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Stress Management
High stress provokes the fight-or-flight response, an evolutionary leftover, so useful in times of real danger. For most of us, however, the high demands of our lives trigger these biochemical responses many
times each day in the absence of life-threatening danger.
The adrenal glands gush adrenaline as we watch the news or while we sit in a traffic jam. It requires much internal discipline to remain calm in the midst of all the stimulations, velocity and demands of
contemporary living.
In the Chinese view, continued stress causes depletion of kidney energy, and such damage is believed to be a cause of immune deficiency, low vitality and sexual impotence.
Stress is an integral part of
life. An ideal solution to stress-management is to observe our responses to external events as a way to become aware of our limits.
An elastic band stretches only so far until it breaks; to keep it from snapping, the tension must be
relaxed. High performance comes not by eliminating stress, but by enhancing our ability to cope with it. In a preventive approach to wellbeing, one should cultivate an inner awareness able to recognize the optimum balance between activity and
rest.
Identifying the cause of stress, as well as our reaction to it, gives us a chance to disengage the automatic response and tune in with the eye of the storm.
The signs of stress can be obvious or subtle. A high stress level
can manifest in feelings of anxiety, fear, irritability or depression and in behavioral and physiological signs such as compulsive-obsessive behavior (addiction to legal or illegal drugs, coffee, food, sex, work), grinding of teeth, digestive
problems, increased heart rate, trembling, headaches, neck, shoulder and back tension PMS and sleeping disorder.
It is also useful to identify external causes of stress. These can include the physical environment in which you live or
work, social interaction and major life events (birth, death, marriage, divorce). Your reaction to these circumstances is what is important.
That being said, different people react to conditions differently; what may be stressful for me, say climbing to the peak of the West Lion, is a source of pleasure for others.
Simple Tips to Reduce Stress
Self-awareness
Next time you feel stress, observe yourself. How does stress manifest in you? When do you get stressed? Your awareness will open the possibility for
change. We all react differently to situations. For example, my partner's computer just broke down recently just before an important deadline. He remained silent for a few moments, and proceeded to call someone who could fix it. Many people I
know would have flipped out, creating a whole chain of reaction in the body, from heart palpitation to screaming and kicking even before knowing if the situation was a bad one. Observe yourself when stuck in traffic, in the heat of an
argument, before a deadline or when you get ready for the day.
Attitude
A pro-active approach to stress management requires a shift in attitude. Once identified, your reaction to external
circumstances can be transformed if you have the will to bring about changes. With self-respect and the prospect of a life full of vitality comes enthusiasm and acceptance of the discomfort of change.
We are creatures of habits.
Addiction to stress might be part of a belief system that thinks we can accomplish more that way, or it might be the adrenaline rush that we like. When you feel stress, stay with the sensation, look at the activity of your mind and emotions.
Ask yourself if you need to use all this energy right now?
Breathing
Breath is the most useful and easily accessible tool to bring back a sense of presence. Stop for a few moments and feel your
body. Become aware of the breath, of the quality of your breath. Settle in this awareness and feel the movement of air in and out of your body, through your nostrils, into your throat and down into the chest and belly. Feel the in-breath,
expand it a little, making the breath bigger and pause before the out-breath.
Exhale slowly. Again feel the air going out through your nostrils, using the full potential of the out-breath to let go of unnecessary tension and stale energy. Pause at the end of the out-breath.
Pausing in between the in-breath and the out-breath is like a wave on the ocean shore. With each in-breath, bring fresh new energy to your cells and with the out-breath let go of tension and toxins. Repeat
this process for as long as you need to feel refreshed and relaxed. (At least 5 to 10 breaths and up to 20 minutes if you have the time.)
Visualization
Close your eyes and feel your body. Where do
you feel tension right now. Become aware of your weight and of the way the earth is supporting you. Notice the areas where your muscles are held tight around your bones. With each in-breath, visualize space, openness and light in the areas of
tension and as you exhale let go of the tension.
Exercise
Regular activity helps the release of accumulated tension. Choose an activity that you like: basketball, gardening, dancing, bicycling,
bowling or hiking.
A healthy sex life also benefits wellbeing for many reasons including enhanced circulation and release of tension.
Enroll in a regular movement class. Choose a class that makes you feel joy: yoga, dance, Nia technique, Qi Gong or Tai Chi.
Gratitude
A feeling of gratitude helps
the body to relax. It removes much anxiety created by a sense of lack. Being grateful for what is present in our lives increases our ability to perceive the beauty around us.
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