Stress
Management And Relaxation Techniques Physical fitness is important
for us, as the previous chapter has explained, but our mind and body are an interrelated,
connected unity. Wellbeing due to physical fitness translates into positive emotions:
it greatly contributes to feeling well, enjoying an activity, adding zest and
vibrancy to our lives, no matter how old or how young we are. On the other
hand there are people, who are unable to enjoy an activity like running, walking
or dancing due to a physical handicap, yet very often persons with enormous physical
challenges can inspire us with their positive attitudes and their indomitable
spirits. Our mindset has profound influences on our body. We all have experienced
events that disrupt our comfortable routine, let's take an examination, which
we do not feel comfortable about. In response to such a situation we experience
physical symptom of stress: our palms feel clammy, our heart beats like a hammer,
and we may notice a slight tremor of our hands.The feelings start with our frame
of mind, and they translate into stress. Signals from our brain are sent, and
in response stress hormones are released. In our remote past, when our
ancestors existed as hunters and gatherers this hormonal response got them ready
to face dangerous wild animals and run for their lives. Giving their last reserves
enabled our ancestors to bring home food for the tribe. We are not facing these
kind of difficulties, yet our body reacts the same in situations that we perceive
as menacing. We call it stress. We are no longer fighting wild animals, but time
pressures, deadlines, rush hour traffic, moving a household, negotiating a salary
increase, or having a disagreement with a family member can cause the same hormonal
response. What is worse: a hormonal reponse, which should only occur in extraordinary
situations, becomes a common occurence. We call that being stressed out, and it
does not feel good. What does this response do to our bodies? Cortisol,
the stress hormone from the adrenal glands, is a powerful ageing substance. When
we collapse in an armchair after an especially harrowing day and declare that
we feel like we are a "hundred years old", this statement is not so
far fetched. Continuous stress ages us prematurely. Our immune system gets weakened:
it is not uncommon, that we get sick at Christmas or during the first few days
of a trip. In both instances we were likely stressed to the limit, and we are
coming down with the flu. Stress comes in many disguises. It can challenge us
with events like the loss of a loved one, a meeting with a disagreeable superior,
or a rude driver that cuts us off and shows us the finger. On the other hand stress
can be a winning lottery ticket, a long awaited dream vacation or the birth of
a new baby. It is well known that a lack of sleep undermines our coping
mechanisms to deal with stress. This likely is due to interference with the normal
hormone rejuvenation that occurs while we sleep, particularly the regeneration
of cortisol in the adrenal glands and human growth hormone. Our system is set
back to zero, so we are ready for another day. Melatonin (between 1 mg and 3 mg)
at bedtime can also be beneficial in resetting our internal clock. This is freely
available in health food stores in North America, but in some countries a physician
has to prescribe it. To put it quite simply, there is good stress and bad
stress. It is present in all life situations, and since it is pervading our daily
lives it is unrealistic to assume, that we can avoid stress. What we can do is
live with stress. The term "stress management" has become a buzzword.
It means, that we learn to manage stress situations and that we do not allow stress
to manage us and run our lives. When we study the lives of our ancestors, we will
often notice, that they lived through wars, natural disasters, financial hardships,
and personal losses. Yet a lot of these people managed to not only survive all
these adversities, but they also retained their zest for life and their positive
outlook. And then of course there were others who turned angry, bitter, resentful,
and negative. The difference can be found in the way how both of them either managed
stress or allowed stress to manage (or rather mismanage) them. Coping
with stress is not a one shot deal, yet this approach is not uncommon:
you may have experienced a situation during which you were stretched to the limit.
Yet you put up with it day after day, because you consoled yourself with the plan
of a holiday at the end of this time period. There is certainly nothing wrong
with a holiday, but when you reached this goal, you probably were feeling totally
exhausted. You do yourself more of a favor to set some time aside every day to
unwind from stressful situations and to relax. There are various publications
about stress management. A lot of them are excellent resource books for self help.
Using self hypnosis by listening to a disc or cassette as the last thing before
you go to sleep is another proven method of allowing your deeper mind to unwind
from the stress of the day. It will relax your brain overnight, lead to a deeper
and more restful sleep and get you ready for the next day full of new energy.
The other part you can do, is to learn relaxation exercises. There are
several techniques you can follow: click on "fitness for the mind" for
more info. Other approaches to stress management: In
Ref. 8 Dr. Herthoge points out that a hormone dysbalance can be the cause of stress
and not coping with it, particularly in women who had no problem with stress prior
to menopause. In males there is the equivalent of hormone changes (male menopause
or andropause), but it varies a lot from person to person when it sets in. A lack
of cortisol (the stress hormone, which is stimulated by ACTH), a lack of the thyroid
hormones, a lack of growth hormone and a lack of the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone
and testosterone in women and testosterone and progesterone in men) can cause
anxiety and stress. Before you engage in stress management classes, have your
hormones checked and if they are not balanced see a holistically oriented naturopath
or an anti-aging physician for bio-identical hormone replacement. |
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