Managing stress can help you avoid premature death,
other diseases
Glance at the most recent National Vital Statistics
Report listing the 10 leading causes of death in
America, and you won’t find the word “stress”
anywhere. Yet many well-respected studies link
stress to heart disease and stroke – two of the top
10 killers. Stress may also influence cancer and
chronic lower respiratory diseases, which rank as
numbers two and four, respectively, in the top 10.
Stress has implications for many other ailments as
well. Depression and anxiety, which afflict millions
of Americans, can be caused or exacerbated by
stress. It also triggers flare-ups of asthma,
rheumatoid arthritis, and gastrointestinal problems.
And illness is just the tip of the iceberg. Stress
affects you emotionally as well, marring the joy you
draw from life and loved ones.
In the course of a lifetime, odds are good that
you’ll experience some very stressful events. You’ll
also face a gamut of far smaller, day-to-day
stressors. How you deal with these stressful events,
big and small, will determine the impact on your
physical health and emotional well-being.
Quantifying stress
Several decades ago, two psychiatrists at the
University of Washington devised a scale for
researchers that weighed the stress of major life
events. The death of a spouse – which ranks highest
– was later shown to have a serious impact on the
health of the surviving spouse. Although most of the
events on the scale would be considered traumatic,
many of the life events aren’t obviously negative.
An outstanding personal achievement, a new baby, or
a marriage may seem like cause for celebration. But
even these life events can cause stress.
While most symptoms of stress may be obvious, many
symptoms are more subtle. The first line of defense
is to recognize that certain physical and emotional
changes may indeed be caused by stress itself.
Although most people might attribute headache, sleep
disturbances, or irritability to stress, less
obvious symptoms can include ringing in the ears, a
frequent and urgent need to urinate, and difficulty
swallowing. Understanding the many ways that stress
can manifest itself in physical and behavioral
symptoms, and identifying the triggers for stress,
is the first step toward achieving relief.
Achieving relaxation
There are almost as many techniques, practices, and
treatments for dealing with stress as there are
causes of it. From ancient relaxation techniques to
the latest thinking on proper nutrition, from
breathing exercises to repetitive prayer, there are
numerous tools to help people cope. Some techniques
can be especially beneficial under certain
circumstances, but not as helpful under others.
Understanding what works for us as individuals, and
for the stressful circumstances at hand, can require
an exploration of a number of stress-reduction
methods. And as always, it is important to know when
to seek professional help. These efforts can reward
you richly with better health, greater peace of
mind, and a smoother course through life.
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Mini-relaxations
Mini-relaxations can help
allay fear and reduce pain while you sit in
the dentist’s chair or lie on an examining
table. They’re equally helpful in thwarting
stress before an important meeting, while
stuck in traffic, or when faced with people
or situations that annoy you. Here are a few
quick relaxation techniques to try.
When you’ve got 1 minute.
Place your hand just beneath
your navel so you can feel the gentle rise
and fall of your belly as you breathe.
Breathe in slowly. Pause for a count of
three. Breathe out. Pause for a count of
three. Continue to breathe deeply for one
minute, pausing for a count of three after
each inhalation and exhalation.
Or alternatively, while
sitting comfortably, take a few slow deep
breaths and quietly repeat to yourself “I
am” as you breathe in and “at peace” as you
breathe out. Repeat slowly two or three
times. Then feel your entire body relax into
the support of the chair.
When you’ve got 2 minutes.
Count down slowly from 10 to
zero. With each number, take one complete
breath, inhaling and exhaling. For example,
breathe in deeply saying “10” to yourself.
Breathe out slowly. On your next breath, say
“nine,” and so on. If you feel lightheaded,
count down more slowly to space your breaths
further apart. When you reach zero, you
should feel more relaxed. If not, go through
the exercise again.
When you’ve got 3
minutes.
While sitting down, take a
break from whatever you’re doing and check
your body for tension. Relax your facial
muscles and allow your jaw to fall open
slightly. Let your shoulders drop. Let your
arms fall to your sides. Allow your hands to
loosen so that there are spaces between your
fingers. Uncross your legs or ankles. Feel
your thighs sink into your chair, letting
your legs fall comfortably apart. Feel your
shins and calves become heavier and your
feet grow roots into the floor. Now breathe
in slowly and breathe out slowly. Each time
you breathe out, try to relax even more. |
