Manage stress, Invest in your health

Stress is a common topic that continues to come up with my clients. Studies are showing that people are feeling record levels of stress right now, much due to the pandemic and the economy. A stressor is an event that happened or could happen which creates a state of tension (a divorce, a job loss, etc.. ); stress comes from ruminating over these events or creating a cycle of negative thoughts about a stressor. A small amount of stress can be a good thing - it’s a natural reaction to a perceived threat. It can motivate us to make positive changes in our lives and alert us to something we need to deal with. However, the body should return from this fight or flight state back to a normal state and when it doesn't, chronic stress occurs and causes serious health problems. It’s so important to learn to manage your stress before long term effects occur which harm physical and mental health. These stress related health concerns in the body show up as headaches, low energy, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and digestion issues, muscle or chest pain, and the immune system working in overdrive. The mental health aspect of stress could contribute to depression, anxiety, addictions, aggression, insomnia, memory issues and many more. I try to avoid using the term “self-care” because it has become such a buzz word and I think truly taking care of yourself is more than just a bubble bath once a week. It’s being kind to yourself daily, observant of your surroundings and creating a healthy environment and healthy, positive relationships with boundaries. It is ongoing and actually much larger than the “self” because the benefits of giving and being generous on our overall well being have been proven to reduce stress and increase levels of happiness. Time management can be another factor in reducing stress because it helps clarify your goals and prepare for the future, avoid procrastination, and say “no” when needed. Try incorporating more activities that will calm the nervous system such as meditation, yoga, prayer, journaling, art therapy, go for a walk or sit in nature, laughter and play (think like being a kid again!) into your daily routine. Certain foods can also contribute to stress levels. When we are feeling more stress, we tend to reach for quick and unhealthy food options highly processed and high in sugar to “save time” or drink more alcohol in attempts to calm down. In that moment, these things can feel like they are helping and providing comfort but they actually end up fueling the stress even more and we end up feeling worse. Take time to slow down, cook a healthy meal and cut out caffeine and alcohol (these will increase feelings of anxiety) because your body needs extra care in times of high stress. Do you have someone you can talk to? This also helps eliminate stress symptoms. A therapist, coach or friend can help you sort out your thoughts and provide a listening ear. Honestly, having all three is a great idea :). It’s so important to have a community of people who play different roles in your life. Just like depending on a spouse to be your “everything” can put strains on that relationship, it can be the same with friends, coworkers, etc too. As I mentioned earlier, having positive relationships with boundaries go a long way in managing stress. Friends who provide support in times of need and pick up the phone when you need to get something off of your chest are priceless. A therapist or coach will be that objective person you need who is less involved in your stressors which means they have an outside perspective which those in your close circle do not have. The thoughts in our head can also make our stress better or worse. Negative cycles can create stress over situations that did not need to be stressful in the first place, this creates unnecessary strain on our physical and mental health. A stress management tool called cognitive restructuring is a process in which you identify a negative thought, write it down and look at it objectively without letting emotions spiral the thought into something bigger. You can then ask yourself whether or not there is true evidence to support this thought. Rewrite the thought with the reality of the situation. This is something I encourage my clients to do and even spend time in our sessions working through stressful thoughts and situations to break them down and reconstruct. It sounds like it takes a lot of time and it might at first, but after some practice it can become easier and automatic. I also want to note here that positive affirmations or just telling yourself to be more positive is often like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. If negative thinking is contributing to your stress and mental health, it takes some true work (and often guidance from professionals) to make lasting change. It’s important to distinguish between what you have control over and what you don’t. Assess it and address it. Also, keep in mind that what might seem like a lot of stress to me, might seem like nothing to you. We all have different levels of stress and what we are capable of handling so don’t compare yourself to how others might be handling a situation. Remember, it’s common for stress to ebb and flow so be patient with yourself and your circumstances. You can get ahead of chronic stress by implementing some of the practices I’ve mentioned- invest in your health now rather than wait for symptoms to appear. How do you handle stress? What are you doing to protect yourself from stress being helpful to turning harmful? Much more to come on this topic so stay tuned or reach out for a free health consultation if you’d like to discuss a stress management plan. - CS