Stress & Stress Reducing Tools
Stress and the Body
Stress has been recognized as the number one killer and contributor to acute and chronic dis-ease. The AMA has stated that stress is the cause of 80% to 85% of human illness and disease.
The process is simple. An event that triggers an emotional reaction releases adrenaline into the body. Adrenaline is a powerful chemical that works immediately to increase strength and physical ability. This system is a safety devise and is meant for life-threatening situations, often called the “fight or flight” response. Blood pressure increases flow to the extremities, muscles are pumped up to enhance strength, the heart rate increases, digestion stops, and the endocrine glandular system which controls all body functions is put on hold.
The results of this process are devastating. Our entire physiological system, especially the immune system, is compromised and can become dysfunctional. High blood pressure increases the risk of
developing arteriosclerosis and related diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
The fight or flight response can be triggered hundreds of times each day. We may not even be aware of it. As a result we may be experiencing physical tension even when we feel completely relaxed, resulting in chronic muscular symptoms such as fibrosis.
We can reduce stress by increasing our self-awareness, inner peace and decreasing the triggering of the “fight or flight” response.
Stress and Emotions
Most of us recognize the emotional components of stress. We are stressed when we have become out of touch with ourselves. We feel overwhelmed, fearful, depressed, anxious, exhausted, irritable, impatient, out of sorts, foggy, unable to focus, angry or sad for no apparent reason. We may be experiencing anxiety attacks which are due in part to the increase in lactate levels in our body, triggered by the “fight or flight” response. Chances are that these feelings are reflected in all aspects of our lives, at home, at work, in play and in our spirituality.
We may find ourselves moving away from our feelings through addiction to drugs and alcohol, over work, blame, boredom, worry, future/past orientation, escapism, crisis management, and over analyzing – being in the head all the time. Often we “know” what “the problem” is but have difficulty moving through it.
It is important to understand that stress, good and bad, is a part of our lives and that to be healthy, we must find healthy ways to balance and reduce it’s disabling effects.
Useful tools for reducing stress include:
Breathe. Breathe from your belly and notice how you are feeling and how your body feels. Ask yourself, “How am I feeling right now?”
Listening to your feelings. Take a moment each day to notice and allow yourself to feel your feelings. Being present to our feelings and what lay beneath our anger or anxiety is important for well being and reduces repression which causes tension.
Eat Healthy. Enjoy green leafy vegetables, whole grains and fruits. Do not eat or reduce junk food such as chips, soda pop, coffee, alcohol, candy. These foods can’t give you what you need to feel good. Notice what you are thinking and feeling when you reach for junk.
Exercise Daily. Do at least 20 minutes of exercise appropriate to your condition, that increases your heart rate and lung functioning. The better our circulation and oxygen intake, the better we feel and the better we sleep at night.
Get Enough Rest. Most people are tired and don’t get enough rest.
Practice Yoga. Yoga helps calm the wild mind and unites our mind with our body helping us to become more self aware, patient and kind.
Meditate. Sit still and focus on your breath at the belly. When your mind wanders bring it back to the breath. Even what seems like an aweful meditation will help reduce your blood pressure if you continue to practice. Pretty soon you will have more noticings in your daily life. Meditation “ungrasps” the mind, allowing us to be centered and present moment aware.
Look at old Assumptions. Do they still ring true? Are they working for you?Sometimes we make assumptions/judgments because we fear something else. For instance we might believe that “taking a nap means I’m lazy and if I’m lazy I won’t be a success and if I’m not a success, I’m a failure I’ll end up on the street and my parents won’t love me.” So, taking a nap is not about if I’m tired or not it’s about survival issues and a fear of not being loved.
Notice Your Self Talk. We can be really rough on ourselves. Notice how you talk to yourself. Do you demean, criticize and put yourself down? That can cause you to feel unsafe and stressed. Instead, try thinking of yourself (and everyone else) as a precious little child. We are here to learn, grow, love and share our talents. If you can’t be nice to yourself, ask your angels/God to help you. Their love and guidance is warm, peaceful, calming and always loving.