Know Your Numbers

                                                            STRESS 

Feeling stressed? Most of us feel pressured by the demands of daily life. But sometimes too much stress can make you sick. Reducing stress can help improve your overall health and energy. Find out how to simplify your life, get support, and use relaxation techniques to fight stress.

Helping your body beat stress

Stress can result from major events, both negative and positive: marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a death in the family, or job changes or pressures. Your body is naturally equipped to deal with a certain amount of stress. But if stress increases and your reserves are low, stress can have a bigger impact.

There are 3 main stages your body undergoes when dealing with a stressful event. Your body will initially mobilize energy by releasing adrenaline and increase your heart and breathing rate. If you remain in the first stage for a while, your body will begin to consume energy stores by releasing sugars and fats. While you may feel more driven, you will also begin to feel pressured, tired, and anxious, and can get sick much more easily. If the stress is still not resolved, then eventually your body will require more energy than it can naturally provide. This can lead to trouble sleeping, mood changes, psychiatric disorders, or heart disease.

Building up your defenses is a "long-term" plan for reducing stress. It will also improve your overall health and give you more energy.

To help prepare your body to deal with stress:

1. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Most people need 7 to 8 hours per night. If possible, get extra sleep before and during periods of increased stress.
2. Eat a balanced, nutritious diet. Good nutrition can improve your ability to handle stress by keeping your immune system strong.
3. Avoid using caffeine, cigarettes, or alcohol as a way of dealing with stress.

It's easy to relax when you're not feeling stressed. It takes a special effort to learn how to relax in a stressful situation. There is no "right way" to relax that works for everyone. Most people use a combination of methods, and find that different situations call for different ways of relaxing. You may need to try several techniques before finding the one that works best for you.

Here are a few things that can help reduce stress

Relaxation exercises like deep breathing, meditation, stretching, tai chi, or yoga

Regular physical activity: try to exercise for at least 150 minutes each week with moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical aerobic activity (e.g., brisk walking, jogging, tennis, bicycling, or swimming); each session should be at least 10 minutes long – the more active you are, the more health benefits you'll see. It is also beneficial to add muscle and bone strengthening activities, in bouts of at least 10 minutes, using major muscle groups, at least 2 days per week.

Taking part in a favorite hobby, such as gardening, dancing, reading, or listening to music

Stress-busting tips

•  Take control of stress with the following tips:

   Simplify

  • Set priorities for yourself. Organize your time so that you do the things that are most important to you first. Let less important things go.
  • Make decisions right away instead of putting them off. Worrying about what decision you have to make can cause unnecessary stress.
  • Identify things that cause you the most stress. Then, look for ways to get around them. For example, if you find traveling stressful, see if you can make a phone call instead.
  • Concentrate on doing one thing at a time. Once you have finished a task, take a moment to let yourself feel good about getting it done. Take a rest if you need it, and then move on.
  • If you are running late, or if you feel overwhelmed, cancel or reschedule your appointments.
  • Learn to say "No." Save your energy for the things that are most important to you.

  • Get support

    • Don't try to do everything yourself. Ask your friends and family members to help with some of your responsibilities.
    • Talk about your feelings with family and friends. Make sure you take time for social activities and exercise. You'll be more prepared to deal with situations that cause you stress if you've taken time for fun!

    Plan ahead

    • Think about which situations cause you stress. Then, plan ahead to minimize or avoid these predictable sources of stress. For example, if waiting in line is stressful for you, bring a book to help pass the time. If you find the morning rush stressful, get up 15 minutes earlier so that you don't feel so rushed.
    • Schedule breaks for yourself throughout the day. This will give you a chance to rest, and will also prevent the stress that comes from getting "behind schedule."