I got home, prepared to start cleaning a room in my apartment, when Tom sent me to the bathroom. We have a claw foot tub, the old fashioned iron kind. Tom had drawn me a bubble bath, lit a bunch of candles, and had Dave Matthews Band playing on my iPod. I put on a chocolate masque and soaked in the tub. I tried meditating while soaking, just to keep my mind busy. Then I focused on the music. About an hour later, I emerged from the bathroom in a much better state of mind than when I went in.

This morning, I had my second acupuncture appointment, which was just as amazing as my first one. I asked the acupuncturist how acupuncture worked, and she explained that pains and health issues are the way the body responds to being out of balance. She then explained that things like acupuncture and baths help center the body, restoring a sense of calm. I'm not really one to follow energy stuff, but the acupuncture is definitely helping.

This is the dilemma, as relaxing as my bubble bath was, and as wonderful acupuncture is, I can't exactly spend an hour in the tub every night, and I definitely can't visit my acupuncturist on a daily basis. How do I just relax? Are you able to "turn your brain off" and just think about nothing? What do you do to de-stress and relax?

My First Experience with Acupuncture

During our doctor's appointment last week, our nurse recommended that I try acupuncture as a treatment for my anxiety and infertility. Scientific research has determined that acupuncture is an effective method of treatment for infertility in that it can increase blood to the uterus, it also eases the egg retrieval process, and works in conjunction with embryo transfer. Acupuncture is also known for it's ability to relax the patent and calm symptoms of anxiety. One less that I have learned in life is that it is important to give everything a try, at least once. With that, I booked my first acupuncture appointment.

I brought Tom along for support. I'm not afraid of needles, it was just something new and I wanted him to be there. The appointment started out with the acupuncturist asking me questions about our fertility journey, as well as some questions about my anxiety. She then had me get up on the table for an introductory session. This was when she stuck the first needle in. Do you know the feeling when you get a tattoo of the needles almost tickling your skin? This was far far less intense than even that (I giggled while getting my tattoo). The acupuncturist put about six needles, between my wrist and elbow. Another four or five in each ankle, and then four or five in each ear. Then she left me be, with classical music playing, a heat lamp to keep me cozy, and the lights turned off.

I fell asleep.

That's right, needles stuck in, I felt as though my arms and feet were literally melting into the bed and I fell asleep. I just lay there and relaxed, and before I knew it, it was time to take the needles out. I have had many treatments for my anxiety, from massages to medications, this was by far the most relaxed I have ever felt. Tom brought me home, got me to the couch, and I haven't moved since. This is only an introductory treatment? Sign me up. My acupuncturist wants to see me on a weekly basis, initially to treat my anxiety, but she will also work in treatments to coincide with my IVF cycle. Aside from the obvious goal of pregnancy, we also set the goal to manage my anxiety with acupuncture, so that I can completely go off of my medication during pregnancy. That would be best for our baby.

The moral of the story? If you have a condition that can be treated with acupuncture, give it a try. It is no where near as painful as you would expect it to be, and the end result is just... amazing.