Living With Stress
January 21,2009
Managing Stress in Tough Times
Managing stress in these tough times can be a challenge. Turning off the TV will help you avoid being bombarded with upsetting news, but invariably you’ll get wind of something that troubles you—from economic reports to relationship challenges. Three stress experts offer the following tips on how to cope.
The Expert:
Wendy Hurwitz, MD, a mind/body and energy medicine expert in New York City who provides personal consultation lectures and workshops across the country
The Advice:
1) Detox your diet. Eliminate what does not nourish you. Sometimes what we turn to in times of stress, such as alcohol, tobacco or sweets, actually impairs our ability to cope.
2) Conserve your resources. This applies not only to money, but also to time and energy. Focus on what you have and what you can do with it.
The Expert:
Loretta LaRoche, a stress-management author, speaker and adjunct professor at the Mind/Body Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston who specializes in the use of humor
The Advice:
1. Live in the moment. You’ll want to avoid the Chicken Little syndrome, mistakenly believing that the sky is falling. Chances are, you’re not headed for ruin, so focus on what’s real—and positive—right now.
2. Be more fun. Don’t wait for enjoyment to come to you. Make a conscious choice to bring laughter and camaraderie into your life. Invite a few friends over, no matter how messy you think your house is, or have dinner out with friends, no matter how much you feel like staying home and sulking.
The Expert:
Nisha Manek, MD, a rheumatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The Advice:
1. Breathe deeply. Concentrate on making each breath slow and measured. Most people who are stressed have erratic breathing, and deep breathing causes you to feel more relaxed.
2. Go with the feeling. Pay close attention to the unpleasant sensation in your gut—sometimes described as “butterflies” or “a sinking feeling.” As you focus on the discomfort, remind yourself that the situation is temporary, and you may find that the feeling goes away.
More Resources:
Use the power of your mind to ease pain and stress
10 steps to stress relief
Stress-Fighting Strategies
Lessen your stress and control your arthritis pain
Got stress? Feeling down? It can be a challenge to keep a positive outlook when arthritis stiffens your neck, knuckles or knees. And stress – whether brief or lingering, mild or severe – can intensify your pain and darken your mood. But new research suggests managing stress might be as simple as giving these strategies a try:
SOUND OFF. Researchers at Germany’s Charite University Medical Centre in Berlin found that people exposed to sustained noise – roaring lawn mowers, ringing phones, humming traffic, loud music – tend to be more stressed and have a greater risk of heart attack.
Stress-Fighting Strategy: Turn off the loud music, the blaring television and your computer chiming with arriving e-mails. Find a quiet place and enjoy the silence.
PLUG THE POSITIVE. Studies performed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Emory University in Atlanta and the University of Torino Medical School in Italy suggest when you anticipate relief from pain, the brain delivers by releasing natural painkillers and changing neuron activity to help you feel better, regardless of the treatment.
Stress-Fighting Strategy: Take time each day to remember when things felt right, good and relaxed. Apply those good feelings to the challenges you’re facing now and expect good things to happen. Learn how to visualize better health.)
GO GREEN. Green scenery can make you physically and mentally healthier, according to several researchers in the United States and Europe. The natural environment, including lush, green scenery – or even pictures of the real thing – has been shown to reduce blood pressure, stress, anger and frustration and promote more positive emotions.
Stress-Fighting Strategy: Picnic in a park. Go for a drive in the country or a walk in your local nature preserve and soak up the sights. Or rearrange your furniture to give a good view of your yard.
LEAVE WORK AT WORK. Bringing work home leads to more on-the-job mistakes, stress and burn out, according to a study in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
Stress-Fighting Strategy: Instead of taking work home, make a to-do list at the end of the day topped with items you want to accomplish first thing the next morning. Put that list, contact numbers and necessary files in the middle of your desk before taking off for the evening.
