|
As seen in
Ipswich Chronicle, by Lifestyle Columnist, Sandra Bemis
Ipswich - You may be finding it difficult
to cope with life challenges more than usual. The February blues are starting to
hit. The winter has been colder and snowier than recent years. Media continually
reminds us how bad it is everywhere. Economy, lay-offs, global warming, excess
chemicals in our lives and trying to live green in a not-so-green world...it's
no wonder why stress is at an all time high.
Stress can be good for motivation and keeping us safe in emergency
situations, but the majority of the time, stress does a lot of negative things
to our body, mind and spirit. Stress is well known to lower the immune system,
inhibiting us from fighting colds, flu and other illnesses. Stress is a
contributing factor to many negative feelings we have both physically and
emotionally. Symptoms of excessive stress include feelings of anxiousness,
problems sleeping, focus, muscle tension, headaches, stomach, digestion issues
and social withdrawal, to name only a few. According to Mass. General Hospital,
roughly 60 to 90 percent of doctor visits are for conditions related to stress.
Stress creeps into our psyche without our knowing. When was the last time you
really focused on a song's words to learn them. I'm sure not often. But you'll
sing to the songs on the radio and know the words. When the media is playing in
the background of your life, the negativity of the news creeps into your
unconscious mind in the same way and stresses you out.
It is helpful to identify where we hold stress in our physical body. Take a
moment and close your eyes. Think of a stressful event. Scan your body. Where is
it affecting you? Are your jaw or fists clenched? Are your shoulders up to your
ears? Observe your stomach and breathing patterns. Notice where and how you are
physically holding on to stress, so when life happens, you can identify the
physical traits and use techniques to reduce them.
Take some time to practice even small stress management techniques. You'll be
surprised how even small blocks of a couple minutes here and there help.
Common stress busters are yoga and other forms of exercise, eating well,
drinking plenty of water and listening to calming music.
Other effective ways to cope are:
Turn off for a while. Turn off the news, your cell phone, PDA and other
communication devices. Turn off your brain from thinking and just be in the
moment. Take a walk, focus on nature or even your footsteps. Be in the moment
not matter what you're doing.
Belly breath. Most of us breathe using only the upper portions of our lungs.
Learning correct belly breathing promotes blood flow and increases oxygen
supply. Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. Take a deep
breath by expanding your stomach and chest at the same time. Doing a few belly
breaths, you'll see your shoulders drop and a relaxation response begin to
happen.
Take a vacation in your mind. Visualize a favorite place you've been to or
one you'd like to visit. Use all your senses. If your favorite place is Crane's
Beach in the summer, see the sand, feel the warmth of the sun enveloping your
entire body, hear the waves roll in and out as you breath. Visualizing touching
a shell as you pick it up. Be creative in your visualizations. Taking a
10-minute mind vacation is a great afternoon pick me up from stress.
Neuromuscular relaxation is tightening muscles for a few seconds and then
releasing them. The process naturally forces the muscles to return to a relaxed
position. Working from head to feet or feet to head, flexing and releasing
muscle groups.
Relaxation is a powerful antidote to stress. As stress management is
practiced, the body learns to cope in times of need. Do yourself a favor, teach
it to cope.
|
