We hear about it and we experience it, but what is it?
Stress has been humorously defined as: The confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living daylights out of some jerk who desperately deserves it.
Unfortunately, it's not humorous, it's a very serious part of modern life (actually ancient life too). Do you know the heart-pounding feeling you experience when a car runs a stop light and you nearly hit it? How about the exasperation you feel when the phone is ringing, the baby is crying, the TV is on too loud, there is someone at the door and you're late to pick up your child at school? What about when the boss comes into your office yelling at you about a late report? These are the feelings that accumulate to constitute what we know as stress.
An office manager arrives at his department and sees an employee sitting behind his desk totally stressed out. He gives him the advice, "I went home every afternoon for two weeks and made love to my wife. It was fantastic and it really helped, you should try it too!" Two weeks later when the manager arrives at his department he sees the man happy and full of energy at his desk. The faxes are piling up and the computer is running at full speed. "I see you followed my advice?" "I did", answers the employee, "It was great! By the way I didn't know you had such a nice house!"
The physiological response to danger or other external stimuli, entitled the Fight or Flight Response,once protected and aided humans and other animals by discharging hormones, particularly cortisol and adrenalin, into the bloodstream making them temporarily stronger and faster for defense or escape. When we are in physical danger this is a good, positive response. However, contemporary stress primarily stems from psychological stimuli such as those created in the home and work environment, rather than the occasional physical stimuli, so it tends to be more persistent. When we are subjected to these stimuli all day every day, this is known as chronic stress. The continuing higher levels of these hormones in our bodies become detrimental to our physiological systems because they don't have an opportunity to return to normal function. At this point we are considered stressed, stressed out or sometimes just overwhelmed.
Our body experiences distress signals in a variety of ways, often in the form of: irritability, anger, anxiety, depression, fatigue, tension headaches, stomach aches, hypertension, migraines, ulcers, or colitis. Eventually, stress can lead to even more serious diseases including heart disease, stroke, effect on the immune system, gastrointestinal problems, eating disorders, weight gain, diabetes, muscular and joint pain, headaches, sleep disorder, sexual and reproductive dysfunction, memory, concentration, learning disability, allergies, skin disorders, unexplained hair loss, teeth and gums problems and substance abuse. Medical researchers estimate that up to 90% of illness and disease is stress-related and more than 50% of adult Americans suffer adverse health effects due to stress.
That's the bad news. The good news is that stress is manageable, workable, and reversible; though it is a natural occurrence and cannot be eliminated, every effort should be made to manage it!
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.
~Jennifer Yane
To keep hormone levels healthy and under control, the body's relaxation response should be activated after the fight or flight response occurs. You can learn to relax your body with various stress management techniques, and you can make lifestyle changes in order to modify your body's reaction to stress in the first place. Try some of these means to reduce stress:
Keep a positive attitude. Try to not let external events affect your well being.
Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga, tai-chi or soak in hot tub.
Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
Manage your time more effectively - one way is through Goal Setting and making lists.
Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that create tension in your life.
Make time for hobbies and interests.
Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.
Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you love.
Perform a simple act of kindness for someone else.
Consider adding just one or more of these tips to your daily routine to help keep your stress levels down and your positive motivation up. Even if you don't feel like you are being stressed, you probably are. You just haven't been overwhelmed, which is good. These same techniques can help prevent that from happening. If you can't seem to reduce your stress using these self-help methods seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in stress management or biofeedback techniques to learn more healthy ways of dealing with the stress in your environment.
Stress is the trash of modern life - we all generate it but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life. ~Danzae Pace
We'll get into meditation next time; the benefits and techniques. Meanwhile, chill out!
Gene Rutt
Where Did It Go, P.O. Box 1460, Dickinson, TX 77539, USA
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