How To Control Stress
Research has shown that the stress hormone cortisol reduces to
person's ability to retrieve information and memory. Even
worse, this same stress hormone is linked to progressive
shrinking of the hippocampus-an important memory center in the
temporal region. High levels of stress also promote depression,
which severely impAirs memory and increases the risk for
deMentia.
How To Control Stress
How To Control Stress
How To Control Stress
How To Control Stress
To reduce stress, try relaxation exercises. Sit quietly and
breathe deeply and slowly. Relax each part of your body,
starting with the top of your head and finishing with your toes.
Look for humor in tense situations and talk about your feelings
with family members, friends or a therapist, if necessary.
Try reducing stress and anxiety with fresh, naturalscents. In
general they induce a calming state. In one recent study,
volunteers became extremely anxious when they were confined in
coffin-like tubes, but then calmed down when the tubes were
infused with the smells of green apple and cucumber. These
odors seem to have an impact on the limbic systems, the
emotional center of the brain.
If you anticipate a situation where you will feel anxious, try to
shampoo with green-apple flavored shampoo. Here are a few tips
that will lower stress in five minutes or less:
* Move around.
* Walk rapidly around your workplace.
* Take a quick walk around the block.
* Climb rapidly up and down a flight of stAirs to really get the
heart pumping.
* Do jumping jacks in place 15.
* Stretchwhile seated at your desk. Link your fingers under a
knee and draw it to your chest. Repeat with your other knee.
This stretches the legs and the lower back.
* Stretch your arms above your head, palms up and fingers
linked. Dangle hands at your sides, then raise right shoulder
to right ear, keeping the head vertical. Repeat this with the
left shoulder. Finally, flex and bend back the fingers of each
hand. Hand stretches are especially important if you use a
Computer for long periods.
* Take 10 deep breaths long. Your belly should expand as you
inhale and contract as you exhale.
* Massage your eyes by placing your palms over them and apply
gentle pressure while spiraling your palms. Try the same
technique for your ears.Periodically, try to block out all
sight and sound for just a second or two. Researchers report
that this can be a refreshing experience from a psychological
standpoint.
* ExperiMent with aroma therapy. A drop of citrus essential oil
like lemon-lime or orange is refreshing for your office or home
and is not overbearing.
* Early morning sleep is really the most restful sleep you can
get. Men sent to bed at 2:15 am and awakened at 6:15 am
slept more soundly than ones sent to bed at 10:30 and awakened
at 2:30 am So, if you are stressed and can get only four
hours of sleep, stay up as late as possible to get the most
benefit from your limited sleep. This does not replace a full
night's sleep. Resume normal sleep pattern asquickly as
possible.
Meditation is a favorite stress buster for some people. Getting
away from the everyday hassles of the world and turning your
thoughts inward is a great stress buster. Meditation helps you
see the objectivity in your own life and thoughts in a detached
manner. Meditation is proven to reduce anxiety, work related
stress ... and blood pressure, too.
There are many meditation techniques, but here is a common one
that is simple:
* Sit quietly and comfortably in a place where you will not be
disturbed.
* Focus your attention on your breathing.
* Feel the breath as it comes into your nose .... and when it
goes out.
* Other thoughts will enter your mind. Just observe them and let
them go. Returnyour attention to your breath.
Start practicing meditation for five to 10 minutes a day,
gradually increasing it to 20 to 30 minutes. Keep a clock nearby
so you can keep track of the time but don't use an alarm that
might be jerk you back to full alertness too quickly.
Regular moderate exercise reverses much of the damage caused by
stress and can also improve immune system function, lower blood
pressure and improve your mood. The reason is because any
physical activity negates the fight-or-flight response and can
leave you feeling less tense, anxiety free and invigorated.
Aerobic exercise is an effective stress buster but you may be
more suited to relaxed walking.
Any exercise that suits you is fine. Just be sure to do it for
atleast 20 minutes each day. Don't overdoen it, however, because
more is not necessarily good for you.
Human beings have an inborn affinity for nature. The scientific
name for it is "biophilia." What that means is we enjoy things
having to do with nature. Having "natural" things around us is
psychologically beneficial. For example:
* Having an office with a view is not just prestigious. Studies
have shows that workers who have a view of grass and trees
exhibit less stress than who look at parking lots.
* Dentists who have an aquarium in their waiting room report
that their patients are less anxious.
* Eating lunch on a park bench will relax your body.
* To reduce stress, try spending time in the garden and
your troubles willseem unimportant.
* Living in the city has its own stress factors. When it
comes to a vacation, try planning it in a totally different
environMent like the mountains or seaside.
* Research studies show that people who have pets are
generally healthier and have better methods of coping with
stress. Consider obtaining a cat, dog or even a bird.
Humor is a great stress buster. Keeping a sense of humor and
learning not to take yourself so seriously definately helps.
It's hard to remain stressed when you are laughing at yourself.
Try looking for the lighter side of every situation. Indulge
your taste for entertaining books and movies.
If you have a favorite cartoon or saying, cut it out and put it
on your bathroom mirror orrefrigerator.
Try Silly antics. Things that you would normally not even
consider like walking in the rain or feeding birds in the park.
Cultivate friendships. Having close ties with others can make
you feel warm inside. Having someone to talk to about your
problems makes the problems much easier to deal with.
Just having a friend helps reduce your blood pressure and
research has shown that those who have lots of friends tend to
have a lower level of cholesterol and strong immune systems.
Following a high carb, low protein diet can help with reducing
stress for a short period of time, but should not be undertaken
on a long term basis as the carbs represent just a short term
energy boost.
Other Foods are Foods that fight stressthat are rich in
vitamins C and A like raw carrots peppers and broccoli. There's
a bonus as well, chewing crunchy Foods helps to dissipate the
tension.
How about some natural therapies for stress? Here are a few:
* Lavender-Use the flowers. This is a beautiful herb
and is widely used. Many do not realize that it is an effective
treatment for headaches related to stress. Also good for
depression.
* St. Johns Wort-Taken internally, has a sedative and
pain reducing effect. Use in treatment of neuralgia, anxiety,
tension and similar problems.
* Vervain-Also known as Wild Hyssop. Will strengthen
the nervous system while easing depression and melancholia.
Good for fever and best for colds, and formenopausal
irritations.
Here are more tips to consider for reducing stress:
* This one is a "no-brainer" and we won't go into detail
here, but if you are a smoker-STOP!
* Try to avoid tight deadlines, keep your schedule looser.
* Ask for help instead of insisting on doing it all
yourself.
TAKE A STRESS TEST
The standard tests that doctors use to tell whether you are an
easily stressed "hot reactor" (and at greater risk for disease)
are pretty simple, so take your pick, says Frank Barry, M.D.,
family practice physician in Colorado Springs and author of Make
the Change for a Healthy Heart. For the first two tests, you'll
want to take a blood pressure reading twice "once before the
test and once during thetest "for comparison.
Test 1: Chill out. In Test 1, put your hand into a bucket of
cold water for one minute and have someone measure your blood
pressure right after you have done it. If it goes up into the
high range in response to physical stress, you are a "hot
reactor. "
Test 2: Do some math. Test 2 is a little more cerebral. Start
with the number 100 and mentally subtract 7, then continue to
subtract 7 until you get to 2. In the midst of your figuring,
have your blood pressure taken. "There's no exercise, no threat
to your life, but a lot of people still feel mental stress and
their blood pressure shoot up, "says Dr. Barry.
Test 3: Talk to yourself. You can also test yourself without
the shock of cold wateror the mental anguish of math. As
yourself: "Are you working toward your own true goals or
someone else 's? "If you are busy trying to keep up with the
Joneses, you're still in the rat race, even if you have reTired.
You're much more likely to feel the effects of stress regardless
of whether you're a "hot reactor," says Dr. Barry.
CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM
The greatest challenges to your confidence as when you're
facing a situation that looks impossible. When this happens, you
must tap in to the unseen force of self-assurance so that you
can press beyond supposed limits. It's not a matter of what
things look like on the outside-the key is to recognize what
you have working on the inside.
Confidence is often themissing link to seeing yourself
accomplish the impossible. You just have to believe that you
have what it takes to be successful, and don't back down from
your capable stance.
You are in control of your thoughts. If you choose to believe
you have confidence that you're energized-then you will be.
The next time you face a big challenge, take a deep breath and
fill your heart with the belief that you have unlimited energy
running through your veins. Build your confidence by reflecting
on those things you've already accomplished. If you did it once,
you can certainly do it again.
Today, receive the confidence you deserve-and you'll find that
you always had it within you.
Don't confuse self-esteem with arrogance: Arrogance is anover
evaluation of your worth, while self-esteem is a healthy opinion
of yourself-it's valuing yourself to the point that you don't
allow other people or negative situations and circumstance to
influence the way you feel about yourself. Until you value
yourself, you won't value anything, and other people won't value
you either. After all, your relationship with yourself is the
most important one you'll ever have.
When you're filled with self-doubt, give yourself a little pep
talk. Repeat
"[Your name], you are great! You are a unique individual, a new
kind of person the world has never known. You were born to do
well. You were born to succeed. You were born to bless the lives
of others. You were born to be great, and you have whatit takes
to be great. You are enthusiastic, optimistic, and a change-
embracer. You are a giver, rather than a taker. You are
organized. You are a hard worker. You are happy. You are a
master over yourself, you are a leader. You are a big thinker.
As blessed as you are with all these talents, there isn't one
thing in the world you can't do. You will never fail. [Your
name], go out and make today an ' attitude is everything "G'day!"
By making this profession every day, you'll experience an
awesome self-esteem boost! Remember, you are priceless-your
past is history, and your future is now!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Let's review some of what you have learned about stress. Steel
will snap from it and a pressure cooker will blow itslid.
Stress, pressure, tension is a fact of everyday life for most of
GE.
Remember that it puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke,
backache, headache, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, sports
injuries and infertility.
Stress can trigger serious illness like Graves ' and
fibromyalgia. Stress makes us even more susceptible to the
common cold.
With your health at stake, it is essential to use some of the
methods we have discussed. Also, it's important that you
remember that stress is a physiological response. It isn't all
in your head! You owe it to yourself to take the time to use
the stress-reducing techniques on a daily basis.
We've already given you a great selection, but we want to make
certain that you have awide range of coping skills to use at
home, work and other places. So here are an additional 12 keys
to stress reduction to help you open the door to a more relaxing
life. They contain dozens of additional helpful hints. Choose
those are best suited for you.
Breathe deeply. Relax your muscles, expanding your stomach and
chest. Exhale slowly. Repeat several times.
Follow your breath as it flows in and out. Do not try to
control it. This is a good way to relax in the midst of any
activity. This technique allows you to find a breathing pattern
that is natural and relaxing to you.
Use this yoga technique: Inhale slowly, counting to eight.
Exhale through your mouth, even more slowly, counting to
sixteen. Make a sighing sound as youexhale, and feel tension
dissolves. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise, such as walking and
swimming, produces brain chemicals that uplift your mood and
mental well-being. Exercise also improves sleep and gives you
time to think and focus on other things. Beware of compulsive
exercise, however.
Yoga is an age old system for stretching and strengthening the
muscles. Take a class or learn at home with a good book or
video.
Neck and shoulder exercises are useful for the desk-bound and
arthritis sufferers.
Neck roll: Look to the right, then roll your head forward, as
if you are trying to touch your chin to your chest. Keep
rolling until you are looking over your left shoulder. Repeat
in the otherdirection.
Shoulder lift: Relieve tension in the neck by lifting the
shoulders toward the ears, then dropping them as low as they
will go. Repeat 10 times.
Eat healthy Foods. You should never skip meals. Take time out
for lunch no matter how busy you are.
Carry nutritious snacks to the office, or even the shopping
mall. A nutritionally balanced diet is important. For example,
researchers have found that even small deficiencies of thiamine,
a B-complex vitamin, can cause anxiety symptoms. Pantothenic
acid, another B-complex vitamin, is critical during times of
stress.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large amounts of sweets, which can
aggravated symptoms of stress.
Don't let others get you down. Choose positive friends whoare
not worriers. Friends who constantly put you down or talk
gloomily about life will increase your anxiety.
Ask a good friend to help you talk out a problem and get it off
your chest. A long-distance call to an old pal can be great
therapy.
Forgive others instead of holding grudges. Relax your standards
-for yourself and others. Perfectionism is not the way to
happiness. Become more flexible.
Communicate clearly with your co-workers and boss. Ask
questions. Repeat instructions that you are given. Pmc
directions at the start of a project can save hours later
straightening out misunderstandings.
Be truthful with others. Lies and deception lead to stress that
always takes it toll.
Be optimistic. Countyour blessings, especially when everything
seems to go wrong. Believe that most people are doing the best
that they can.
Don't blow out of proportion problems. Live by a philosophy of
life that whittles problems down to size. The maxim, "Live one
day at a time, "has helped millions.
Plan your time wisely. And realistically. For example, don't
schedule back-to-back meetings with tight travel time. Remember
to leave room for unanticipated events "both negative and
positive. Be flexible about rearranging your agenda.
Get up 15 minutes early in the morning. Allow an extra 15
minutes to get to all appointments.
Avoid procrastination. Whatever needs doing, do it now.
Schedule unpleasant tasks early, so that you won't have toworry
about them for the rest of the day.
Keep an appointment book. Don't rely on your memory.
Do one thing at a time. Focus your attention on the person
talking to you or the Job at hand, instead of worrying about
other things. This also reduces mistakes---which lead to
more anxiety.
Be prepared to wait. Carry a book to read in case of delays.
Say "no" to requests that stretch to the limits.
Delegate. You don't have to do it all yourself. Break a Job
into separate tasks and assign them to people with the
appropriate skills. Then leave them alone to do their work.
Prevent problems before they occur. This takes some planning.
If you are flying to another city for an important meeting,
carry your presentationmaterials and Dress suit on board the
plane. Baggage does get lost.
Buy gas for the car before the tank is empty. Get regular oil
changes and checkups.
Keep food staples on hand so you can fix a Fast meal without
going to the store.
Keep food, toilet paper and toiletries on hand so you never run
out. The same goes for posTAGe stamps, paper and envelopes.
Keep duplicate keys for home, car and office secure
locations.
Retreat to recharge your spirit. Schedule private time every
day. You deserve it. UnPlug the telephone and enjoy a quiet
evening alone or with your family, or even 15 uninterrupted
minutes in the shower or bathtub.
You may want to spend a few minutes writing your feelings out in
a journal. It canhelp you find a new perspective and relieve
hidden conflicts.
Here are more spirit rechargers:
Wear earPlugs for instant peace anytime, anyplace.
Learn a meditation technique. Two methods: Observe your
thoughts as they pass through your mind. Or, repeat a word or
phrase with an uplifting meaning.
Practice progressive relaxation for 20 minutes twice a day to
relive high blood pressure and other physiological responses to
stress. Tighten and release each muscle group in turn, starting
with the soles of the feet and slowly working up to the scalp.
Plan a weekend activity that is a change of pace. If your week
is heavily scheduled, relax and enjoy noncompetitive activities.
If you are never able to finish anything during the week,choose
a project that you can complete in a few hours on Saturday or
Sunday.
Take time out for a diversion in the middle of your workday.
When the pressures of completing a project are too great, your
productivity can drop. Take a walk or stop for lunch.
Savor life's little delights. Give yourself some physical
pleasure to help your stress slip away.
Treat yourself to a professional Massage, or trade Massages with
a loved one.
Give yourself permission to enjoy a movie, Watch a sports event,
listen to music or read a book.
Savor a soothing cup of chamomile herb tea with a Dollop of
honey. Chamomile has long been used to relieve nervous tension.
Plan a day of beauty with a friend. Do each other's hAir, or
paint yournails and chat.
Create a simple steam facial at home by boiling water. Partitioncollection.remove
the pan from the stove. Cover your head with a large towel so
that it creates a tent over the pot. Steam your face for five
or 10 minutes. Add aromatic herbs to the water for a sensual
touch.
Focus completely on any of the senses "hearing, seeing, eating
or body movements "for a few minutes. Even washing your hands
can become a sensual experience.
Use visualization and affirmation techniques. You can inoculate
yourself against a situation you fear by going over the event in
your mind. Imagine the scene in vivid detail and picture the
the best possible outcome.
You can also shrink an imagined fear down to size by picturing
the worst possibleresults. Imagine describing this worst case
to your best friend the next day and the sympathy you receive.
Imagine telling a group of friends the next month, who share
their similar experiences. Finally, imagine joking about your
unpleasant experience with a complete stranger a year later. If
you carry this exercise through to the end, your stress will
become something to laugh about.
Replace negative self talk with affirmations. The chatterbox in
your mind is filled with gloom: You're too fat ... you're too
old ... you'll never amount to anything. Like the little engine
that could, nourish your mind with a constant stream of "I know
"I can."
Get enough sleep. Determine how much sleep you require for
optimum performance.Sleep deprivation aggravates the body's
responses to stress. Consider setting an alarm clock to remind
yourself that it is time to go to bed.
Strive for your dreams. Plan ahead to meet your most cherished
goals in life.
Time management experts emphasize the importance of writing down
your important goals.
Break big projects down into a series of small steps that you
can work on every day. Want to change Jobs? Make one phone
call contact today. Is writing a book your dream? Commit to
writing one page a day.
Knowing that you are striving toward your dreams relieves
frustrations that mount when you feel stuck in a rut of endless
responsibilities that seem to lead nowhere.
How To Control Stress
