BY MARY KAY FOLEY, PT, CHTP/I, GCFP, St. Luke’s Clinic – Rehab
You can’t stop stress; it’s a natural part of life. Stress can actually derive from positive events, such as a new job, moving or marriage as well from difficult events, such as illness, loss of a loved one or juggling multiple responsibilities.
Stress has been a normal biological reaction to threats, real or perceived. Reactions tend to be “fight, flight or freeze.” Your brain releases hormones to fuel your capacity to respond. When the threat passes, the body is intended to return to a normal state.
The pressures in today’s world often lead many to operate in a constant state of stress which, over time, can lead to serious health consequences. We were not meant to, and do not have to, live in a perpetual state of high anxiety.
Fortunately, there are many tools we can develop to deal with and manage stress. What counts is how you react to stress—by reducing it when you can, and building resiliency to recover from stress when it can’t be avoided. The first step is monitoring your stress levels and making it an ongoing goal to practice stress relief.
You can take steps to be less stressed:
- Focus on the present moment instead of past events or future worries.
- Relax your mind by writing things down.
- Slow down, scale back, and do something you enjoy.
- Practice gratitude every day by identifying something that gives you joy or that you’re thankful for.
- Build and strengthen your relationships to ensure you feel supported.
- Take a break from your electronic devices and enjoy nature.
Ease stress in…
5 minutes: Listen to music, relax, slow your breathing. There are apps and/or playlists that can aid in relaxation and even with quieting your mind to help fall asleep.
Breathing exercises: Try these 3 options to increase depth of breathing and to slow pace of respirations: Place hands palm up on thighs while seated in a comfortable chair, 1) take 3 conscious breaths, 2) try breathing in sync with slow opening and closing of one or both hands, 3) exaggerated exhale. There’s an app for that too: Pranayama
15 minutes: Meditate, stretch, pray.
Meditation resources:
Calm: one-minute meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7PxEy5IyV4
Headspace: Let go of stress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Ndym-IsQg
60 minutes: Take a yoga, tai chi, or qi gong class. Take a walk, or get a massage.
Remember to maintain a healthy lifestyle to help manage stress — eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and get enough sleep. Having a healthy lifestyle will help you manage periods of high stress.
Talk to your primary care physician or call St. Luke’s Center for Community Health, (208) 727-8733, if you think you might have symptoms of a mental health condition. The staff will take the time to understand your needs and let you know what resources are available. Download Get Help! a mental health resource guide for the Wood River Valley, www.stlukesonline.org/gethelp. Available in English and Spanish.
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