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H E A L T H B E A T
O
On the outside, you may look like someone who has it all under con-
trol. But if you’re like most folks, stress from your job, your relation-
ships, your finances—your whatever—is simmering just below the
surface.
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And unless you can dial down those stressors in a healthy
Our Health and Wellness Department is a
leader in providing community education
programs. To learn more, call 325-657-5064.
way, they could boil over and damage your
emotional and physical well-being.
THE TOLL OF STRESS
Stress is likely
to strike when deadlines loom, when little
annoyances pile up or when big changes—
a job loss, divorce, illness or death in the
family—occur in your life.
Common signs of stress include feeling
worried, irritable, depressed or unfocused.
People who are stressed out may also have
physical symptoms, such as headaches,
back pain, trouble sleeping, digestive prob-
lems, tense muscles and changes in weight.
As uncomfortable as those symptoms
can be, long-term stress can also lead to
serious health problems. Depression, heart
disease, high blood pressure, fatigue and
obesity are just some of the risks linked
to stress.
FIGHT BACK
Realistically, almost no one
is able to avoid stress entirely. But each
of us can take steps to manage stress and
protect our health.
Broadly speaking, there are basically
two methods: a healthy one and one that’s,
well, not so healthy.
The second method involves masking
stress with alcohol, tobacco, too much or
too little food, or some similar activity.
Practices like these might make us feel
better in the short term but, overall, they’re
much more likely to make things worse.
The healthy method involves building
strong, positive habits that help us prevent
stress overload.
Here are a few ideas from the American
Heart Association, the American Psycho-
logical Association and other experts:
Talk it out.
Connecting with friends,
family and co-workers is a great stress-
buster. Try to talk, email or write to a
friend or loved one every day.
Discussing your problems with
someone you trust can help put things in
perspective. But don’t think you have to
focus only on your troubles. Talk about
your joys and hopes for the future too.
And remember, communication isn’t
the only way to make a meaningful con-
nection. Some people find volunteer work
to be a valuable way to not only help others
but to ease their own stress.
Get physical.
It’s hard to list all the ben-
efits of exercise. But among a host of other
things, physical activity is a stress-buster.
It can help relieve mental and physical ten-
sion and reduce anxiety and depression. It
can also help you relax and sleep better and
improve your sense of well-being.
Aim for at least 30 minutes a day, five
days a week, of moderate aerobic activity,
like fast walking or riding a bike. If you’re
pressed for time, break up your exercise
into shorter segments of at least 10 minutes
each. A couple of weekly strength-building
sessions will help too.
Seek some slumber.
In addition to
physical activity, your body needs plenty
of rest to beat stress. If you aren’t getting
the recommended seven to nine hours of
sleep each night, take a look at your bed-
time habits. Do you go to bed at about the
same time every night? Is your bedroom
dark, quiet, cool and comfortable? Are you
avoiding distractions, like late-night TV or
computer work?
Ditch the bad habits.
Smoking, drink-
ing beverages with alcohol or caffeine, and
eating a poor diet can all increase your
stress. If you’re having trouble changing
these behaviors on your own, talk to your
doctor. He or she can direct you toward
the help you need.
Make a plan.
Organize your time so the
most important things get done without a
last-minute rush. A daily to-do list can help
you keep priorities straight. Be realistic
about how much time each task will take.
F
e a t u r e
FIGHT
STRESS
HEALTHY
HABITS
With
Break the bigger tasks down into smaller,
easier-to-tackle steps.
Also, try not to worry too much about
second-tier tasks. If you don’t get to the
laundry or the dishes right away, recognize
it’s not the end of the world.
And be sure to set aside a little time for
yourself. A few minutes with a good book
or some soothing music can make a big
difference in your stress level.
Laugh.
Out loud, if you can. You’ll feel
better, worry less and enjoy life more.
This list may seem long and intimidat-
ing, but don’t let it stress you out! You don’t
have to do everything at once. Just pick
one or two strategies to begin with, and
see how they work for you.
Finally, if these do-it-yourself methods
for relieving stress aren’t working as well
as you’d like, it might be time to get some
professional help. A psychologist, social
worker or other mental health professional
can help you better understand and deal
with your stress.
If you don’t know a mental health
professional, ask friends, a clergy person
or your doctor to point you in the right
direction.