Stressed Out?

by Maryann

Ongoing chronic stress can make the easiest tasks seem difficult, and more complex duties downright impossible. Chronic stress can be a factor in high blood pressure and heart disease, digestive difficulties, immune suppression, as well as contribute to anxiety, depression, and fatigue.

Oftentimes, we find that one stressful event can build upon another. Individual incidents, which are relatively easy to deal with in isolation, can become an overwhelming burden when combined with other events. A breakfast argument at home or an especially hectic commute can make the workday hard to tolerate and less productive which increases stress even more. So, how can we act to reduce our level of stress?

Stress-Busters

1. Deep Breathing. Take a deep breath then let it out very slowly. Try to take twice as long to exhale as to inhale. Breathe down into your abdomen, not just your chest, then exhale very slowly. Do this for a few minutes several times a day.

2. Body Scanning. Assume a comfortable sitting position.

• Close your eyes and breathe slowly.
• Think about a muscle area starting either at the top of the head or at the feet.
• As you breathe out, feel the tension in that area slip away.
  
• Move throughout the body scanning muscles for tension and replace it with relaxation as you exhale.

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation. Assume a comfortable sitting position.

• Close your eyes and breathe slowly.
• As you continue to breathe slowly, feel the tension leave your body and feel your body becoming heavy.
• Perform progressive relaxation of muscles by tightening muscles during inhalation and relaxing muscles during inhalation and relaxing muscles during exhalation.
• Begin with muscles in the feet and progress upward through the body muscles.

4. Mental Imagery. Think of a very peaceful, soothing and relaxing scene. While focusing on this, breathe slowly and naturally.

5. Create a Personal Music Tape. Assess your muscular tension (more relaxed? more stimulated? tighter? tenser? calmer?) as you listen to various types of music. The more regularly you use the tape, the more effective it will become. Music therapy can help balance the body and mind and be incorporated into daily living.

6. Do Something for Someone Else. Change your focus. Doing volunteer work, something for the family, or something for a neighbor can help distract you from too much self-focus on your problems.

7. Say "No" More Often. Lean how to say my favorite four-letter word: "NONO!" Here are some guidelines to saying "NO":

• Be honest, open, direst and polite... "I'm sorry, but I can't."
• Don't make excuses.
• By saying "no", you're gaining respect.

Certain times in our lives are more stressful than others. If stress builds to the point where it seems overwhelming, and your regular ways of coping with stress don't seem to be working, it is helpful to talk with someone about the issues creating the stress.

Cultivate social support from friends and family; take time for rest -- even 15 minutes can recharge your batteries; get enough sleep; pay attention to your physical health by eating right and exercising regularly; and realize it's OK to have limits. There are only so many hours in a day and so much energy in the body. Cut yourself some slack and live a healthy life -- physically, emotionally and spiritually.