MindBody Connection - November, 2007
Dealing with Stress
by William Hale, Ph.D., UCS/CBH
Papers, exams, deadlines, commitments, relationships, parents, professors — you name it. All of these, and just about everything else in our lives, can result in STRESS. Just that word alone can cause a stress response in most people. The word itself is anxiety-provoking, even if just mildly so. But even though it is unavoidable, stress is very manageable.
Stress is the normal human 'fight or flight' response that everyone experiences to some degree when danger is perceived. Thousands of years ago, this served a very adaptive purpose in keeping us alive in the face of actual physical dangers (in fighting wild animals or running from them). However, the same responses exist in us today, but the purpose is not so adaptive any more.
Unless we are a zookeeper or hunter we no longer have to deal with wild animals, but our responses to modern stressors can often be the same. When we recognize what we think to be something threatening on any level (a paper deadline or exam approaching), our brains set off a chemical chain reaction that sends our nervous systems into overdrive. You hate how you feel, but in many cases, you do not know exactly how to change it or how to deal with the stressor.
The word "stress" comes from the Latin word "stringere" meaning to draw tight. Pressure from the environment can make us feel very tense inside as we face it. However, it is an unavoidable fact of life. Some stress and certain levels of anxiety are necessary for our survival — and for optimal performance. We need a certain amount of stress in order to perform at our best because it "keeps us on our toes." However, when our stress level exceeds the optimal point, our performance on a task will begin to suffer. Too much stress can not only make our work suffer, but can also prevent us from coping effectively in general and actually make us sick.
Just being alive means we will always experience some level of stress, and it does not all have to come from negative or difficult experiences. There are two basic types of stress: "Eustress" – the 'good' stress we experience from positive life events, such as graduation, winning money, getting a great job, promotion, marriage, buying your dream house, having a new baby, etc.; and "Distress" - the 'bad' stress we experience from negative life experiences, such as academic pressure, financial hardship, family problems, illness, legal trouble, etc. Either form of stress can take a toll on us if we do not learn to deal with it effectively and recognize the warning signs.
Warning Signs of Stress
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Too frequent illnesses
- Irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Headaches or general muscle aches
- Increased alcohol consumption
- Loss of motivation
- Loss of interest in things you like to do
- Unreasonable fears or increased anxiety in general
The key point to remember about stress is this: Stress in and of itself is not brought on by things that happen to us or the demands of our environment. Our stress is the result of our responses to external situations. For the most part, we cannot control external situations but we can learn to manage our responses to those situations more effectively.
Tips for Managing Your Stress
Become aware of your stressors and your responses to them.
- Pay attention to your stress. Do not ignore it or gloss over it.
- Determine what events stress you. Ask yourself how you are interpreting the event. Am I blowing it out of proportion and "catastrophizing" something that is probably not that serious?
Recognize what you can and cannot change about a situation.
- Can you change your exposure to a stressor by avoiding it or taking steps to eliminate it with appropriate action?
- Can you reduce the intensity of a stressor by managing it differently or even delegating it to another person, if appropriate?
- Can you shorten your exposure to it or break up the exposure time? Try taking a break from a stress-inducing problem to relax and rethink the solution.
- Can you approach the stressor differently? Goal-setting, gratification delay, and time management strategies are helpful here.
Reduce the intensity of your reactions to the stressor.
- Again, pay attention to your beliefs about yourself and your ability to handle stressors. Are you giving yourself enough credit for being able to manage things effectively?
- Do not assume every distraction from your task as critical or urgent. PRIORITIZE!
- Stop demanding that everything you do be perfect. Do your best at any task and then move on.
- Are you putting things in perspective? Ask yourself how much any given situation will matter next week, next month, next year – reassess the stressors.
Moderate your physical reactions.
- Slow, deep breathing can help you relax and moderate your heart rate.
- Standing up, stretching, or taking a short walk — even if only for a minute or two — can give you a nice break, calm you down, and reduce your tension.
Treat your body well.
- Eat balanced, nutritious meals whenever possible, avoiding junk food or "stress eating."
- Get some exercise on a regular basis.
- Get a good night's sleep and keep a regular sleep schedule. Relax, but do not nap during the day. Avoid coffee, tea, colas or chocolates after noon. Do not eat before bedtime.
- Avoid alcohol/other drugs when under stress.
- See your doctor if you have any physical symptoms.
Assert yourself.
- Set limits. Say no to unnecessary tasks if appropriate, but offer alternatives.
- Delegate tasks if possible. Always show appreciation and return favors to those who help you out.
- Ask for what you need.
- Point out situations that you see as negative or harmful and offer suggestions on how to improve them.
For more information on stress, check out the American Institute of Stress and Medline Plus.
Issue 24