Coping with Stress
People are under more stress than ever, experts say, and it's certainly not heart-healthy. How you respond to it is what determines whether you become totally stressed out or you can manage it and maintain your serenity. For the stress you can't avoid, develop a range of stress-management techniques and strategies.
Here are some ways to relieve stress:
Take a moment to relax. Sit in a comfortable chair and practice deep breathing for 5 to 10 minutes. Stress is most damaging if it's unrelenting. Even a few moments of relaxation, mini breaks, stretching, walking or talking with a friend -- can help.
Visualize your happy place. Visualize a relaxing, peaceful place and imagine yourself experiencing it as vividly as possible; you might "hear" the soothing sound of a waterfall or "feel" a gentle breeze on your skin. Stay there as long as you can.
Talk it out. Poor communication is often a source of stress. If you have concerns about your work load, your school, your job, your family, your children or your partner, discuss them.
Exercise helps. Exercise strengthens muscles in your body, including your heart, and improves your circulation so your body can withstand stress. Aerobic activities (which, depending on your fitness level) can include tennis, volleyball, running, swimming and walking are ideal.
Make a social connections. Not having others to talk with only adds to the stress in your life, and can even lead to depression. It is good idea to become involved in church, social or volunteer activities.
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Time management. Managing the many commitments of adult life (including school, work, family and parenthood) can sometimes feel overwhelming and produce a great deal of stress. Time management and problem-solving skills, including careful scheduling with a date book or electronic device, can help people cope with busy days. Right now you can get out your date book or electronic device and schedule what you'll be doing the rest of day today or tomorrow. Also, start thinking about your plans for the rest of the week.
Ineffective responses increase stress but can be moderated or changed.
Get help. If the techniques discussed so far don't provide you with enough relief from the stress in your life, you might want to read and learn more about specific areas you wish to work on, join a support group or get professional help. Short-term psychotherapy can also be tremendously helpful in dealing with stress-related problems.
The more intense the emotional response to stressors, the stronger the physical response.
What You Should Know
Each person's experience of stress depends on many factors, including the nature of the stressor and how the stressor is perceived. A person's emotional and behavioral responses to stressors depend on many different factors, including personality, gender, social environment, and cultural background.
The physical response to a stressor may vary in intensity from individual to individual and situation to situation, but we all experience a similar set of physical changes -- the fight-or-flight reaction.
The fight-or-flight reaction prepares the body for physical action regardless of whether such action is necessary or appropriate response to particular stressor.
Common emotional responses to stressors include anxiety, depression, fear, or exhilaration.
High level of stress over the long term may shrink an area of the brain called the hippocampus.
Emotional and behavioral responses to stressors vary among individuals.
