Stress

There are many things that may cause “stress” in our lives. Relationship situations, problems at work, a schedule that is too busy, children, aging parents…. Everyone experiences stress at least some of the time.

But what is “stress”? Dictionary.com defines it (in the sense used here) as “A specific response by the body to a stimulus [such] as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism” and “Physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.”

So what happens in our bodies when we are under stress? Typically we take shallow breaths or hold our breath, our heart rate increases, our blood pressure goes up, we tense one or more areas of our body, and our sleep may be disturbed. We may ruminate constantly on the source of the stress, accompanied by worry, anger, fear, anxiety, and/or depression. We may have diarrhea, rashes, hair loss, pain, or many other symptoms.

Now I want to stop here and say that just because you are under stress and you are experiencing those symptoms, you should not automatically attribute them to “Stress.” I think that many doctors (and authors) went from failing to take emotions into account, to attributing too many symptoms to emotional causes without looking for a physical organic cause. I believe you should ALWAYS rule out disease processes so that they don’t get overlooked. An underlying disease process, take hypothyroidism for example, can cause you to be less able to cope with stress and appear to be an emotional problem, and the disease can go undiagnosed and untreated if assumptions are made.

So back to stress. The ideal would be of course, to eliminate the sources of the stress to the extent practical and possible. But it’s not always possible or practical, at least not in the short term. We can’t always walk off our job, leave our relationships, etc… Making sudden changes can be more stressful than making some changes with some careful planning. So I think the best way to deal with stress is to have some resources to help get your stress levels down, so you can think of solutions more clearly.

My Recommendations:

Go for a walk 15-30 minutes, three days per week (preferably outside), during your lunch break. Just getting some mild exercise and fresh air can bring your stress levels down and increase your sense of well-being.

If you are able to go to a class once or twice per week, try meditation, yoga, Pilates, dancing (like Zumba), pool aerobics, art, singing, cooking… Now I don’t mean do ALL of those things. Just pick one and try it. If it doesn’t feel right, try something else. The goal is to find something that you enjoy, that takes you out of your normal routine and lifts your spirits.

Learn to say “NO”! Our lives are cluttered with activities that we do to please others. Not that it’s a bad thing to do things that will bring happiness to our loved ones, but sometimes in the long run, it’s better for them to force them to learn to do it themselves than to do it for them. Or we agree to do things for people we don’t even know very well, just to avoid being on the receiving end of their anger or guilt trips. Try making a list for one week of the things that you agree to do that perhaps it would be better to let that person do themself, or things that you agree to do that you didn’t really want to do, and why. The first step to changing a pattern is awareness. How much stress could you eliminate by getting those things off your already-too-busy schedule? Now, I don’t mean never do anything you don’t want to do, and only do the things you want to do. We all have to do things we don’t really want to do. Sure, I’d love to never have to pick up doggie doo, wash dishes and clothes or go grocery shopping, but if I want to have a dog, eat off of clean dishes, or eat, there are some things I have to do. But there are a lot of things I can say “no” to that aren’t basic living skills, and I can definitely insist that others share in the chores that can’t be eliminated from daily life.

If you have kids, reduce the number of extra-curricular activities that you are taking them to. It amazes me how much homework and activities kids have these days, not to mention birthday parties. I don’t have kids myself, but when I hear parents talk about all the driving and activities, I can understand why you all are so stressed and tired, particularly if you already have a 40-hour/week job outside the home. I saw a TV show a few years back that reported on a study on ADD kids, and the kids did much better when they had some “down-time” instead of being constantly on-the-go. They were overstimulated, and I think that’s a big problem in today’s society in general. We are constantly on-the-go, have very little time to just rest, and are continually over-stimulated. We are teaching our kids these same patterns.

If possible, get some acupuncture and/or a massage. Both the treatments themselves and taking an hour to rest and do something for yourself are beneficial in helping you cope with stress, even if the cause can’t be changed immediately. If cost is an issue, you may be able to find low-cost treatments at massage or acupuncture schools, or at a “Community Acupuncture” clinic where you are needled in a room with other people.

Stop drinking coffee and other sources of caffeine such as pop and energy drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine increases stress, irritability, and pain. It can also disturb your sleep, even if you don’t drink it past mid-day, and sleeplessness increases stress and decreases your ability to cope with it. The first couple of weeks may be challenging, but I promise you will feel better when you cut back or eliminate caffeine.

Make a plan. If some of your sources of stress come from a toxic relationship or work situation, just making a plan to get out of those situations, even if you don’t end up acting on it immediately, will make you feel better. If you know you have options, it gives you the choice of acting on them when you are ready to make a change. Counseling sessions can help you sort out what is keeping you from making a needed change, provide support resources, and help you proceed in a way that is in your best interests.

These are just some suggestions. Notice how almost all of them come down to taking more relaxation/down-time and reducing sources of stress. It’s really about doing less rather than more. It may even feel uncomfortable or produce anxiety at first to have some unscheduled time, or you may feel guilty, particularly if someone else is heaping the guilt on. Trust me, you’ll get over both when you see how good it feels and how much relief you get.

Disclaimer: The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. Information on this web site is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. The products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or, medical problems. Nutritional benefits may vary from one person to another.