MINIMIZING YOUR STRESS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM (or HOW TO LIVE AND BREATHE AT THE SAME TIME)
By Julie A. White RN

The media is doing a fine job of bringing to our attention the importance of reducing stress to prevent and control catastrophic illnesses . We are well aware that heart attacks, fibromyalgia, intestinal diseases, and headaches may manifest as a result of exposure to prolonged stress in our lives. Reduction of stress factors in our lifestyles can reverse the symptoms of these illnesses and prevent reoccurrence.

Physicians and health professionals now routinely ask, "How do you manage stress in your life?" when taking a health history. Attention to this important life-saving matter is a key to determining a person's ability to adapt to differing stressful situations that may be encountered during the course of a single medical office visit or how one may handle a life-threatening diagnosis and its subsequent treatments.

A stress factor diagnostic chart has been developed which shows us which life situations create the highest levels of chronic stress in our lives with "Death of a Spouse or Child" leading the list. Though we are getting better at assessing levels of stress in our lives, we have yet to find workable easy solutions to CHANGING our lives to reduce and manage these all-time high levels of chronic stress everyone is experiencing these days.

The all-time high numbers of people suffering with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, arthritis, immune disorders, asthma, allergies, and insomnia is showing us that our lives are out of balance and thus "dis-ease" results. We need to "ease" in order to heal the "dis-ease."

We ALL are stressed in our lives today. The use of cell phones, laptops, mini TVs in cars and on wrist watches, DVDs, CDs, ABDs (oops that means abdomen), fills our time in our SUVs as we travel to the gym to work out to maximize our PECs while minimizing our GLUTs. On the way home we bottle feed on a water bottle while eating our Protein bar so that we may save time to spend surfing the NET as we CHAT into the wee hours of night and then need a sleeping pill to "ease" us into dreamland.

Did we enjoy this day?? Did we breathe? Did we LIVE? Or did we spend the day DOING what we thought our culture expected us to do in order to be a "productive citizen"? When did we change from a civilization of human "BEINGS" to human "DOINGS"?

Our lives are moving so fast that our minds and bodies never really slow down, not even when we sleep. We breathe faster and shallower throughout the day and night. We never really "catch" our breath. We are in chronic states of "dis-ease."

It is obvious then that our spirits don't have a chance of keeping up with our minds and bodies, resulting in spiritual crisis as well. Our lives are out of balance, we are exhausted,and then we hear the echoes of our friends, "When are you going to get a life?"

How then can we attempt to "ease" our lives so that we may live and breathe at the same time? How can we live without needing to be reminded to "breathe"?

How can we 'take some time for ourselves' before the boss demands that we do?

The following are simple suggestions that do not require taking a course, reading a book, or changing, which we know, causes more stress. They are simple helpful hints that may reverse the stress -releasing hormones and help slow the mind and body down allowing it to "breathe":

1. Think of the stress response as a snow-globe, and when we are shaken up, our minds and bodies create a "blizzard" just as the snow fills the snowglobe completely white hiding the wonderful scene inside of it . We need a response time whenever we experience a stressful time or event for the storm to subside, just as the snowglobe needs time for the snow inside of it to settle.

When the globe is clear again, we can see the delightful treasures inside of it. We ourselves need a recuperation time after a stressful event to clear ourselves and to breathe freely again. This puts our mind, body, and spirit into balance. When we are in balance, then we are truly alive and really living.

2. For each hour or day of considerable increased stress try to balance that with equal time of rest or relaxation or spending time in enjoyment. For instance if you are working on an very demanding schedule for a week then try to balance that week with a week of lesser demands or working on more enjoyable tasks. This will release immune boosting hormones to replenish the loss experienced during the acute stress time.

3. Try "stopping"....... while doing a job or task of a stress-producing magnitude, stop in the middle of it or periodically and simply close your eyes and picture yourself in a lovely setting or doing something you really enjoy. This mindset can alter the physical response your body is making to the stress and balancing it once again.

4. LAUGH....... tell a joke, keep a funny picture nearby, read a comic in the bathroom, wear a red nose, let a big belly laugh loose for no reason at all..... this can release all sorts of immune boosting hormones and lessen stress hormones.

5. Pay attention to your breathing: while sitting at a stoplight, waiting for a meeting to start, standing in line at the cashier or bank, or lying in bed.....watch your chest and abdomen and notice how you are breathing. Deep slow breaths with your abdomen rising and falling are a sign of relaxation and wellness . Faster shallow breathing with your chest rising and falling indicates stress and inhibits good oxygenation of the body. Practice breathing more slowly and deeper into the abdomen. This will calm your body and mind, and allow your spirit to feel more at home and safe inside you. You will feel more "alive." Simply allowing your breath to become fuller and slower will impact all aspects of your life, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

6. Find an activity, hobby, or interest that you enjoy passionately. Is there something in your life that you enjoy doing so much that you lose all track of time while involved with it? Whether it is knitting a sweater, gardening, hiking, cooking, woodworking, or skateboarding, or any number of creative outlets, time spent in these activities can re-balance your life after an acute stress period.

7. Allow music to enter your life and soul.... fill your car and home with soothing music instead of the babble of talk radio and TV.... play calming classical or instrumental music before bed time each evening to wind your brain and body down and induce sleep more naturally. Specific musical instruments such as the piano or harp have been known to calm the body and mind physically as well as emotionally.

8. Go outdoors and observe nature for a few moments several times a day.

Look at the mountains or sky when driving along or at a stop sign.... even in our dark dreary winter days there are plenty of colors and wondrous sights to see if we only take the time to look. Watch birds at a birdfeeder for a few moments and observe how you feel afterward...... see how your spirits rise when you spot the cardinal or bluejay, or the little flirtatious chickadee.

9. PLAY..... doodle while on hold on the telephone or play or play with colored pencils or pens that you keep in a cup by the phone. Keep a stress ball or a basket of fun toys where you sit or talk a lot... perch a stuffed animal or beanie baby on your computer.... take it down and hold it every now and again. Use whipped cream on hot chocolate or cut your sandwiches in star shapes instead of just in half. Bring fun no matter how small into your life daily.

10. For every negative comment that you speak that same energy will come back to you. If you look at what is lacking in your life, be it money, a good job, house, or family, then the more you focus on it the more you will continue to manifest the same negative qualities..... instead turn every statement around and look at the prosperity or abundance in it...... i.e. "I am thankful for the experiences of the skills I have learned in this job, and now I am open to a more challenging and rewarding change." That energy will create more opportunities to come your way than using "This job stinks" as your daily motto.

11. Last of all, if all else fails run to your nearest chocolate store and buy the grandest box of the finest chocolates and enjoy each and every bite..... savoring with gratitude and enjoying passionately .... and realizing that this too relieves stress and improves overall well-being.