Stress is your physical, emotional and mental response
to any change you must adapt to whether or not the change is real or imagined, positive or negative.
Stress serves a vital purpose of our lives. We actually need a certain amount of stress in order
to be motivated, productive and challenged. The most significant aspect of how stress will affect
us is how we choose to react to the stress in our lives. Excessive or poorly managed stress can
affect health and contribute to illness. There are healthy ways to help you manage your stress.
Remember, you can be in control of your stress by how you react.
Signs of Stress
- Loss of appetite
- Overeating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety
- Increased boredom
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headaches
- Neck pain/backaches
- Muscle tension
- Stomachaches or upset stomach
- Increased procrastination
- Inability to get organized
- Elevated heart rate
- Frequent cold or infections
- Increased use of alcohol or other drugs
- Increased frustration with minor annoyances
- Inability to make decisions
Strategies to lower stress
- Know what is important
Take time to find out what's important and what's not important in your life. Get in touch with
your core values. What are the beliefs that guide you and give your life meaning?
- Leisure activities
Block out time and give priority to activities that give you pleasure. Play. Have fun. Recharge.
- Time management
Develop better time management habits. Prioritize, plan ahead, construct "to
do" lists. Using your time efficiently may free up additional time to plan leisure activities.
- Assertive communication
How you interact with others can be a source of considerable stress in your life.
Assertive communication can reduce that stress by allowing you to stand up for your legitimate
rights without hurting others. Setting limits on commitments ("saying no") is also
easier when you practice assertive communication.
- Develop a support system
Talk out problems, share your thoughts and feelings with someone who knows you, understands
you, and will listen to you.
- Positive self-talk
Self-talk is something we do often, thinking things about ourselves, evaluating ourselves as
we go about our daily lives. If self-talk is accurate and in touch with reality, it will prevent
stress and emotional disturbances.
- Humor
Use humor to lighten your emotional load. Laughter can help you overlook the unattractive,
tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected, and smile through the unbearable. The ability
to laugh at life is right at the top, along with love and communication, in the hierarchy of
our needs.
- Get enough sleep
Lack of sleep can leave your nerves on edge and in no shape to meet the challenges of daily
living.
- Exercise
Exercise is one of the simplest and most effective means of stress reduction. If your day has
been stressful, it can feel great to take 20 minutes or more to enjoy a brisk walk, bike ride,
or other aerobic exercise to get the stress toxins out of your system.
- Maintain proper nutrition
When you are under stress, your need for all nutrients increases. When your body is depleted
from important vitamins and minerals, you feel run down mentally and physically. Caffeine is
a stimulant that can cause increased tension and anxiety. Reduce caffeine intake or better yet,
avoid entirely.
- Relaxation techniques
Practice daily one or more of the following relaxation methods: deep breathing, sitting still
(meditation), visualization, autogenics (self-suggestion), massage, and/or progressive relaxation.
These techniques can be tailored to fit your comfort level. For tai chi and yoga classes at
MU, contact the Rec Center at www.mizzourec.com
For more information on stress management and emotional wellness, try this
link: http://imt.net/~randolfi/StressLinks.html
Stress Management Relaxation Methods
Stress is a fact of life…but it doesn’t have
to be a way of life.Take care of yourself – you’re worth it!
Yoga offered every semester.
|