When graphic designer Traci Klatkas anxiety began ratcheting up this summer, she knew she had to act.

The Pottsville woman, 40, was increasingly stressed by work and financial demands, including upkeep of the home she owns, but she didnt want to resort to medication.

So she added monthly reiki a traditional Asian energy healing practice to a self-care routine that already included regular exercise and massage.

The world we live in, its just stressful, said Klatka, who drives from Pottsville to Spring Township for services at the Salt Lounge. For me, stress starts as something emotional, and then it becomes physical as well.

Just as massage can relieve tension in tight muscles, it and other forms of stress relief can drive down the presence of key hormones that keep the brain in a heightened state.

Controlling stress may be especially important for women, according to an emerging body of research.

A study published in the journal Neurology in late 2018 found that people with higher cortisol levels had worse memory and visual perception, and they also had less gray matter in areas of their brains that control vision, memory and judgment.

The results were worst among middle-aged women.

And ladies, the bad news doesnt end there.

Older women who reported having stressful life experiences during their middle years were more likely to have greater memory decline later in life, according to a National Institute of Aging study published by Johns Hopkins researchers last summer.

The researchers said their findings add to evidence that stress hormones play an uneven gender role in brain health and align with already documented higher rates of Alzheimer's disease in women than men.

While the Johns Hopkins study looked at those who suffered traumatic events, it also asked participants about life experiences such as a marriage, divorce, death of a loved one, job loss, severe injury or sickness, a child moving out, retirement or birth of a child.

Munro said that that long-term stress, such as that experienced during a divorce, may more negatively impact brain function than short-term, traumatic events.

With so many mid-lifers stressed by daily demands including one in seven people trapped in the sandwich generation who are caring for both a child and an aging parent that could all be taken as bad news.

But theres no need to add more to your list of things to worry about.

"We can't get rid of stressors, but we might adjust the way we respond to stress, and have a real effect on brain function as we age," said Dr. Cynthia Munro, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "And although our study did not show the same association for men, it sheds further light on the effects of stress response on the brain with potential application to both men and women.

Feel it

Though the long-term effects of stress may be different on men and women, everyone can feel it their mind and body.

Registered nurse Paula Martin opened a Massage Envy franchise in Wyomissing after coming to appreciate the way regular sessions helped her muscles recover from tough spinning, running or Cross Fit workouts. For many of her clients, a regular massage is also part of a stress-relief routine that calms the mind.

Though she sees just as many male as female clients maybe more women tend to complain about headache more often. Those may be exacerbated by stress.

Regardless of gender, tension is often stored in the same areas: shoulders, back and neck. But women, Martin said, may not visit for a workout as often and then have more to be worked out during a visit.

We spread ourselves too thin, said Martin, who offers memberships and recommends monthly visits. But Massage really does have a cumulative effect. Its something that you can practice on a more regular basis, much like meditation or yoga.

Massage releases endorphins that counter the anxiety-inducing effects of cortisol. For some customers, add-ons like aromatherapy oils or hot stones may up the calm factor. Soothing music, low lighting and warmth also prompt the body to relax.

Identifying things that help promote relaxation and making them part of a regular routine can help lower cortisol levels, reduce physical tension that can lead to injury or physical limitations and set individuals up for better long-term health.

Klatka continues to seek the right combination of tools. She cut back on some of her more high-intensity workouts, which research has found can trigger more cortisol to be released. Instead, she does yoga several times a week and walks on her treadmill or outside when weather allows.

Alleviated symptoms

Though she was skeptical about Reiki, she found the first visit alleviated symptoms such as a racing heartbeat and racing thoughts for more than three weeks.

From the moment I laid down on the table, I could feel the change in my body, Klatka said. You go into this relaxed state where youre not quite asleep but not quite awake. It just happens naturally for me.

Theres no magic bullet when it comes to managing stress.

Ampersand Integrative Wellness opened in Wyomissing in December. Practitioners there offer a variety of services personal training, nutrition counseling, massage and yoga that can all lead to stress relief.

Yoga and meditation instructor Ariana Miley said she sees differences in how men and women store tension in their bodies. Men often repress their stress and that manifests in tension in their bodies, limiting flexibility. Women, she said, may be more open to talking about their emotions but they still carry significant tension in their hip flexors.

Her Yin yoga class includes 3- to 5-minute poses that allow the hips and the rest of the body to relax and allow the mind an opportunity to follow.

A lot of times, with breathwork and meditation, that trauma, including everyday stress, can come to the surface, Miley said. Even if its 10 minutes a day or an hour a week, people who commit to a practice are more able to focus and concentrate on the task at hand.

At Salt Lounge, just down the road, owner Rachel Eskin has continued to broaden her wellness offerings. In 2020, she is focusing events and classes around guided meditation practices.

Klatka continues to drive nearly an hour to get to her appointments after finding a place where she is comfortable that provides a service that works for her.

If its a chronic condition for you and youre not sleeping, its going to affect your memory, your body, your organs, she said. Its worth the $50 or whatever, and its better than spending it at the doctors office.

Contact Kimberly Marselas: specialsections@readingeagle.com.

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Hormones play an uneven gender role in brain health; are linked to higher Alzheimer's disease in women than men - The Reporter