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STRESS (Continued)When you leave the switch on, you are exposing yourself to a myriad of problems. Such problems will manifest themselves in symptoms such as, migraine headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart attacks or strokes. It is the daily living that put us in overload with the switch in the up position. Life's little annoyances that start from the time we awaken in the morning, and even before, if we have not had a rest-full nights sleep. Such mundane things when getting out of bed as, the water is cold in the shower, you cut yourself shaving, you burn your hand making breakfast, the children are arguing, the dog messes on the carpet, and on and on. These are but a few of things before leaving your home. You finally leave, and the car does not start right away. When you do get it started, the hassle begins with the traffic. After a long and stress-full ride you get to work, shopping or an appointment, the stresses continue. You must contend with your boss, employees, sales people, etc. During the day, the stresses do not abate, but continue to build. You become even tenser, your heart races faster, and your blood pressure rises even higher. Well by now you get the picture. When this stressful day is over, you ready to climb the walls. However, it does not end there. When you get home the cycle of stress is still there and the switch is still in the up position. This precludes you from getting a rest-full night's sleep and the cycle goes on. When you don't recognize these seemingly minor annoyances as being instrumental in causing you this stress, they will tend to become chronic. To prevent this you have to step back and look at this from another perspective. Think about what seems to set you off with the racing heart and that knot in the pit of your stomach. As you become aware of the stresses that trigger these responses, learn to step back and will yourself to relax. You will find it gets easier as time goes on. You have heard the expression, "count to ten", well try it, you will be amazed on how well it can work for you. If driving to work, or shopping is too stress-full, think about carpooling or taking public transportation. If you can't seem to get going in the morning, get up earlier so you won't have to rush. When you deal with someone who is "bugging you", just say to yourself, this is just not worth the hassle. "Count to ten", take it with "a grain of salt" and turn of that switch. In other words step back from any confrontations. Learning a relaxation technique that is suitable for you is the first step to mental and physical health. A basic form of relaxation is deep breathing. Breath slowly and deeply. Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Wear loose clothing that is not confining. Place both hands on your abdomen and inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, letting your stomach expand to it's fullest. Hold your breath a few seconds and exhale slowly through your mouth while pursing your lips as if whistling. By doing this, you control the air you exhale, and increase the length of time it takes. Repeat this process several times each time, and several times daily as needed. Find the time during the day to set aside at least 15 minutes to a half hour to have a quiet period. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie down in comfortable clothes, kick off your shoes and try to clear your mind of all distractions. Breathe deeply as described above. Focus on pleasant things. Think of a trip you would like to take, like a cruise, a day at the beach or the mountains. You get the idea! Another method for relaxation is "mind over matter." Basically this is what is used in "Biofeedback", but is performed on your own without the aid of the electronic machine. You focus your mind on different parts of the body and instructing a particular muscle or group of muscles to relax. With this method you should also sit in a comfortable chair or while lying down, breathe as previously described and visualize the tense muscle or group of muscles and will them to relax. This can be very effective once you have mastered the technique. Another extremely important way to control stress is to start an exercise program. This combined with the methods above, can be the single most important thing you can do in controlling stress. Exercise should be easy and fun. The simplest exercise program is the DOCTOR'S SENIOR EXERCISE program that will not only help you to achieve this goal, but will improve your health and general well being. By devoting only the 15 to 20 minutes daily that is required, you will be greatly more relaxed and you will be able to cope with the daily stresses you encounter. This will go a long way in making you a happier person, and by doing so, will add years to your life and thus your longevity. |
