Managing Stress in Your Life

Since neither of Martha’s two teenagers is old enough to drive to school and extracurricular activities, she juggles her hectic job schedule with chauffeuring duties. Recently, Martha’s father-in-law experienced a hip fracture and has moved in with the family. Her husband travels half the month for his job, so getting Dad to appointments and helping with the activities of daily living are usually on Martha’s “to do” list. She is only sleeping five hours a night these days—and for the first time in her life, she’s developed migraine headaches.

The Role of Stress

Health care providers are learning more and more about the effects of stress on health. The amount of stress we have in our lives depends in part on how we handle the challenges of life—not only big challenges, but the everyday stressors.

No one can avoid stress entirely. However, it is possible both to reduce the causes of stress encountered in daily living and to learn to cope better with those that cannot be avoided.

Where Is Your Stress Coming From?

Now is the time for a good, honest self evaluation, perhaps with the assistance of a friend, mental health professional or counselor. Take a step back and look objectively at your life. This should be a positive undertaking—not a time to feel guilty! The purpose of this review is quite simple: to decide what is really important, and what can be given up.

You may shift some priorities—move some things around on your "to do" list, and eliminate some things completely. The process of giving up some of the unnecessary causes of stress and shifting some things around will give you a sense of great control over your life, and an increased sense of well-being.

For example, take a look at these aspects of your life and see what impact they have:

• Routine "book work" that a professional, friend or family member might assist with—checkbook, bills, income tax return, insurance claims, etc.
• Family obligations—substitute a telephone call for a gift; go out to dinner or order a pizza rather than preparing an elaborate meal at home.
• The demands you place on yourself. Demands are tremendous sources of stress. Begin to release yourself—at least from the unconscious ones.
• TV viewing—surprisingly, TV watching, which you might think of as relaxing, can actually increase anxiety if your viewing fare is violent or suspenseful. Listen to music instead, or read a book.

Tips for Coping with Stress

• Simplify your life! Begin to eliminate the trivia.
• Learn to say "no" when asked to do something you really don't want to do. Read a book on assertiveness if you have trouble doing this in a firm but kind way.
• Plan to do something each day that gives you energy—something you love to do, something just for you.
• Exercise regularly! Exercise is a natural way to reduce tension, and can restore emotional balance. Even if you feel that you are “running around all day,” chances are that very little physical exercise is actually happening.
• Eat right and get enough sleep. Your body needs good food and rest to restore itself. Monitor your intake of sugar, salt, caffeine and alcohol.
• Allow extra time to get to places and do things to avoid feeling rushed.
• Stay involved with other people. Maintain and renew your social connections. Create and maintain a personal support system—people with whom you can be "vulnerable" and open. If you are fretting about something, talk it over with someone you trust. Counseling can help.
• Seeking support from others experiencing similar situations can be helpful. There are support groups or feedback gatherings for people with your same job, a health condition, adolescent children—whatever the stress, it helps a lot to talk to others with similar concerns.
• Live more for the moment. Guilt over the past or worry about the future make you waste the precious present.
• Find something funny. Humor is a great stress reliever.
• Try relaxation exercises or meditation.

Managing Stress: an Important Step in Healthy Aging

Stress is implicated in a host of ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, hypertension, digestive problems, and sleep disorders. Indeed, stress can have a negative impact on every system of the body. So take care of yourself by making stress reduction one of the top things on your “to do” list—and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Taking care of yourself means you are better able to take care of your responsibilities.
 
For More Information….

For more resources and information about stress management, see Issue 20: Dealing with Depression, Loneliness and Stress in your Aging in Stride Reader Support Center. 

The MedlinePlus website from the National Institutes of Health is a good source of information about stress management. The site includes articles, links and an online stress management tutorial.           

The Mayo Clinic “Stress Center” offers information about the types and effect of stress, as well as tips for controlling stress and rearranging your life to allow for more relaxation.

© 2007 Caresource Healthcare Communications