Stress Less Session 4: Stress and Your Emotions

Take a moment to reflect on last week. How did it go for you? On a level of 1-7; 1 being completely relaxed to a 7 being extremely tense how would you rate yourself? And what techniques did you use? Did your number decrease after using one?

Your missions for this week:
-to understand the causes and consequences of stress-related depression.
-to learn three new stress coping techniques: physical activity, expressive writing, and guided imagery

Stress can cause depression by affecting our brains. It involves chemical changes in cells of the brain, as well as the way we think and feel. When we experience stress we can also experience having trouble thinking clearly and focusing, become depressed, and you may lose the ability to remember at a younger age.

When your brain releases SRA (stress reactive areas) your mind/body can benefit in different ways...*more frequent feelings of calm *more patience *less anger *fewer temper outbursts *improved interpersonal communication *more restful sleep *improved sense of well-being *improved ability to manage difficulties *improved self-confidence during stressful situations * improved ability to concentrate *greater enjoyment of life *increased resilience

There is a relationship between depression and stress, but what is it exactly. Depression is caused by constant elevated stress (chronic stress). High levels if not dealt with healthy coping can increase the odds of becoming depressed as an adult.
 
To avoid you should recognize some common signs:
-chronic feeling of sadness -no longer finding pleasure in activities you once enjoyed -lack of interest in usual sexual relationship -always feeling tired, lacking energy -sleeping too much or too little -changing eating habits along with weight loss/gain -difficulty making decisions -excessive crying -feeling worthless/hopeless -frequent irritability -difficulty concentrating/remembering -chronic aches/pains that do not get better when treated. There are always health risks associated with depression. This can cause an increase in heart disease, heart attack (which includes increased risk of death from heart attack), & stroke. Do you see how this is all linked together...chronic stress is the risk factor for lots of chronic diseases. All of these diseases can further increase your risk for other chronic disorders.

So how can you cope with chronic stress. What will decrease your chances? One way is physical activity. It helps lower the concentration of the hormone which causes you to become depressed. It offers a quality of life. Walking is a great way to start, it helps get your heart pumping, muscle groups working, and calories burning. If you are choosing to use physical activity it is suggested that you use "FIT"

Frequency: how many days of the week will you start walking?
Intensity: referring to how fast you will be walking.
Time: set yourself a time.

If you start with walking it will not only decrease your chances of diseases but it can also have an impact on your to start making other healthy changes like quitting smoking or eating healthier. Start with the small changes first to build yourself up for a bigger goal you may have in mind. Also, if you start to walk regularly you will produce fewer stress hormones in response to perceived stress. And your immune system will work better.

Another way to help cope with stress is expressive writing: to be honest I am not really a writer, it was never my strong point in school, but I really think I want to try and give this a shot. Writing things that seem to bother you can bring you calmness, relaxation, and increased enjoyment of life. It can also reduce anxiety. This is different than a daily journal or diary you may have. This is used to write about things in which have bothered you for years or that just happened yesterday. It is a simple coping technique but the effects of this can bring up all sorts of emotions. Here is how it is done....take a piece of paper and pen. Go to a quiet place and set your timer for 15 minutes. Think of something and this will be your writing subject. You are going to continually write for those 15 minutes, do not focus on grammar or spelling. If you run out of things to say on your subject, keep writing over and over what you have already written. **Do not read what you already wrote** When you are finished your tear up what you wrote and toss it out so no one can see. This is suppose to help get all your emotions out and then you let go for tearing the paper up.

Another way may also be a gratitude journal. Day in and day out we are always on the run with our busy lives that we always focus on the bad. Why don't we start focusing on the good in which is around us.  So, every morning or night before you go to bed. Focus on three good things in which you are thankful for or good things that happened to you today. Or write things down as they happen to you. This allows to you to be grateful for things around you and appreciate things more. Then you can pull this journal out when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed out.

Guided imagery is another technique that is often used. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Think of a word that makes you smile when you need it most. Once you do so, you take deep breaths in and out. When you exhale you say this word quiet in your head. This helps relax your mind and focus your attention on the word rather than all the thoughts running through your head on a daily basis. This can also calm your nervous system down.

Try some of these new techniques we just learned about. See which works and which doesn't. Which one do you find most helpful? We also talked about S.M.A.R.T goals. Set a goal in which you want to achieve this week. it may be trying to walk 3times a week for 10minutes a piece. Or trying expressive writing two times a week. Whatever it is write it down and hold yourself accountable. Start small and see what works.

As always I hope you have a wonderful week. :)

Stress Less Session 3: Stress and Your Body

How did week 2 go for you? Are you learning some of these techniques are helping you cope with stress? Some work more than others?

Let's think about how each technique helped you :

-Deep breathing in Stressful Situations: We often get caught up in the moment and tend to not breathe with our lungs. One session of this for me really gets me to start breathing like this on a normal basis. My mind fills clearer and relaxed.

-Good Humor Box: Who doesn't have a good story to tell. Something you instantly think of and you just get that smile on your face. Think of a couple funny stories or events that happened throughout your life. Keep telling yourself them over and over. And when something gets stressful bring out those memories a good laugh always helps.

-Chanting: Like I said before, I am always saying positive things to myself over and over. When I have a negative thought I always turn it around to a positive so I make my mind think like that. The only thing I find odd or just does not work for me is putting it to music. I did not find this technique useful to me compared to others.

-Change your mind of perception: Your perception will always be different than someone elses. But if you are seeing a situation as stressful try to change your outlook and how you view it.

Your mission this week:

• to understand the long-term effects of stress on your body and how they can affect the quality of your life
• to identify body signals that tell you when you brain is reacting to stress
• to learn several ways to calm your mind and relax your body

Effects of Stress on your Body & significance: (these are just some)

1. heart beats more rapidly- if healthy and no heart problems the heart rate will go back to normal. if you have heart disease you may experience chest pain.

2. blood pressure increases- high blood pressure can cause blood vessels to weaken. as a result, your risk of having a stroke may increase. Damage to your kidneys may occur.

3. blood vessels in your heart accumulate cholesterol more rapidly- blocked blood vessel increases your chances of having a heart attack. When you exert yourself you may experience chest pain.

4. blood platelets may clump together instead of floating freely: if a clump of blood platelets comes to a blood vessel in the heart narrowed by cholesterol, the platelets may clog the vessel, resulting in a heart attack.

5. body's ability to resist contagious diseases decreases- you may be more likely to develop a cold, the flu, or strep.

6. autoimmune disease, may get worse- likely to increase. Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, MS, ulcerative colitis, & Crohn's disease.

7. wound healing slows down- cuts or surgical incisions may need more time.

As we age it is obvious that we slow down as individuals, but did you know stress can also detract from your enjoyment of life & shorten your lifespan? If you can slowly try each day to eliminate your stress you are better off. Stress can really put a strain on life and harm you in the end. Pay attention to your signals of stress. They will be more apparent than you think. You will notice you will start to get antsy, fits clenched (along with teeth), angry, hot headed, etc. But there are Stress Coping Techniques in which can help you.

-Body Awareness--Tension

-Body Awareness--Relaxation

-Progressive Muscle Relaxation

 

 

So, what is Body Awareness-Tension become aware of your body signals. Think of the messages your body sends you through out the day, you may choose not to pay attention to some, but there are others you need to pay attention too. Your body is alerting you of your body's needs.  There is a little exercise that you can do. Sit in a comfortable position and take two deep breaths in, think of something that causes you stress. When you think of that stressful situation how does that make your whole body feel? Do you feel different than before when you were relaxed? Being aware of how situations make you feel is very important.

 

Body Awareness-Relaxation this technique helps you realize how your body feels when you are at ease. You want to tense up each part of your body, scrunch up your face, clench your fists & toes. Now, take a deep breathe in and relax every inch of your body. Everything you tensed up before is now relaxed and you have a clear mind. Give yourself enough room because you want to stretch out each body part to the fullest.

 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation stress coping method that targets the muscles that serves as stress indicators. Once you target these muscles you can help them attain a state of relaxation. You tense up each part of your body only to relax them once finished. It is teaching you to feel the difference of being tense vs. relaxed.

 

For these stress techniques there is muscle that all goes with it. Once I find the link I will post in my next blog for you to listen to the music to go along with it. 

 

A little final note before we go. Go for a walk and walk whenever you can. This can also help make you feel happier and calmer. 

Stress Less Session 1: Stress and Coping

Week One of our Stress Less Class is well under way and I must say Session one was a success reading on my own. I really went into this class with an open mind just hoping to learn a few techniques to help deal with stress and even hoping to see what causes stress. And for being week one I caught myself reading a paragraph ad being like hmmm. It's really interesting.  

This class is going to be eye opening. This weeks "missions" are:
1.to understand the nature of stress
2.to explore the links between stress and disease
3.to learn a quick coping technique: deep breathing

Definitions you should know....

Stress-the body's response to a perceived threat or demand.
Stressor-any event or experience that triggers  the body's stress response.
Acute stress-stress that is triggered by an event or experience that is unexpected, comes on quickly, and doesn't last long.
Chronic stress-stress that is triggered by daily, ongoing events or experiences.
Distress-stress that results in negative mental, emotional, and physical effects; "bad" stress.
Coping-thoughts and behaviors used to manage stress and its effects
Resilience (or stress hardiness)- the ability to stay calm and function well when exposed to stressors.

Stress will come and go. Everyone is bound to have some sort of stress during their life. Two key points & take aways.... *stress is a response *triggered by your perception. Every day you are going to experience pleasant & unpleasant events, but it is your mind that decides which is going to cause you stress and which one will cause you pleasure. The greater you perceive an even, the greater the amount of stress hormones will be released. If they stay long enough and are high they can cause damage to your body.

Here are some COST of living a stressful life:
- Experts say that 80% of all chronic disease may be related to stress.
- One third of Americans report that they are living with extreme stress, and nearly half of Americans believe that their stress has increased over the past five years.
-Almost half of Americans report that they overeat or eat unhealthy foods because of feeling over stressed. More than one third said they have skipped a meal because of stress during the last month.
-Two thirds of smokers report that they smoke more when they feel stressed.
-Half of all Americans recognize that stress has had a negative impact on their personal and professional lives.

Did you know that there is more than one type of stress symptoms??

1. Behavioral- bossiness, short temper, tendency to criticize, eating too little/too much
2. Emotional- easily bothered, annoyed, defensive, emotional outbursts, depressed
3. Mental- forgetfulness, trouble thinking clearly, constant worry, self-criticism
4. Physical- dizziness, muscle tension, migraines/headaches, cold hands/feet, stomach aches, ulcers

So how do you cope with stress? There are healthy ways and unhealthy ways. Most people tend to choose the unhealthy route because it is what we know.  We overeat, drink heavily, smoke more than we normally do, etc. These ways are self-destructive. You are harming your body in more way than one. The only reason why people choose to harm themselves more is because they do not proper ways to handle their stress or get it under control.

Quick Coping Techniques:
-Deep Breathing
-Chanting
-Humor

These are good sources because they can be done anywhere and there is no special preparation, takes less than one minute to do, helps you calm down quickly, think clearly, and stay focused, and rapidly decrease the amount of stress hormones in your blood.

Our first week in class we did the deep breathing exercise. And I was actually weary of doing it in front of everyone as a group, but we did it together and every ones eyes were closed. Feeling stressed?? Let's try a little bit of deep breathing together now.

First get a blank sheet of paper on the top write: date & time, Pre & Post tension score, score difference, technique used, describe physical & mental state before practice and the practice setting/conditions, and describe physical & mental state after practice, with regard to relaxation & tension.

What are tension scores?? At the bottom of your page write:
1-completely relaxed
2-very relaxed
3-somewhat relaxed
4-neutral
5-somewhat tense
6-very tense
7-extremely tense

These are your numbers you are going to be using to describe your pre/post tension score!

Warm up exercise:
-Find a comfortable position either lying down or sitting upright.
-Put one hand on your belly, right over your belly. Put your other hand on the center of your chest.
-Breathe normally through your nose if you can do so comfortably, or through your mouth if not.
-Continue breathing normally. Notice how your hands are moving, and notice which hand is moving more.
-After a normal inhalation, blow out all the air you can when you exhale. Do this twice in a row.

What do you notice??

Deep Breathing Exercise:
-Uncross arms and legs.
-Allow your face and jaw to relax (your teeth should separate a little while your lips stay together).
-Relax your neck, drop your shoulders, and let your back "melt" into the floor or chair.
-As you inhale through your nose, imagine that your belly is a balloon slowly filling up with air.
-Pause for a second.
-Exhale slowly and completely through your nose; keep your belly relaxed.
-Pause for a second at the end of the exhale, and repeat, inhaling through your nose.
-Do this three to five times- but not more than five deep breaths.
-Breathe normally for about a minute before moving around and getting up.

How do you feel? Do you notice anything different? Now once you are done, rate your post tension score and take the difference. Make sure you are also describing how you feel. Deep breathing may not be for you. Everyone is going to find a different technique that works for them. If that doesn't work try something else. I learned that other people like to go take a walk/physical activity, take a bath, read, or just sleep as stress reliever techniques. Maybe even a chat with a friend is just what you need? Whatever works for you is RIGHT! 

Check back for week 2 updates and more information!!!! Have a stress free week! 

MyHealth- less stress

I want to first start off with by saying HAPPY THURSDAY! 

Next, this post has NOTHING to do with beachbody, tips, promos, recipes, etc. 

I wanted to share with you a program I am going through right now with my work. This wasn't a mandatory class, it was optional. But I decided to take it to see what it could offer. Let's be honest. Who doesn't feel overwhelmed sometimes? Angered with road rage? Get so flustered you could cry? I will be the first one to tell you, that this is me. So this class is perfect. 

                       

                   

So for the next six week health coaches will be coming to my office building for the first time ever group setting of teaching us how to deal with stress, techniques to try, and exercises. They have taught this stress class before, but it has all be done through one on one phone calls. It will be interesting to see how the in class group goes. We are like the guinea pigs. 

Every Thursday from 12-1 we meet. We were given a workbook and each week we have to complete it for next weeks class. This is a class designed to see what causes you to stress out, how to cope with it, what works & doesn't work for you, and what other people have tried. Because it's nice to hear other peoples opinions. 

Today, was just orientation but I can already tell that this class is going to be great and filled with LOTS of information!!!!

The reason for this blog post you may ask?? Because we did a deep breathing technique before class ended. We had to rate ourselves on a scale of 1-7 (one being not stressed; seven being beyond stressed) and then describe a little how we were feeling or what was bothering you. Next, we uncrossed arms/legs, closed our eyes and did the exercise. After we were told to open our eyes we had to write a "post" technique number down and our feelings. Everyone's number dramatically dropped down ad everyone was feeling super relaxed. 

But anyways, I was thinking to myself after the exercise. If I felt so relaxed that all the thoughts in my mind before this technique were now GONE, this really worked! And it is possible to relieve some stress! If I could feel like this, than I am sure there are many people who would like feel like this. 

I decided to track my journey and keep a journal about it. That way if people want follow along they can. I can't talk about everyone's experiences, but I can talk about mine, give you the beneficial tips, the techniques to try, etc. Some dont get opportunities like this at work,but I'm really glad we do have it. Stress is a big thing out in the world today that really puts a damper on our health. 

Feel free to follow my stress less journey!! And even participate along with me.  I will post every Thursday night on what I felt was useful, not useful, and my own opinion!! If you have any questions feel free to email me

Hope your day was a great!!!!