What is Body Stress Release?

Body Stress Release literally means: releasing tension from the body.

It supports the body’s natural ability to heal itself and can help with a range of physical complaints. BSR is a gentle, hands-on technique that encourages the body to release built-up tension, which often reduces complaints or makes them disappear.

“The body never forgets how to heal itself.” (G. Meggersee)

What is the difference between tension and body stress?

Stress often has a negative ring to it: too busy, too rushed, too many worries… Yet stress is a natural force, essential for survival, especially in a busy city like Amsterdam. Tension keeps us active, fit and alert, and drives us forward. So tension is positive, as long as it helps us move forward. It becomes a negative factor, however, as soon as it starts working against us. That happens when we are overloaded and our limit of healthy tension is crossed too often.

 

Signals from the body.

By sending signals such as pain or fatigue, the body tries to tell us to stop overloading it. Rest is needed to process that excess tension, so the body can recover on its own. If we don't get enough rest and ignore these signals, several layers of tension often build up. At that point, the body can no longer resolve the stress by itself, and Body Stress Release can offer a solution.

Causes of body stress: 

Body stress can arise from three main causes:

Physical stress can be caused by, for example:

  • poor posture at work
  •  a (sports) injury
  •  a traffic accident
  •  a fall
  •  lifting heavy objects incorrectly
  •  a long recovery after surgery

Emotional stress arises from intense emotions such as:

  • extreme anger
  •  shock
  •  grief
  •  stress
  •  depression
  •  burnout
  •  trauma
  •  emotional and psychological tension
  •  an overloaded nervous system (finding it hard to relax)

Chemical stress is caused, in cases of hypersensitivity, by consuming, inhaling or absorbing harmful substances through the skin. Think of:

  •  artificial colourings and flavourings
  •  cosmetics
  •  perfume
  •  side effects of medication
  •  paint
  •  alcohol, etc.

Symptoms and complaints BSR can help with:

Examples of the effects of too much stored tension in the body can include:

  • (lower) back, neck, shoulder or whiplash complaints
  •  (tension) headaches, migraines, tinnitus
  •  fatigue, sleep problems
  •  burnout, depression, overstrain, anxiety
  • back pain, herniated disc, lumbago, sciatica
  • stomach and bowel complaints
  •  fibromyalgia
  •  pain in the hips, legs and buttocks
  • emotional imbalance, trauma
  •  restless legs
  •  painful knees and ankles
  •  tingling, cramps or numbness in the arms or legs
  •  RSI, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome
  •  sports injuries and overuse
  •  allergic reactions, hay fever, asthma
  •  bladder problems, incontinence
  •  hormonal complaints
  •  pregnancy-related complaints
  •  menstrual or menopausal complaints
  •  in babies: unexplained crying, colic, arching of the back and restlessness
  •  in children: bedwetting, concentration problems, ADHD, growing pains

  • BSR helps the body release locked-in muscle tension (body stress) caused by overload.

  •  BSR is a complementary health technique that supports the body in activating its own self-healing ability.

  •  BSR was developed to reduce built-up muscle tension and to restore communication between the nervous system and the brain. This communication is crucial for the body's ability to heal itself.

  • BSR does not diagnose or treat diseases, so it can be combined with any form of medical treatment.We locate muscle tension by applying light impulses. The body responds to these with a muscle reflex, which shows us exactly where and how tension is stored in your body. By applying gentle, manual pressure impulses, every body is encouraged to release the locked-in muscle tension. Want to know more about how it works?