STRESS

Most of us are experts at stress – at getting it, not getting rid of it. Stress spares no one, and many doctors believe it’s the greatest health threat today.

Stress is a natural part of life, of course, and you can’t get rid of it entirely. Nor would you want to, because some stress is good. The excitement of seeing old friends, going to a party, or starting anew job you’ve been looking forward to – these are good kings of stress that can keep you motivated and excited. But a lot of stress isn’t so positive. When you’re worried about life, stress can make you tired and depressed. It saps your strength and keeps you awake at nights. It can even make you sick. Some studies suggest that at least two-thirds of visits to doctors are related to stress.

It’s impossible to avoid stressful situations or moods. What you can do, however, is learn to put stress in perspective so that it doesn’t take over your life. Here’s what doctors advise.

Identify the problems. One of the reasons stress often seems so unmanageable is that it’s hard to put your finger on what, exactly, is bothering you. Suppose, for example, your stress level starts rising on Sunday nights. You know you’re bothered about your job, but what part of your job? Are you in your boss’s bad graces? Is a project giving you trouble? Do you have to give a speech in a few weeks? Until you identify the real source of your stress, you can’t begin to cope with it.

Doctors often recommend making a list of those things that give you stress, from the most mundane and minor to the most serious. Use as much paper as you need. When you’re done, you may be surprised to learn just how much stress there really is in your life. More importantly, you’ll now know some of the things you need to watch out for, and this will help you feel more in control.

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WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTOR
Everyone has different “comfort levels” when it comes to coping with stress.
It’s up to you to recognize when the stress in your life is too much to handle
alone. If you’re experiencing stress every day, or if you’re experiencing stress
every day, or if you’re getting sick much more often than you used to, it’s time
to call your doctor or a professional counselor. In many cases, getting therapy
or even taking medications will make it much easier for you to control stress
rather than have it control you.
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Keep things in perspective. When you have made a list of all the different stresses in your life, try to put them in perspective. Which are truly serious and which are mainly annoying? Of those that are serious, ask yourself just how serious they really are. Some things that seem serious at first may not seem so bad when you put them in perspective. Some people make a point of asking themselves, “will this really matter a year from now?” When the answer is “no,” you’ll know that what you’re dealing with is really short-term problem, and that no matter how bad things seem now, you’re going to get through it – probably a lot quicker than you think.

Get lots of exercise. Doctors agree that physical exercise is one of your stronger allies in the fight against stress. Exercise literally trains your body to cope with all sorts of stress – by strengthening the heart and lungs and by stimulating the release of chemicals in the brain that make you feel calmer and more in control. Exercise can also boost your confidence, which is invaluable when you’re trying to fight stress.

You don’t have to be a hard-core athlete to “train” against stress. In fact, you don’t have to be an athlete at all. Doctors agree that even mild exercise – walking several times a week, for example – will help strengthen all your defenses, including those that are essential for stopping stress.

Put your mind to work. Evidence suggests that you can fight stress simply by harnessing the power of your mind. With a technique called visualization, in which you imagine yourself triumphing over stress, you can actually change the chemistry in your brain, giving yourself more confidence and making it easier to fight whatever life throws at you.

The trick to visualization is to perceive your stress in a visual way. Suppose, for example, you imagine stress as being an elevator at the top of a building. In your mind, imagine that the elevator is slowly coming down, and, as it does, your levels of stress are coming down as well. Take your time. The more thoroughly you create this image in your mind, the more real it will seem. By the time the elevator finally reaches the ground, you’ll know that your stress has come down with it. You may find that you feel calmer than you did before.

Get a massage. Massage has been around for thousands of years. Even the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans knew of its restorative powers. Massage improves blood circulation, reduces muscle tension, stimulates the nervous system, reduces pain and swelling, and aids digestion. It can be incredibly powerful for rejuvenating your mind and spirit and reducing stress.

Take a ‘mental minute.’ One of the reasons stress is so rampant is that many of us hardly ever find time to relax. Yet relaxation has been shown to be incredibly powerful for stopping stress. And you don’t have to spend your entire weekend at the beach (although that would be nice) to get the benefits. Many doctors recommend a strategy called ‘meditative breathing,’ in which you concentrate on your breathing for as few as twenty or thirty seconds. Several times a day, breathe in deeply and hold it for a second. Then slowly breathe out, focusing all your mental energy on your breathing. It sounds easy, and it is. Doing this regularly will create a breathing space between your emotions and your troubles. And at the same time, this sort of concentrated breathing floods your body with oxygen, which will strengthen your entire body and make it better able to handle stress.

De-stress with good nutrition. One of the most intriguing findings of stress research is that what you eat can play a direct role in causing – or reducing – stress. People who are low in the B vitamins, for example, will often feel more anxious ore depressed than folks who get enough. The same is true of vitamin C and other nutrients. You don’t have to load up on supplements to get the benefits of vitamins, although your doctor may recommend that you take one or more of them. For most people, simply eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes will provide an abundance of these “mood-boosting” vitamins.

Count on carbohydrates. Doctors aren’t sure why, but many people are able to help control stress by eating less fat and more carbohydrates, which are found in foods like pasts, cereals, and breads. Carbohydrates produce quick, long-lasting energy that can help you feel more in control. In addition, your body uses carbohydrates to create the brain chemicals that have been shown to lower stress.