Coping with StressWe all know what stress is. We know it’s the tension in our necks, the feeling of losing control
, the ease at which we get frustrated. So what causes it? Is there a way of ridding ourselves of it? Are you looking for a cure? Imagining a tension free life? Here is some information that may help you.
In the world we live in, nearly everyone experiences stress. And, in truth, a little may be
beneficial, enabling us to achieve success in various activities e.g. in a sports competition or
examination. It can also keep us functioning at a hign level of alertness so that crossing a busy road does
not become a final, fatal journey. You can also suffer from too little, in which case you may feel listless and disinterested
in whatever you're doing. Consequently your performance levels decline. However, it's the high stress level we're talking about here, when we pile on the things we feel are
necessary. People will often push themselves harder and harder to accomplish more at work, home,
and in their private lives. Unfortunately, we get bogged down with the feeling we need to
attain a certain level of wealth or prestige. We force ourselves to keep up with the Jones.
This build up causes frustration when we can’t seem to make things fit. We get angry at
ourselves for missing our children’s events, but try to reconcile that because we were working
harder for them. But, what does that get us? Further away from our goals and feeling bad
about ourselves. Trying to achieve goals that are unattainable or very distant leads to
disappointments and let downs. Instead of giving ourselves goals that are reachable, we still
push harder. Some effects of Stress
There are, of course, other problems such as difficulty in concentrating on what you are doing, inability to make a decision, and often forgetfulness. Will you ever free your life of it? Chances
are you won’t. But, we can work towards reducing it. And, in some cases, it can be done
without the use of medications. Why do this? Besides the obvious of feeling better,
minimizing the stress can help relieve many aches and pains. Stress is also a large cause for
other ailments as well. While it won’t give you cancer, it can help weaken the body’s ability
to beat it. Yet another reason to rid yourself of stress is the fact that it affects those
around you as well. If you’re feeling stressed and worrying, so will your family. You don’t
want to put that on them do you? The glands in the body are what start all this trouble. In fact, one gland called the
Hypothalamus will alert the other glands in the body that something just isn’t right in the body.
So, the body reacts by releasing stress hormones to help cope. But, in turn, the body has a
harder time functioning and the mind itself is taxed. If these hormones continue to produce
over a long time period, the body’s function will be even worse.
Learn Some Coping Skills You need to develop some coping skills so that your problems don't overwhelm you. As you learn to
cope so you'll find you have more control over your life. People who haven't learnt any
coping skills are the ones who suffer most in this frantic world. How you react to any given set of circumstances is up to you. No-one has the power to hurt you or
upset you in any way unless you give them that power! Clearly there are times when people will try
to hurt you but it's you that lets them... If you have extremely high blood pressure say, then allowing someone to rile you is giving them
the power to induce a heart attack. Is that wise? You've got to be able to back off and review the situation calmly - maybe at a later time if this
is possible. Remember to ask yourself "How much of this will matter next week, next month, next
year, or in a hundred years from now?". In most cases the answer will be "Not at all!". Don't be a perfectionist. There comes a time when the extra time or effort we put into an activity
does NOT bring any improvement. Recognise this! Remember it doesn't need to be perfect... Some Work Related Suggestions Try to be patient. Take several deep breaths whenever you feel under strain. You can even do this
when you are held up at traffic lights. Be glad of an extra opportunity to relax. Take up a new hobby - maybe one you've always wanted to try but thought you didn't have the time.
It should preferably be one which is not competitive. Try to exercise more often if your condition allows. Now I am not advocating that you rush out to
buy some weights or join your gym although you might do both when you're fitter. But it may be
possible for you to start taking a short walk, and gradually and safely increase the speed and
duration. To feel mentally relaxed, we need to physically relax our bodies. Close your eyes and take a
few minutes to find calmness. Try to think about nothing at all. It’s hard to do. If your
stress is due to a relationship problem, find a way to communicate your thoughts to your loved one
. If a project at work is causing the stress, get up and take a walk. Take a few minutes to
yourself to stretch and, chances are, going back to that project will be less stressful.
You can also use breathing techniques and meditation
to help you. Yoga is thought of as a
wonderful mind and body relaxation technique. So is t'ai chi which can be practised in a class
or alone. Another technique involves closing your eyes and,
one by one, letting each part of your body relax. Mentally telling your mind to relax your
fingers, toes, legs, and neck will loosen up the tension and help get blood flowing more
positively.
Finding ways to relax your body can help reduce stress dramatically. While you may never find a cure to stress, you can find ways to lessen it and its effect on the body. It may also help to not put so much pressure on yourself. Making time for yourself, learning to enjoy your life and children, and doing fun activities as part of your daily routine will help you, and your body, deal with the stressful times when they arise. By relieving your body of stress, you will help improve your health and well-being, and possibly avoid some awful conditions that lay just around the corner.
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