Stress is not good for you. Everyone knows that. But, what health problems does it cause and how do we deal with it? 43 percent of adults have adverse health reactions to stress, and 40 percent of job burnout can be attributed to stress. It is the leading occupational disease of our country!
You’ve probably heard that stress can increase blood pressure and anxiety. But it also causes depression, sleep disorders, weight gain or loss, and if not dealt with can lead to death. It’s ironic that the symptoms of stress lead you down into a spiral because they cause more stress.
Everyones reaction to everyday stressors is different. What stresses you out may make someone else laugh. And, what stressed you out years ago may seem like absolutely nothing today. There are a few stressors however, that seem to have a common ground in all of us. Money is at the top of the list. Everyones opinion of how much money is enough differs. What doesnt seem to differ is that when there is not enough to buy adequate food, pay the bills, or save for the future, it stresses us out! Whether we want to admit it or not, money and stress are related in our society.
Ironically, 300 billion dollars is spent annually on stress related workers compensation claims. Money and stresswhat are the answers? There is no doubt that we need to do something differently. The 6 leading causes of death are stress related:
*heart disease *cancer *lung ailments *accidents *liver cirrhosis *and suicide
I taught my students the detrimental effects of stress in public school. I even demonstrated stress-relief techniques. All the while stress was silently at work destroying my adrenal gland’s ability to function. Yes, I knew I gone through a lot of stress…divorce, lack of money, raising 4 kids alone, returning to college, and finally a new job. Now I had a job with it’s own set of stressors and more debt.
Yes, I was one of those people stressed mostly by money or the lack thereof. We can say that money isn’t everything, but having enough can help you more easily eliminate stress. I wished I had enough for yoga classes, gym memberships, babysitters, date nights, massage, organic food, supplements, even a funny movie.
I was generally happy, and did yoga regularly. My body slowly gave me signals that something was wrong. My hair fell out, I stopped having periods, I gained 30 pounds while running marathons, and then had panic attacks. A saliva test revealed that my adrenal glands were barely working. They had served me well, and then given out. My excessive running as a coping method had actually been a contributor.
I doubt that I am the only one who is well educated and trying to do what is best 9go to college, get a new job, exercise, and eat right) and finds her/himself facing serious health problems. I would like to help someone else out there.
The answers are two-fold.
*Learn how to reduce stress *Eliminate stressors from your life (easier said than done)
These are the things that worked for me.
*Dont stress. Ha! I know youre thinking what, sell the kids? No, really, you can learn to do this. Make a list of actions you can take toward whatever is stressing you out, and do them. Then, forget it! Whats the worst that can happen? Usually, its not as bad as what is going to happen when stress takes its toll on your body. Meditate to clear your mind, or find a mantra or one pointed focus when your mind starts to drift toward the what ifs. Teach your mind to live in the moment.
*stop the stimulants! You may as well give yourself an IV drip of stress. *get enough sleep-lack of it inhibits the body’s ability to deal with stress. *yoga-which not only relieves body tension, but teaches you how to live in the moment. *laugh! (natural endorphin release) *exercise at your target heart rate. Too intense and you are causing the body more stress. It doesn’t differentiate between physical, mental, or emotional stress. *friends-a social network for outlet, laughter, commonalities *nutrition-Good diet is not enough. You need to supplement with a multi-vitamin, especially extra B vitamins, a micro-mineral, and adaptogens (like ginseng).
Who knew that working out like a mad woman would contribut to my physical meltdown? i was a health teacher and I didn’t know. All of the running in stressful times actually made my hormones fail and my body gain weight. I hope to help someone else before it happens to them. It has been unpleasant and hard to recover.
