| |
| |
|
Stress Management Information |
|
The ABCs of Stress Management
A while back, I was in a minor fender-bender accident, and as the police officer filled out the report, I gave him my business card with my name and phone number. When he saw "stress management" listed he said, "We've got to talk!" That's most people's reaction when they find out what I do. Many people say they feel stressed, and most people would probably agree that being a police officer is stressful, but it's amazing how much stress we all have in our everyday lives. It can be a result of driving in rush hour, learning new software, or grocery shopping after a long hard day at work. Of course there's stress in more serious situations too, such as illness or losing a job, but it can also result from positive events such as marriage, a promotion, or even winning money. Stress is anything that makes you change, adjust or adapt. And it's cumulative. For example, if you have a tense or difficult discussion with a spouse or co-worker, and later spill coffee on your computer, the stress of spilling the coffee doesn't replace the stress of the discussion. It just adds another layer to your stress level that day. Physical and mental damage can result from too much stress, so it's important to learn and to use good coping skills to relax and relieve the pressure. Here are just a few: A. Allow time every day for relaxation. Your success at managing stress depends on you not only learning, but practicing relaxation techniques. Regular practice is what makes it effective, so set aside time for regular, daily deep relaxation, even if it's only five or ten minutes. And simply relaxing in front of the television or taking a warm bath doesn't count! You can achieve a deeply relaxed state by learning one of the many effective techniques such as breathing, guided imagery, meditation, etc. Choose one that feels right for you. Deep relaxation produces desirable physiological and biochemical responses that are exactly the opposite of those seen during stress. According to stress expert Dr. Edmund Jacobson: "An anxious mind cannot exist in a relaxed body". Regular deep relaxation has many healthy benefits. It can decrease anxiety, increase concentration, help you sleep better and generally make you feel better. When you consistently practice some form of deep relaxation, it has a cumulative effect. You become more aware of the difference between feeling stressed and feeling relaxed, so when tension builds, you're more likely to notice it sooner and do something about it. B. Breathe. Breathing techniques are a foundation of stress reduction training. When we're stressed we tend to take shorter, shallow breaths. We may even hold our breath. This decreases the flow of oxygen to the body, making it harder to cope with stress. When you breathe properly, i.e., when you breath into your abdomen, not just your chest, you take in more oxygen, promote calmness, and can reduce tension and stress quickly. The next time you feel tension building, stop what you're doing and take a few long, slow, deep abdominal breaths. Focus only on your breathing, and let a sense of calm wash over you. You can also practice abdominal breathing on a regular basis, which works on keeping your stress level low. When clients tell me they don't have time to practice, I write them a "prescription" that states: "Take 3 deep breaths every hour". At some time during our day, we all find ourselves waiting in a line, at a red light, "on hold", or waiting for our computer to do something. These are perfect occasions to practice deep breathing. The more you shift your breathing to your abdomen the more relaxed you will feel on an ongoing basis. C. Change your thoughts. It's our perception of an event that's stressful, not the event itself, and what we think affects our body. There's a cause and effect relationship between what we think and how our body reacts. If your thoughts are tense or anxious your body responds with a stress response, a series of unhealthy changes; increased muscle tension, increased blood pressure, and increased heart rate, to name a few. For example, if you're stressed about giving an upcoming talk, you may be thinking, "What if I look foolish; I'm afraid; I hate this?" or other scary thoughts that trigger the stress response. To counteract those thoughts and the negative reaction they set off, change your thoughts. Refute and challenge those thoughts by telling yourself: "I'm fine; I'm prepared; people want me to succeed?" or other positive, self-supportive, confidence-building statements. You will feel better and your body will respond positively When you're feeling stressed and frazzled you can also simply close your eyes and take a mental vacation. Imagine a tranquil, relaxing scene. It could be a favorite vacation spot, somewhere that reminds you of serenity, or any place real or imagined that's peaceful and relaxing to you. This works especially well if you have previously learned to "visit" this place while deeply relaxed. The more familiar you are in your mind with your special relaxing place, the easier it is to relax quickly. By learning and practicing a few easy skills, you can reduce stress and make positive changes in your life. Tedde Abbott is a certified hypnotherapist in private practice in Avon. She helps private and corporate clients with stress, weight, smoking, and personal issues. She can be contacted through Healthy Life Centers at (888) 865-1870 and http://www.iwanttoquitsmoking.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Stress-Management - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Stress Free COBRA If you have recently lost health insurance coverage through your employer from voluntarily or invulnerably termination of employment (excluding reasons of gross misconduct), you and your dependents may be eligible to continue your coverage under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). Understanding the basics of how COBRA works and what your options are, can help you make better choices with less stress. I'm Gettin' Really Torqued! For those of you who have been living in a cave for most of your lives, you can translate the "torqued" in the heading of this article to "mad" or "angry". For today's discussion of anger, let's quantify the intensity of our focus with the words "downright, PO'd!" I think that's quite clear. What is Stress? Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which is understood to be a threat. It can be any force or pressure put on a system (living or nonliving) which may result in a need for the system to adapt or change. Ten Tips to Ward Off Stress at the Office CHICAGO - According to a recent article in the September 27 issue of Newsweek magazine, 60-90 percent of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses. Stress affects us all and it is especially rampant at the office, where it is not only costly to employees but also to the companies they work for in terms of absenteeism and poor performance. Stress Management: 12 Stress Busters for Speedy Stress Reduction Are You Too Stressed?Is your stomach all tied up in knots? Do you have trouble concentrating or remembering things? Do you have trouble falling asleep, or do you sleep too much? You can handle a certain amount of stress, but when you get overloaded with stress, it lowers your ability to function. That is when you need stress relief - and you need it fast. Entertaining Without Stress Let's face it. If you are stressed, agitated and flitting about, your guests will be uncomfortable and won't be able to relax. The Top 10 Steps to DeStress Do you feel tense and anxious at work? Do your co-workers and/or boss make you crazy? Is your personal life less than blissful? If so, you've got stress. If you're like most people you've sought refuge from this situation by trying a quick fix or two like calling a friend, walking the dog, or going away for the weekend in an attempt to escape it all. Hypnosis CDs - Relief from Stress The number one most popular issue that users of a self hypnosis cd or clients of a hypnotherapist seek help with is stress. Even if their presenting issue appears different, such as a phobia or lack of confidence, somewhere in the mix will be a stress issue. Stress Managment: 12 Universal Laws for Managing Anger 1. The Law of EveryoneIt is not neccessarily wrong to get angry. Stress Symptoms Stress relief and managementRecognizing stress symptoms can be a positive influence in that we're compelled to take action. The sooner the better. Intelligent Emotions We so often take the feelings of happiness and saddness for granted. Why do we even have such feelings inside us at all? Well if you've ever asked yourself that question then perhaps you will find an answer here that resonates with you. Occupational Stress Statistics tell us that more people have migraine headaches on Sunday night and that the rate of heart attacks and heart attack-like symptoms are very high in the early hours of Mondays.. Busy Fish: Tips for Changing Your Day from Chaos to Calm Syndicated columnist Dale Dauten recently wrote, "One of life's great joys that we've lost is that of the empty day, a day given over to quiet, to reading and contemplation. Our planners and PDAs give the illusion of importance and of being in control. Sometimes C.O.P.I.N.G Is All We Can Do We strive for excellence in our lives, going at full throttle, but sometimes we are faced with a situation where all we do is "hurry up and wait".That's when we need to learn about coping. Empowerment for Highly Sensitive People: Part 1 Are you a person who has a keen imagination, a deep inner life, and vivid colorful dreams? Do you need time alone on a regular basis? Do people who know you say you are "too sensitive"?Do your feelings overwhelm you? Are you deeply moved by music or art? If you answered yes, you may be a Highly Sensitive Person or HSP.In her series of books, the author Elaine Aron details the experiences and challenges of the approximately 15-20% of the population who are highly sensitive persons or HSP's. There is no Such Thing as Good Stress Q: What is Stress?A: Very basically it is the physical, emotional and spiritual tension that arises in a person when they are being pulled or pushed outside of their comfort zone by internal or external forces.Q: I've heard people talk about good and bad stress. Children Playing - How Play Is Important To Kids And Adults You can learn a lot by watching children playing. There is no greater sight than to see children pretending to be superheroes or digging for treasure in a sandbox. Energy - How to Have More of It Something the successful business person needs is - lots of Energy! You need Brain Energy and you need Body Energy. However as with any other kind of energy, it's constantly being drained away and needs replacing. How to Cope With Stress and Anxiety Among the hardest parts of living in the modern world is stress and anxiety. With worries about work, the environment, the economy, natural disasters, terrorism, and the general state of the world, it seems that there is no end to the number of things to worry about. Stress Relief Tips With how busy we keep ourselves on a day to day basis, it's no wonder that so many of us suffer from stress. Stress is something that is almost impossible to avoid, because of the way that we are wired.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
