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Is there such a
thing as good stress?
Barbara Bremer, Psy.D., University of Illinois ar Urbana-Champaign, 1984
Positive stress, such as the birth of a child, a job promotion, or
a new relationship can result in a new awareness and an exciting
perspective. It can add anticipation and excitement to life;
we all thrive under a certain amount of stress. As a
negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust,
rejection, anger and depression, which in turn can lead to health
problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, ulcers, high
blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. With life changes,
whether negative or positive, we experience stress as we
readjust our lives. In responding to different
circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on how we
react to it. How Can I Tell What is Optimal
Stress for Me?
There is no single level of stress that is optimal for all people.
We are all individuals with unique requirements. As such,
what is distressing to one may be a joy to another. And even
when we agree that a particular event is distressing, we are
likely to differ in our physiological and psychological responses
to it. Also, our personal stress requirements and the amount
which we can tolerate before we become distressed changes with our
life-styles and our ages. What we need to do is find the
optimal level of stress which will individually motivate, but not
overwhelm each of us.
How Can I Manage Stress Better?
1. Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and
physical reactions.
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Notice your distress. Don't ignore it. Don't gloss
over your problems.
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Determine what events distress you. What are you telling
yourself about the meaning of these events?
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Determine how your body responds to the stress. Do you
become nervous or physically upset? If so, in what specific ways?
2. Recognize what you can change.
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Can you change your stressors by avoiding or eliminating them
completely?
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Can you reduce their intensity (manage them over a period of
time instead of on a daily or weekly basis)?
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Can you shorten your exposure to stress (take a break, leave the
physical premises)?
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Can you devote the time and energy necessary to making a change
(goal setting, time management techniques, and delayed gratification strategies
may be helpful here)?
3. Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress.
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The stress reaction is triggered by your perception of
danger...physical danger and/ore emotional danger. Are you viewing your
stressors in exaggerated terms and/or taking a difficulty situation and making
it a disaster?
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Are you expecting to please everyone?
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Are you overreacting and viewing things as absolutely critical
and urgent: Do you feel you must always prevail in every situation?
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Work at adopting more moderate views; try to see the stress as
something you can cope with rather than something that overpowers you.
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Try to temper your excess emotions. Put the situation in
perspective.
Do not labor on the negative aspects and the "what ifs".
4. Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress
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Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate and respiration
back to normal.
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Relaxation techniques can reduce muscle tension.
Electronic biofeedback can help you gain voluntary control over such things as
muscle tension, heart rate, and blood pressure.
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Medications, when prescribed by a physician, can help in the
short term in moderating your physical reactions. However, they along are
not the answer. Learning to moderate these reactions on your own is a
preferable long-term solution.
5. Build your physical reserves.
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Exercise for cardiovascular fitness three to four times a week
(moderate, prolonged rhythmic exercise is best, such as walking, swimming ,
cycling or jogging).
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Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals.
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Maintain you ideal weight.
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Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, and other stimulants.
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Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get away when you
can.
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Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with your sleep
schedule as possible.
6. Maintain your emotional reserves.
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Develop some mutually supportive friendships/relationships.
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Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful to you, rather than
goals others have for you that you do not share.
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Expect some frustrations, failures, and sorrows.
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Always be kind and gentle with yourself; be
a friend to yourself.
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