Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Holidays
Take Control of Stress before it Takes Control of You
Janet Hackert, Regional Nutrition and Health Education Specialist
The holiday season is officially in full swing. Life seems to get even busier than usual this time of year. There are ways to relieve stress and to take control of stress before it takes control of you.
The signs of stress vary from person to person. Some may
feel fatigue, head/chest/back pain, diarrhea or
constipation, or change of appetite. For some, irritability,
a noticeably negative attitude, or an anxious feeling may be
a signal of stress. Identifying one’s own signs of stress is
the first step toward stress relief.
The next step is learning ways to relieve stress as it
arises. One method of stress relief is relaxation. Take a
deep breath. Take another one. By filling the lungs with
air, blood is oxygenated, and the body is rejuvenated.
Another relaxation technique is called mindfulness. Lynn
Rossy, of the TE Atkins University of Missouri Wellness
Program, uses the acronym S.T.O.P to help explain what
mindfulness means. It stands for Stop, Take a breath,
Observe the situation, and Proceed. “After following those
few steps, you’ve stopped long enough that you might not
continue to do something you’ll regret,” Rossy says. At her
program’s web site (http://www.umsystem.edu/ums/curators/wellness/mindfulness/guided.htm),
you can download guided mindfulness exercises. They are as
short as 3 minutes and as long as 30.
Physical activity is another way to release the tension of
stress. Try stretching. Even a little stretch at the
computer, at the kitchen table, at the side of the tractor,
or whenever the tension is felt in the muscles can help make
the situation a bit easier to handle. Aerobic activity is
yet another option. For relief of just a little stress, a
walk around the block, office or living room, can revitalize
and give a new perspective on a task. If stress levels are
higher, perhaps more strenuous activity is called for.
Running the stairs, cleaning house, shoveling out a calf pen
or some other activity might do the trick.
Learn to recognize your symptoms and manage them before
stress becomes overwhelming. Find techniques that work for
you, use them, and live a less stressful existence.
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Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
