Dr Jans Olde Wolbers | Found of Centro Quiropractico Ibiza
This chapter’s expert interview is with Dr Jans. I know it may feel like an odd choice to link spinal health with stress or burnout, but I promise you they go together like crumpets and salty butter. I had a lot of chiropractic adjustments whilst I was recovering from burnout.I started terrified (irrational fear that went hand in hand with my anxiety at the time) but left the first session (and everyone after) with a spring in my step and sleeping way better – they really helped calm me which was a pretty difficult task back then…
Tell us about your specialism?
I am a doctor of chiropractic and we are specialists in optimizing human performance and potential by restoring and enhancing the body’s function through proper spinal alignment and a healthy lifestyle. Spinal health has a direct impact on the nervous system that it protects. Since the nervous system is the controlling system of our entire body, poor nervous system function from poor spinal health has a direct impact on our physiology and thus our global health.
How can it help people suffering with stress, anxiety or burnout?
We literally live our lives through our nervous system. Stress is essentially an overwhelm of our nervous system and body by external pressures of life (physical, chemical, mental-emotional). Stress causes our bodies to enter into a defensive state; we cannot be in defence and healing at the same time, they are mutually exclusive.
One of the most powerful effects of chiropractic care is on the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s the calming part of our autonomic (automatic) nervous system. Spinal alignments directly stimulate this part of our nervous system, particularly the vagus nerve around the base of the skull and the first cervical vertebra. Adjusting this area allows the body to calm significantly in a very short space of time. It’s like opening the pressure release valve so that the body can come out of defence and into healing physiology.
Do you have any tips that people can try on their own?
I would suggest rolling up a hand towel and placing this vertically between your shoulder blades (no higher than your shoulders) and then laying on top of it face up with your arms up at around 45 degrees. This is what we call the open posture power position, which is the same posture we adopt when we are feeling good and powerful. It’s the opposite of the posture we adopt when we are stressed. You can use this posture as to move your nervous system into a calmer state. Try breathing deeply into your diaphragm for at least 5 minutes in this position as your breath is a powerful key to calming nervous system.
What’s your experience with stress, anxiety and burnout?
I would say that 80-90% of the people I see have stress-related health issues and that the 3 forms of stress (physical, chemical and mental-emotional) are the root cause of most people’s problems.
Why do you think that so many people burn out?
Too much external pressure and losing touch with what their body is telling them by using things like coffee and cigarettes to keep up with the high pace. These things disconnect you from the signals your body is sending you making it much harder to correct its course and hear what your body needs.
If you could only give one piece of advice to reduce stress & avoid burnout, what would it be?
Learn to listen to your body. In chiropractic, we see the body as a highly intelligent system that is constantly giving us feedback on your health and function level. When you are in tune with your body you are able to sense these signals when they are subtle rather than waiting until you are in a crisis to hear them. Thus you are able to course-correct and give your body what it needs to stay in balance.
If you’re feeling the effects of stress and burnout and would like some support – whether that’s for you, your team or your business – drop me an email or book a free call, no strings attached.
I’d love to help you with tailormade 1:1 Anti Burnout Business Coaching or Mental Wellbeing Workshops or talks.