Managing Stress

Learning to Relax

Stress - We all are familiar with the word “stress”.  Anything that causes change in your life, whether it be positive or negative can cause stress.

Symptoms of Stress - The American Academy of Family Physicians states, “stress can cause health problems or make problems worse if you don’t learn healthy ways to deal with it.” It is important to check with a physician to make sure that your symptoms are not caused by other health issues. Symptoms of stress include anxiety, back pain, constipation, diarrhea, depression, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, problems with relationships, shortness of breath, stiff neck, upset stomach, and weight gain or loss.

Stress Reducers - The first step in reducing stress is recognizing when you feel stressed. Early warning signs of stress include tension in your neck and shoulders and clenching of your hands into a fist. The next step in managing stress is choosing how you deal with it. One way to deal with stress is to avoid the event or trigger that causes stress, but often this is not possible. Another way to reduce stress is to change how we think about and respond to the stressors in our life. Additional stress reducers include avoiding caffeine, trying cooperation instead of confrontation, scheduling recreation, physical activity, and doing things that help you relax such as taking a hot shower or bath.

Coping Skills - There are different kinds of coping mechanisms, constructive and destructive. Constructive coping mechanisms help us. They allow us to channel stress toward something productive. Examples include exercise, reading, cooking, playing, outdoor activities, and listening to music. Also, learning to avoid excessive worry about the things we cannot control can be a beneficial coping skill. Destructive coping mechanisms hinder us. They are often negative health habits such as smoking, drinking, and unhealthy eating habits. Destructive mechanisms can make us feel bad after the fact, or have a negative effect in our lives, which places us at a greater risk for increased stress.

To learn more about stress management tools, Start with TEAM.