The Top Ender Magazine June July 2022 Edition

Thanks to Defence Health
Defence Health have sponsored our Adventure and Pamper Packs for the last 5 editions, and we
are so grateful for their contribution to the Top End community! This competition has provided ten
ADF families with a lovely surprise after being nominated by other members of our community.
We wish to sincerely thank Defence Health for their generosity and support of this initiative.
Identifying Stress Triggers
Our Float Therapy rooms are equipped with a pool filled with
highly concentrated Epsom salt water and heated to your
body temperature.This will keep you afloat, entering a nearzero
gravity state and reducing external sensory input into
the brain.With all sights and sounds removed, you’ll be
drifting into a meditative state to effectively rejuvenate your
mind and body.This has a range of benefits from pain
reduction to enhanced creativity and improved sleep.
Float Therapy
Stress affects everyone in different ways – and, our
triggers are very much dependent on the challenges
we’re facing at an individual level. Even if you and
someone you know are feeling stressed, the causes and
triggers are most likely different – which means you’ll
need unique approaches to treating your stress.
Understanding stress
Stress is commonly described as feeling overloaded, uptight,
tense and chronically worried.
According to the Australian Psychological Society, the three
different types of stress include: Fibromyalgia
• Acute stress – this kind of stress usually occurs in response
to a brief, one-time event, such as a difficult situation at
work
• Episodic acute stress – this is when acute stress is
experienced more than once, or in ‘episodes’
• Chronic stress – chronic stress is ongoing, deep feelings of
stress that impact health and daily life and put you at risk of
developing serious health problems as a result
Major life stressors, especially those involving personal and
social stress, are among the strongest risk factors for
depression.
Identifying your triggers
Developing a management plan to overcome stress starts with
identifying your triggers. Here are some questions to help you
determine the underlying cause of your stressors:
• Has there been a change in your routine?
• Has something unpredictable happened recently – for
example, a family member visiting out of the blue? A close
friend moving away?
• Have you picked up a demanding new project at work?
Managing your triggers
Once you’ve identified your primary sources of stress, it’s important to
work out strategies to deal with them. Here are some tips to help you
develop coping mechanisms:
• Do less, and expect less – try to get comfortable with the ‘less is
more’ mantra, and
• Slow down – life isn’t meant to be too busy, or a race
• Ask for help – even if you don’t have family nearby, friends and
colleagues can help you through challenging times – all you need to
do is ask, and you may be surprised at how many people are willing
to help you
• Problem solve – develop strategies to deal with a particular
problem instead of avoiding it or hoping it will go away on its own
• Give time to people who matter most – focus on quality not
quantity of relationships
• Get comfortable with saying no – you don’t have to do everything,
be everywhere and go to everything, and downtime is necessary
• Change your way of thinking – it isn’t easy to do, but it can be done
with some training and practice – for example, if a situation that you
can’t change is stressing you out, consider how you can approach
this situation with a positive attitude. This will make it easier for you
to deal with.
• Practice the art of acceptance – learn to accept the things you
cannot change
• Focus on the positives – instead of worrying about what you don’t
have and what isn’t being done, focus on all the wonderful things
you do have and what you have achieved
• Distance yourself from the source of the stress – if a person is
making you stressed, don’t engage with them
• Confront the stress head-on – it may be more appropriate to
attack the problem and deal with it face-to-face if you feel
comfortable
If you or someone you know is feeling chronically stressed, make an
appointment with your healthcare professional to discuss your concerns.
This is the key to float therapy – sensory deprivation. The salts allow
you to float effortlessly without the sensations of your body. Add to
this the choice of silence or calming music. This is the ideal space for
deep relaxation.
People float clinically for:
• Fibromyalgia
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Joint pain
• PTSD
We have guests with chronic injuries who float every 3 days, and some
who come in once a month to help with stress. It's completely based
on your needs and the results you are after. Much like the gym, going
once won't have the same impact as going consistently.
CLEANING
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
Although your appointment is only 60 minutes, we allow 90 minutes
for each session to give us the chance to clean and re-dress the rooms
between appointments, as well as filter the pools. Our filters are
designed for 10,000 litres of water, but the pools only contain 1000
litres. Each pool also has 400Kg (approx.) of salt in them, so no bacteria
is able to cultivate in this environment. Again, we require everyone to
shower before and after their session to aid in hygiene.
WHY YOU NEED FLOAT THERAPY IN YOUR LIFE...
Float Therapy has an abundance of positive health factors for your
mind, body and gut - but how is it a complementary treatment in your
mental health journey? Read on as we dive into how this treatment
helps to manage and minimise symptoms of anxiety, depression, and
PTSD.
Float therapy or Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (R.E.S.T)
reduces the sound, sight and touch of your environment by placing you
in a pool filled with magnesium sulphate so you float effortlessly, the
room is pitch black, there are no sounds except the rise and fall of your
breath. These conditions bring your body into a state of rest. There is
no strain on the body and no external stimuli to process. All that is left
to do is breathe, allow the stresses of the day to melt away for a while,
and bask in the ease of your meditative state. Many people experience
euphoria, clarity, calmness, stillness and most feel rejuvenated following
a float session.
Float therapy is also an effective complementary treatment for people
who suffer from P.T.S.D. When you float, you’re muscles naturally
loosen in the zero-gravity environment, you will effortlessly release
tension throughout your body which can be
a welcomed relief in areas we hold the most
tension. As you let go deeper and deeper
into stillness, your mind will register a rested
state and you will be able to easily meditate,
which also serves as a complementary
treatment for P.T.S.D. Being able to reduce
stress, anxiety and pain during and after your
float all help to manage symptoms related to
P.T.S.D. Plus, since float therapy has been
proven to help deal with sleep issues, getting
a better night's sleep is also a huge factor in
alleviating symptoms.
• Is there a new working dynamic – for example, a challenging
boss or colleague?
• Has there been a death or serious illness in the family?
• Are you having trouble adjusting to having a newborn baby?
• Are you struggling to juggle work and family life?
• Do you rely on an excessive amount of stimulants – coffee,
for example – to get through the day?
• Does your environment make you feel anxious – for
example, a messy house, builders next door, dogs barking?
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4006295/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stressmanagement/art-20044151?pg=2
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/coping-with-lifes-stressors
https://www.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/StressTipSheet.pdf
Supplied by Defence Health
healthhq.defencehealth.com.au/
2017/03/20/identify-stress-triggers/
Jape Homemaker Village
08 8948 1649
darwin@citycave.com.au
52 The Top Ender | Tri-Services Magazine Incorporated JUNE/JULY 2022 53