 Stress is normal. It is the reaction of the mind and body to new, unpleasant or threatening situations. That reaction…which can include increased heart rate and respiration, heightened awareness and a sudden increase in adrenaline and other hormones…serves to prepare us for quick action to protect ourselves. It is how we survive in emergencies and is how we, as a species, have managed to survive on this planet.
Yet, it is important to understand the difference between normal stress reactions and chronic stress.
Under normal situations, when the emergency or threat has passed, our heart rate and other body processes quickly return to normal.
However, when the stress is long-standing or chronic, it can be hazardous to your health, because the same physical reactions that may save our lives in a threatening situation can become in themselves life-threatening. If you are under constant assault by your own stress hormones, you may be at increased risk for heart ailments, clinical depression and some studies suggest even cancer.
How do I know if I’m suffering from chronic stress?
Physical symptoms of chronic stress can include muscle tension, upset stomach, heartburn, sore throat, colds, headaches, difficulty sleeping, menstrual irregularities, hypertension and diarrhea among others.
Emotional symptoms of chronic stress may include anger, anxiety, depression, difficulty with decision making, loneliness, nervousness, worry, unwanted weight gain, neglect of appearance and concentration difficulties.
Why does chronic stress have such far-reaching effects?
Try this experiment.
Pick up a book...any book.
Stretch out your arm while holding the book. Notice the weight of the book.
Now, continue holding the book with your arm outstretched for two minutes, three minutes, four, five. As the minutes go by, how heavy does it feel?
The weight of the book is insignificant. What matters is how long you try to hold it.
If you hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If you hold it for an hour, you’ll have an ache in your arm.
If you hold it for a day, you’re probably going to need medical attention.
Yet, the book’s weight doesn’t change. It simply SEEMS to become heavier the longer you hold it.
That’s how it is with stress. Our day-to-day stress issues become increasingly heavy, and eventually something has to give. All too often it is our health.
So, what are the options?
There are two.
One… put the book down and never pick it up again.
Two…put it down long enough to rest and regain your strength before you must pick it up again.
· Obviously, the first solution is the best. You may be carrying around burdens out of habit or you may be carrying someone else’s book. Either way, it may be time to evaluate things and see if the particular stress you’re carrying around is absolutely necessary for your day-to-day existence.
Imagine you have a book for each of the stress producers in your life…one for your job, one for your kids, one for your marriage, one for each of your daily responsibilities and so forth. Is it possible to put a few of your books down and leave them behind?
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
· Is there anything I can do to make my morning routine easier? What if I got up earlier, prepared for the day the night before or delegated duties to other family members?
· How can I cut down on my morning commute stress? Can I leave earlier, take a different route, use public transportation or perhaps just listen to soothing music in the car?
· Am I trying to be Superwoman or Superman? Am I realistic about what I believe MUST be done every day? How can I streamline my housework, yard work, laundry and cooking responsibilities?
· Am I having the same arguments over and over with my spouse/children/parents/co-workers? Is it time to go to a third party for help?
· Am I afraid to say NO? Do I measure my self-worth by my volunteerism and community activities?
· Am I absorbing bad “vibes” from the media? Is it really necessary to indulge in the 24-hour news cycle and hear the same story about death and mayhem 12 times in one day? Is it possible for me to read the headlines or listen to one newscast and still be a responsible citizen?
Alone, each of these circumstances and others you might add to the list, may seem manageable. But, remember, it is the cumulative affect of stress that matters. Eliminate just a few of your daily stress producers and you’ll be amazed at how your life will change.
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Our second option is to put your book down long enough to rest and regain your strength before you have to pick it up again.
· Obviously there are some responsibilities we can’t and should not wish to escape. Parenting, caring for older adults, work and money management are issues we all must face every day. What matters is how we handle them.
Multi-tasking is considered a valuable quality these days. But, it may be making us sick. That’s why one of the most important lessons we can learn in dealing with unavoidable stress is to deal with one thing at a time whenever possible.
If you are holding your child-care book at arm’s length, don’t stack the book from your office on top of it and try to hold them both at the same time. When you get home from work, leave your work at the office and concentrate on your family. When you’re at work, leave your family problems at home and concentrate on your job. Yes, it’s tough. It takes the ability to be “in the moment” and that’s a tough skill to master. But, if you try it for a few days, you’ll find yourself to be more relaxed and actually better able to handle the feelings from each unavoidable stress-producer in your life.
· Once you’ve mastered the task of carrying one book at a time, then it’s important to learn how to put all your books down on occasion and give your emotions and your body a rest. Easier said than done? No, easier than you think.
It doesn’t take a week’s vacation to lay your burdens down long enough to get the break you need from stress. As a matter of fact, vacations are some of our greatest stress producers! It’s the little ways in which we give ourselves a break every day that really make the biggest difference in how we handle stress. Here are some ideas:
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Set boundaries on work time and keep to them.
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Minimize interruptions.
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Do your best to stay organized.
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Make a point to have some fun every day. Balance work with play.
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Break big jobs into small portions.
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Recognize and celebrate your own accomplishments.
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Take breaks. Fifteen minutes in the morning and afternoon and some quiet time before bed are the minimum.
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Learn to say No!
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Get enough sleep. Eight hours is the minimum required to stay healthy until age 50 when sleep requirements decrease to seven hours.
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Watch what you eat and how much you eat. Five to six mini meals a day keep your metabolic engine running efficiently and also give you short breaks throughout the day.
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Exercise every day for at least 20 minutes. Many studies show that physical exercise is one of the two or three most effective ways to reduce the damaging effects of chronic stress on the human body. The results are good even if you split your exercise time into 10 minute or 5 minute increments. The point is to get moving.
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Do not use alcohol or drugs to mask chronic stress symptoms.
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Don't be afraid to ask for help from a trusted friend, pastor or professional counselor when you feel you can't handle your stress alone.
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Try visualization or prayer. (Imagine a peaceful place where you have no responsibilities. Go to that place in your mind several times a day. Imagine the sights, sounds and smells of the place. Breathe deeply while you are in that place in your mind. Your body will respond as if you were actually in that peaceful place and your heart rate, respiration and stress hormone balances will return to normal.) Just three minutes of quiet meditation, visualization or prayer a couple of times a day can have a tremendous impact on your ability to handle stress.
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Hug and allow yourself to be hugged.
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Laugh every single day without fail. Laughter produces all kinds of good chemicals and hormones in your body and brain which serve to counteract the effects of stress hormones. Make this a priority. Keep a collection of CDs, books or magazines that always make you laugh or find a good clean joke site on the internet. No matter how you do it, laughter really is good medicine.
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Don't try to go it alone. Look to a higher power even for your everyday troubles. Grow friendships so that you'll always have a mentor or go-to guy when you need him.
In conclusion, stress is normal. But, you don’t have to become a victim of your own daily stress. Take an honest look at the burdens you’re carrying. Lay down those you don’t have to carry and learn to take breaks from those you cannot lay down. Take care of yourself mentally and physically so that you will be strong enough to handle inevitable stress, but take breaks from them every day…even for a few minutes.
Click on the following printer-friendly link for more tips on handling stress.
Print it out and put it on your fridge or post it at your office to remind you to keep things in perspective.
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Think your job may be stressing you out?
Check out the questionnaire from the Mayo Clinic and get some suggestions for handling work-related stress.
Click on the following link:
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