April Health Tip

Dealing with Stress

In these times of stress, we bring to you the Web site of NSU's Employee Assistance Program, Magellan, with an article on dealing with stress. While there, you may wish to explore the sites for services and the library of topics. These are free of charge to employees of NSU and their families.

-- Robert S. Oller, D.O., Chief Executive Officer, NSU’s Division of Clinical Operation

Stress Management Primer
Courtesy of Magellan Health Services

Basics
Whether we're late for work, stuck in the wrong line at the supermarket, pushing to meet a deadline, or realizing we can't ignore that growing pile of bills any longer, we're all well acquainted with stress. It's a normal part of life that we can't escape.

Sometimes we encounter a greater degree of stress, when we have to cope with emotionally fraught events like divorce, the loss of a job or the death of someone dear to us. And although we may not realize it, stress accompanies even the happiest occasions in life, like getting married or having a baby.

We experience stress as physical and emotional tension, and each of us experiences stress differently. Too much tension can be unhealthy, resulting in everything from occasional tension headaches to high blood pressure and heart disease. These symptoms are the body's way of letting us know that something needs to change. If stress seems to be causing such problems for you, it's a good idea to learn how to reduce these symptoms before they get worse.

Of course, it's impossible to eliminate stress from our lives completely. But we can find better ways to deal with it. These techniques can help minimize stress and make it more manageable:

• Planning for major changes
• Eliminating wasted time
• Setting attainable short- and long-term goals
• Allowing yourself time to adapt to change
• Making good nutrition and regular exercise part of your daily routine

Of course, planning can't always work. But when something stressful occurs that you couldn't possibly anticipate, it's a good idea to have some sort of release strategy that you know works for you. Some people take a long walk, others say a mantra (a syllable or phrase that people repeat over and over as a means to relax). A hot bath soothes a lot of people; for some, working out at the gym does the trick. Find something that works for you and use it when you need to. Most people find that the more they use their release strategy, the more effective a release it becomes.

And keep in mind that a release strategy should promote health – and be acceptable to others who may be around. For example, while you may find strumming a guitar to be relaxing, it's probably not a good idea to relieve your stress by blaring an electric guitar in an apartment complex at 3 a.m.

Key Tips

Key Tip 1
Stress has been called America's biggest health problem, and the numbers back it up. For example, somewhere between 75 percent and 90 percent of the visits people make to their primary care physicians are for stress-related problems. And a similar number of adults have reported experiencing "high levels of stress."

Key Tip 2
Stress can cause an astonishing variety of problems. Although you may believe, as most of us do, that you can handle your stress, the consequences of poorly managed stress can be quite serious, resulting in:

• Higher blood pressure and heart disease
• Insomnia and fatigue
• Headache and indigestion
• Backaches, muscle tension and leg cramps
• Decreased functioning of your immune system

Key Tip 3
Most people acknowledge that stress can cause physical problems, although they may not realize how severe such problems can become. But stress can also have emotional and behavioral consequences, such as:

• Depression
• Anger and irritability
• Anxiety and worry
• Feelings of helplessness
• Alcohol and substance abuse
• Relationship problems
• Eating disorders