Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service
Lesson
2
In many
cases, stress is accepted as part of daily life, and people
do little to cope with it consciously. Although it is impossible
to eliminate stress completely and you need a certain amount
of stress to be active and productive, there are three ways
to reduce unwanted stress or manage it productively:
- Manage
your physical and psychological well-being so you can resist
harmful effects of stressful events.
- Monitor
your present level of stress so that you can recognize early
warning signs of stress and do something about the problems
causing it.
- Maneuver
to avoid extremely stressful situations by eliminating the
causes of stress and changing your reactions to stressful
events.
Manage
Your Psychological and Physical Well-being
One
way to manage your psychological and physical well-being is
to have people you can turn to for emotional support. This
support might come from family, church members, friends, or
others who have experienced the kind of stress you are experiencing.
Emotional support involves give-and-take. You must be willing
to support other people in addition to receiving support from
them.
Diet
also appears to influence a person's ability to cope with
stress. Elevated blood cholesterol levels combined with hypertension
or high blood pressure increase your chances of stroke and
heart attack. Be moderate in your consumption of coffee, tea,
soft drinks, and drugs containing caffeine. Caffeine stimulates
the sympathetic nervous system and may promote even more nervousness
and tension. Although alcohol and drugs are common ways of
dealing with stress, they can be addictive and tend to deal
only with the symptoms of the problems. They mask the cause
of stress without eliminating it. Eat an adequate and nutritious
breakfast each day. Most authorities suggest you consume at
least one-fourth of your daily calories and nutrients at breakfast.
Hunger can leave you less able to cope with stress. All in
all, it just makes good sense to eat moderately and regularly,
especially when you're under stress.
A basic
exercise program also is likely to improve your ability to
manage stress. Stretching and flexing the muscles of the neck,
arms, shoulders, back, thighs, and midsection reduce the chance
that these muscles will tighten up and produce common indicators
of stress-headache, neckache, and backache. A more advanced
exercise program that is likely to help manage stress involves
cardiovascular fitness. Over a period of time, cardiovascular
exercise will benefit the heart, lungs, and arteries and result
in biochemical changes that elevate your mood and encourage
a healthy self-concept. You can do more work or do your regular
work with less fatigue. Although many people may be "on the
go" during the day, their activity is most often sporadic
and does not necessarily improve the strength and endurance
of the cardiovascular system.
The
best cardiovascular fitness program involves daily aerobic
or rhythmic, repetitive exercise three times a week. Aerobic
exercise moves oxygen through the body. The activities most
commonly used for cardiovascular conditioning are running,
brisk walking, cycling, swimming, rowing, aerobic dancing,
and cross-country skiing. These activities are noncompetitive
and less psychologically stressful than other sports such
as golf or tennis.
If you're
older than 35, have a thorough medical checkup before beginning
such a program. In addition to support groups, diet, and exercise,
managing stress also means balancing your personal, social,
and work-related activities.
- Develop
a variety of interests, activities, and relationships.
- Balance
work with recreation.
- Don't
keep anxiety and anger bottled up (talk about problems to
someone who cares).
- Set
reasonable personal expectations and goals.
- Learn
to accept what cannot be changed.
- Learn
to say no to requests you cannot reasonably handle.
- Give
in once in a while, even if you think you are right.
Monitor Your Present
Level of Stress
Recognizing
early warning signals of stress-related problems is the second
step in reducing damage caused by stress. Not all symptoms
of excessive stress can be observed easily.
Early
Warning Signs:
- Exaggerated,
out-of-proportion anxiety;
- Excessive
moodiness;
- Withdrawal
from responsibility;
- Constant
insomnia;
- Poor
emotional control;
- Severe
feelings of helplessness and dependency;
- Marked
change in appetite or sex drive;
- Chronic
fatigue; and
- Susceptibility
to illness.
Other indicators
of stress are such comments as:
- "I
can't keep my mind on my work;"
- "I
feel all tied up in knots;"
- "I
can't relax;" and
- "I
feel miserable and I don't know why."
Or have
you noticed:
- A
door slammed a little too hard;
- An
overpowering sense of fatigue;
- Lots
of faultfinding and bickering; and
- A
constant state of turmoil.
All of these signs
indicate stress has reached a serious level.
In addition
to recognizing symptoms of stress, you need to be prepared
for potentially stressful events. For instance, certain times
of the year may be particularly stressful for some people
because of work or other pressures. Or you may be anticipating,
or undergoing, major changes such as moving, retirement,
pregnancy, or a new job, which could be very stressful. If
you are undergoing many changes, look for ways of coping with
stress and avoid, if possible, taking on anything new at this
time.
A helpful
way of monitoring your stress level is to keep a Daily Stress
Log like the following sample. Record how often, causes of,
and reactions to stressful events, people, places, and situations.
As you take steps to manage stress, the Daily Stress Log provides
a before and after check on your progress. A Daily Stress
Log worksheet is provided at the end of this lesson to help
you monitor your own levels of stress.
Daily Stress Log
(sample)
Maneuver
to Avoid Extremely Stressful Situations
You
can handle stress through two maneuvers-
arrange
stress and change your reaction to stressful events.
Arrange Stress
This
suggestion is always questioned. How can anyone arrange stressful
situations? Most of the time you cannot, because many stressful
events occur unexpectedly. However, there are many situations
that you know are stressful. You can plan around these and
lessen the effects of stress. For many people, stress results
when they feel overwhelmed by many things that need to be
done at the same time. If you plan in advance how to handle
potential problems, you can often prevent them from getting
out of hand. And, often you can postpone some situations so
that two very stressful events don't happen at the same time.
Change Your Reactions
Since
everyone lives in a stressful environment at some time, here
are a few rules for handling stress.
- Have
a positive attitude-If you can convince yourself that the
source of stress is necessary, you will have fewer after-effects.
- Accept
and discuss-Accept that your lifestyle produces stress and
that you can control the unwanted side effects. Look for
trouble spots and do what you can to try to change them.
Discuss situations that you and your family find particularly
distressing. Work together to reduce the causes of stress.
- Clarify
responsibility-Much stress in a family can be reduced by
clarifying family members' roles and responsibilities. Make
sure everyone understands clearly what is expected of him
or her. Set clear priorities for yourself and your family.
Communicate positively and discuss issues openly.
- Improve
your time management-Time, man-aged well, can help reduce
stress resulting from too much to do in too little time.
Set up realistic time limits for yourself and others.
- Learn
to relax-Often, in the midst of stressful situations, it
might be difficult to relax. Yet just a few minutes of sitting
in a comfortable chair listening to soothing music, taking
a warm bath, doing deep muscle relaxation (alternately tense
and relax muscles of your body), or meditating will help
you relax and reduce stress. At times you need to loaf a
little. True, too much inactivity often breeds boredom and
may increase stress, but everyone needs some "do nothing"
time. Daydreaming and reflecting may allow time for creative
solutions to problems.
Reducing Stress
Through Relaxation
Your
body sends you signals that tell you when you are stressed.
Often you don't recognize the signals or simply ignore them.
Listen
to your body and take some action to reduce excess muscle
tension. Learning to relax is like learning any other new
skill; it takes patience and practice.
People
vary in their reactions to relaxing techniques. Some people
feel calm or very relaxed after trying some of the following
exercises. Others notice relatively little change, especially
the first few times. You may want to set time aside once or
twice each day for relaxing. These techniques can be used
at times during the day when you take a break as well as when
you find yourself in a stressful situation.
Easy Relaxation
Techniques
(Dr.
Martha Lamberts of Washington State University has outlined
the following relaxation techniques.)
- Most
of us have learned to breathe from our chests. Yet, belly
breathing is the natural way, and a good stress-reducing
habit. Sit or lie comfortably in a relaxed position. As
you slowly breathe in, let your belly expand. Think of it
as a balloon you are filling with air. As you exhale, let
the air out of your "balloon" slowly. Place your hands on
your stomach. You should feel it rise and lower as you breathe.
- In
a relaxed position, breathe through your nose, easily and
naturally, eyes closed. As you breathe out, think "one."
As you breathe in, think "one." Continue for 10 to 20 minutes,
but don't watch a clock just think "one." If your mind wanders,
gently pull it back to thinking "one" every time you exhale;
"one" every time you inhale. After 10 to 20 minutes, sit
quietly for a few minutes with your eyes closed. Then, for
a few minutes more, sit with your eyes open. Don't worry
about doing it "right." Relaxation will happen; allow it.
Do this once or twice daily.
- Try
to touch your ears with your shoulders. Hold this for a
count of 4. Then let your shoulders drop. Now rotate each
shoulder separately toward the rear. Do each shoulder 5
to 10 times. Then do both shoulders together.
- Sit
down and relax, closing your eyes. Massage the back of your
neck, concentrating on the part that feels tense. Cup your
thumbs at the front of your neck and massage on both sides
of your spinal column, letting your head fall limply back
against your rotating fingers. Use your fingers to massage
around your hairline and under your jaws and your cheekbones.
Gently draw a line up and down the side of your nose with
one finger. How do you feel? Do you feel warm?
- Lie
down with your knees bent. Press your back down hard so
that every part of your back touches the surface. At the
same time, pull in hard on your stomach muscles. Then relax,
totally letting go of tension. This is good for your back
and great for firming abdominal muscles, too.
Plan of Action
To take
charge of stress, it is important to identify sources of stress
and skills that you have for managing it. Use the following
guide to set up your own plan of action for stress management-take
charge.
I. Identify your three strongest sources of stress and
the degree of stress you feel regarding each.
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
II. How do you respond to each source of stress?
(Review Lesson One)
Physical ___________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Emotional _________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Mental ____________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Social ____________________________________
_______________________________________
________________________________________
III. Why are you dissatisfied or unhappy with each of
the three stressors?
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
IV. What would you like to change in each of the
three situations?
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
V. Identify skills you possess that could help in
managing stress.
Physical skills (energy, strength, agility)
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Emotional strengths
(self-confidence, empathy, calm)
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Support from others (family, friends, clubs)
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Mental resources (humor, problem-solving, insight)
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Present lifestyle (rituals, hobbies, health)
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
VI. Develop a plan of action. Describe each step you
will take to reduce the level of stress and solve
the situation.
1. ______________________________________
______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
______________________________________
VII. What goals would you hope to achieve and
when?
Ideal goal: __________________________________
________________________________________
Challenging goal: ___________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Acceptable goal: ____________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
VIII. Act on your plans.
Although
most stress can be managed, monitored, and maneuvered, it
is important to obtain professional help before the situation
is completely out of control. Such resources as the family
doctor, mental health professionals, counselors, and clergy
may help in dealing with extreme levels of stress and the
physical and emotional trauma that often accompanies it.
In some
instances, stress can trigger depression. Understanding depression
in yourself and others is the topic of Lesson 3.
The
Joy of Success: How To Make Stress Work for You by P.
Hanson, M.D., Kansas City, Missouri: Andrews and McMeel, 1988.
Kicking
Your Stress Habit by D. Tubesing, Duluth, Minn: Whole
Person Associates, Inc., 1981.
Stress
and How to Live with It by J. Robinson and C. Tevis (Ed.),
Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Publishing Co., 1982.
Stress
for Success by P. Hanson, M.D., New York, N.Y.: Doubleday,
1989.
Farm
Family Stress by S. Middleton, East Lansing, Mich.: Michigan
Cooperative Extension Service, E-1897, May 1983.
Stress:
Friend or Foe by R. Weigel, Ames, Iowa: Iowa Cooperative
Extension Service, 1SP27b, 1982.
Stress
Without Distress, A Guide to Self-Understanding and Prevention
of Stress-Related Illness and Premature Death by M. Gagliardi,
Boseman, Mont., Montana Cooperative Extension Service, Bulletin
1249, 1981.
Successful
Living in a Stressful World by M. Lamberts, Pullman, Wash.:
Washington Cooperative Extension Service, EM4729, 1983.
Study Questions
Lesson
2
Stress Management-Taking Charge
1. What
are the three ways to reduce unwanted stress or manage it
productively?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
2. Is
it desirable to reduce all stress from your life?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
3. How
can relaxation be helpful in managing stress?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
4. Establishing
a personal plan of action is one way of learning to manage
stress. What are other ways of learning more about stress
management?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Daily
Stress Log (worksheet).....................................................Date__________________
Time
| ....Place....
| .....
Source of Stress
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Tension level*
| Coping
strategy..................... |
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*Tension
level .........................1
= Slight 2 = Moderate 3 = Strong 4 = Intense
Major
source of stress today:______________________________
Assessment
of how you managed stress today:________________________
_____________________________
Today's
exercise:______________________ Duration:_____________________
Study Answers
Lesson
2
Stress Management---Taking Charge
1. Manage
your physical and psychological well-being. Monitor your present
level of stress. Maneuver to eliminate the cause of stress
and change your reaction to stress.
2. It
is not possible to remove stress completely. In fact, some
stress may be useful in helping us perform well or to use
care in dangerous situations. What is necessary is for each
person to find an optimal level of stress-not too much or
too little.
3. Relaxation
can provide a diversion or period of calm in a hectic day.
Relaxing also lowers blood pressure for short periods of time.
This can be helpful before important meetings, during stressful
encounters, or at times when control and composure are needed.
4. Reading
books, magazines, pamphlets. Listening to stress tapes. Attending
workshops and seminars. Contacting professionals in stress
management. Talking with others about stress management skills.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
The
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its
programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color,
sex, religion, national origin, or disability and is an equal
opportunity employer.
Clemson
University Cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture
and South Carolina Counties. Issued in Furtherance of Cooperative
Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of
May 8 and June 30, 1914
This
lesson was revised by Brenda J. Thames, EdD, Program Development
Specialist, and Deborah J. Thomason, EdD, Family and Youth
Development Specialist, Department of Family and Youth Development.
These materials were originally adapted by Lucy J. Pearson
from the "Stress on the Farm Home Study Course" prepared by
Randy Weigel, Sharon Mays, and Barb Abbott, Cooperative Extension
Service, Iowa State University of Science and Technology.
This material was adapted, in part, from Sally Middleton's
"Farm Family Stress", Cooperative Extension Service, Michigan
State University, May 1983, E-1697.
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