WHAT IS STRESS and how you can Stress Less

Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. Stress is a psychological and physiological response we have when faced with challenging situations. Our brain becomes alert and the body produces normal healthy stress chemicals that provide us with the energy, motivation and drive to cope in times of crisis. It gives us the rev we need to perform daily challenges both at home and in the workplace. Stress in these situations motivates us to meet our goals such as work deadlines, sales targets. It provides us with the focus and energy to rise to the challenge of competing in sports events, and it gives us the drive to accelerate our career or buy our new dream house. After meeting these challenges our psychological and physiological response returns to a naturally relaxed state and we feel satisfied, fulfilled, happy, and given time ready to plan our next challenge. However, when the challenges of work, home or life in general become too demanding and overloading we begin to see negative signs. Too much stress causes a negative impact; the feeling of satisfaction turns into exhaustion, frustration, resentment and anxiety. What happens to your physical body when you feel under pressure or stressed? The human body is designed, with a set of automatic responses to deal with challenging and fearful situations or immediate dangers. This mechanism is very effective for the short-term "fight or flight" responses we need. Hormones (eg. adrenaline, cortisol) are released into the bloodstream- • Muscles tense, • Pulse rate increases, • Breathing quickens, • Mind becomes more alert. Once the threat or fear is dealt with the reaction settles and the body returns to normal. When experiencing stress for long periods the automatic response does not get the chance to "turn off". When it is activated for too long, or the period between stressful situations is too short, the body has no time to repair itself and fatigue and damage occurs. The stress hormones then literally begin to destroy the body, so, over time it affects your physical and mental health and quality of life. Tips for dealing with stress- Be aware of your triggers. rnCheck into your mind and body regularly.When your buttons are being pushed –

Stop.

Don’t act.

Don’t talk or do whatever your first instinct is telling you.

Breath – count to 10.

Realise that no matter what you are feeling: frustrated, hurt, irritated, destructive or sarcastic – you are angry. Recognise that fact and tell yourself that’s ok.

Go for a walk.

Breathe –Your breath is your natural relaxant. Deep, rhythmic breathing expands the diaphragm muscle, the cone-shaped muscle under your lungs, expanding the lung’s air pockets, invoking the relaxation response, and massaging the lymphatic system -lymphatic system carries away destructive toxins. But here is a little breathing exercise that you can do : 1. Breathe in slowly through your nose for 8 secondsrn2. Hold it for 4 secondsrn3. Breathe out of your mouth for 10 secondsrn4. Repeat steps 1-3 5 times to get your breathing back to normal and relax your muscles, i.e., making you less stressed out. Meditation-Get rid of the junk in your mind. When you relax your mind deeply your body will follow- 1. STOP- Sit quietly in a comfortable position and Close your eyes. 2.Relax- When your body relaxes, it reverses stress symptoms. You experience a sense of control as you eliminate the feelings of helplessness that often accompany stress.Relax your muscles, progressing from your feet to your calves, thighs, abdomen, shoulders, head, and neck. 3. Breathe slowly and naturally- On your in breath affirm slow and on your out breath affirm down. 4. When you feel calm and relaxed imagineyou are sitting in the midst of a beautiful paradise. Use your imagination and make this scene a truly peaceful, serene place where know one can disturb you. If your mind wonders just gently bring it back to your paradise. 5. When you are ready to return to your natural state of daily awareness, take a deep breath and focus on your breathing and your physical body. 6. Do not stand immediately- Continue sitting quietly for a minute or so, allowing other thoughts to return. Then open your eyes and sit for another minute before rising. 7. Practice the technique once or twice daily. Best times to do so are before breakfast and before dinner. Pay attention to your self-talk – Ditch words that are demeaning : Silly – Lacking in common sense or judgement Stupid – Lacking intelligence Dumb- Unable to speak, lacking the power of speech. Stupid Hopeless- Inadequate, incompetent Useless- Serving no purpose; having little ability or skill It’s O.K. to say ‘no’ - Let Go of other peoples stuff -Are you ‘doing’ for others when they could be doing for themselves? Do not do other peoples work! Think before you commit and act. It is generally in our nature to oblige with any request because we get great pleasure out of pleasing people. Often it was taught that to do loving,caring things for yourself, or to put your own needs and desires first is selfish and rude. Some of us have also learnt that it is disrespectful to say “NO” to others, no matter what they ask of us. And, if we do not please or satisfy their needs before our own, we often experienced consequences that were demeaning and hurtful. Let Go of work - Make 6 pm your deadline. Don’t put off work until later. If you have to prepare for a meeting or deliver a project It’s better to be 80% prepared and feeling alert and motivated rather than 100% prepared and feeling exhausted and vague. Ditch unhealthy habits-Unhealthy habits fill a void and help us suppress unresolved issues. Replace an unhealthy habit with a new activity, positive thoughts, and surround yourself with supportive friends. Turn off Mobile Phone + long ph. calls- Some people allow their mobile phone and the people on the other end control them. Turn phones off after hours and on weekends. Let Go of Committees – If you have been on a committee for too long it’s time to step down and give someone else the opportunity to expand their awareness and capabilities. This will free you up with more time to do something new and exciting. Ask for help-Express your truths with a trained professional; they not only provide support, they will help you see your issues from a different perspective and offer advice in seeking understanding and resolutionrn