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Stress Management Primer

Whether you're late for work, stuck in the wrong line at the supermarket, pushing to meet a deadline, or realizing you can't ignore that growing pile of bills any longer, everyone is acquainted with stress. It's a normal part of life that you can't escape.

Sometimes you encounter a greater degree of stress when you have to cope with emotionally fraught events like divorce, the loss of a job, or the death of someone dear to you. Although you may not realize it, stress accompanies even the happiest occasions in life, like getting married or having a baby.

Everyone experiences stress as physical and emotional tension, and each person experiences stress differently. Too much tension can be unhealthy, resulting in everything from occasional tension headaches to high blood pressure and heart disease. These symptoms are the body's way of signaling that something needs to change. If stress seems to be causing such problems for you, it's a good idea to learn how to reduce these symptoms before they get worse.

Of course, it's impossible to eliminate stress from your life completely, but you can find better ways to deal with it. These techniques can help minimize stress and make it more manageable:

• Planning for major changes
• Eliminating wasted time
• Setting attainable short- and long-term goals
• Allowing yourself time to adapt to change
• Making good nutrition and regular exercise part of your daily routine

Unfortunately, planning doesn't always work, but when something stressful occurs that you couldn't possibly anticipate, it's a good idea to have some sort of release strategy that you know works for you. Some people take a long walk, others say a mantra (a syllable or phrase that is repeated over and over as a means to relax), a lot of people fell soothed by taking a hot bath, and for others, working out at the gym does the trick. Find something that works for you, and use it when you need to. Most people find that the more they use their release strategy, the more effective a release it becomes.

Keep in mind that a release strategy should promote health—and be acceptable to others who may be around. For example, while you may find strumming a guitar to be relaxing, it's probably not a good idea to relieve your stress by blaring an electric guitar in an apartment complex at 3 a.m.

Physical and Mental Issues Associated with Stress

Physical Symptoms

Stress can cause an astonishing variety of problems. Although you may believe that you can handle your stress, the consequences of poorly managed stress can be quite serious, resulting in

• Higher blood pressure and heart disease
• Insomnia and fatigue
• Headache and indigestion
• Backaches, muscle tension, and leg cramps
• Decreased functioning of your immune system

Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms

Most people acknowledge that stress can cause physical problems, although they may not realize how severe such problems can become. But stress can also have emotional and behavioral consequences, such as

• Depression
• Anger and irritability
• Anxiety and worry
• Feelings of helplessness
• Alcohol and substance abuse
• Relationship problems
• Eating disorders

You can make a difference for yourself. With some thought and planning, you can reduce the physical and emotional effects of stress in your life.

Physically, you can begin with a simple step like giving your uncomfortable clothes or shoes to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Then think about making exercise a more integral part of your life. Whether it's shooting some hoops, swimming at the local fitness center, or taking a brisk walk, you can work out the consequences of stress and improve your fitness at the same time. Be sure to consult with a physician before starting any exercise program, especially if you are older than 35.

Exercise goes hand in hand with nutrition, so consider working to improve your diet by lowering the fat content in your food and increasing your intake of fruit, vegetables, and grains.

Make physical contact with the people you care about. Hugs, pats on the shoulder, and massages can help relieve stress and simultaneously shore up a strong relationship.

Exercise, good diet, and personal contact are the positive ways to handle your stress. They're much more efficient than alcohol or drugs. Don't try to mask your stress. Work it out!

Mentally, you can start by thinking about ways to avoid stressful situations. Hate getting stuck in lines? Then pick odd hours for banking at your ATM or doing your grocery shopping. Think through complicated tasks before you start doing them, and if you need help, don't be afraid to ask. Furthermore, when you get that help, be generous and admiring in your gratitude. If you can appreciate what others do for you, they'll notice and reciprocate, and there's nothing like a compliment from a peer or close friend to counter your stress du jour.

A good habit to get into is writing everything down. Things happen so fast, and become so complicated so rapidly, that keeping a written record is about the only way to keep on top of all you have to do—unless you're one of few people in the world with a photographic memory.

Get involved and educate yourself! You may be surprised by how much you enjoy going back to take classes in subjects that really interest you. Continuing your education keeps you stimulated, broadens your horizons, and keeps your mind sharp.

Perhaps the best habit of all is to develop and maintain your sense of humor. Things go wrong and stuff happens. If you can find a way to laugh at it, you vaporize your stress before it even has time to gather strength.

Once you've got your mental and physical practices in play, planning can form the third leg of your stress-reduction triangle. There's the kind of planning that simplifies your daily life, like getting your car serviced before it breaks down, or making duplicates of your important keys just in case you lose them. It's also a good idea to bring reading material, an MP3 player, or work material to any situation, such as a doctor's appointment, where you may be kept waiting.

Beyond the everyday, start thinking about short- and long-term goals. You can set them and start trying to realize them. If you make them realistic, you should be able to accomplish what you intend to, and when you do reach a goal, reward yourself. Go to a movie, get away for a weekend, or take your beloved or best friend to your favorite restaurant.

FAQs

My therapist is emphasizing exercise. Why?

Exercise is a great way to release the physical and mental tensions that stress produces. No other outlet for stress produces results so quickly, and of course, exercise offers other benefits: Being physically fit enhances your overall health and sense of well-being, which are major assets in coping with the stressful events of everyday life. Be sure that it's safe for you to begin an exercise program by talking with your doctor first.

I've got a job that keeps me going 60-70 hours a week, and family responsibilities as well. How can I possibly fit in relaxation and exercise?

Finding the time to relax and take care of yourself requires a shift in thinking that most people find difficult to accomplish. However, for relaxation and exercise, you don't need a lot of time. A 10-minute walk each day at lunchtime or a relaxation tape at bedtime to help you unwind can be very useful. Sometimes you can incorporate exercise and relaxation into your day without spending any extra time to speak of! For example, when you park your car in a parking garage, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Similarly, when you drive into work, listen to your favorite music instead of tuning in to news radio.

Most of all, you need to realize that if you don't find a way to relax and reduce the stresses of your life, you can't possibly be serving either your family or your job as well as you'd like to. Remember, stress management is a journey.