Incorporating Stress Relief Into Your Personal Health Routine

Business coaches often become aware of stress in their clients before the clients themselves can put a label on their changed behaviours and mindset. With the factors in the market at the moment, it’s not surprising that we’re checking for and finding the symptoms of stress in more clients, and even in their employees.

So this makes it a good time to talk to an expert in stress management and treatment and we called on Sam Patrick who is a trained Naturopath and former Nurse, to ask for her take on stress. This is what she had to say:

Stress is Normal

Anxiety or stress is a normal physical response to potentially dangerous situations and our bodies are designed to deal with it. But constant stress due to prolonged worry is not normal and can lead to negative effects on our mental and physical well-being. Left untreated, prolonged periods of stress can contribute to depression, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke.

While anxiety starts in our heads it can weaken our immune system and put our finely tuned body out of balance, presenting as one or more physical symptoms that can range from a simple common cold to a churning stomach, loss of energy, an irritable bowel, low libido, headaches, dermatitis, neck tension, and insomnia.

Mental and emotional side effects for some people might include an inability to concentrate, memory lapses, depression, erratic mood swings, easy anger and frequent irritability, while others display their stress through behavioural changes such as over-eating or drinking, increased smoking, fast driving, overuse of medication, aggression or dysfunctional decision making.

Stress Stocktake

If you read through the above and mentally ticked enough to rate your stress levels at greater than 6/10 on most days of the week, it’s time to take stock of yourself and to instigate some positive lifestyle and stress management changes.

By the way, it might be helpful to discuss this with your fellow workers and to rate yourselves, then each other, for a comparison. Sometimes you or they may miss the fact of growing progressively more difficult to work with.

Stress Relief

In nature, stress is a response to “fight or flight” situations which are almost invariably met with high levels of activity and energy expenditure which – provide you win or survive – leave you feeling physically exhausted and mentally euphoric (due to all the good endorphins and serotonin released by the activity).

And therein lays the clue to stress management in modern business life, so you might like to try some of these for relieving stress:

• If you are stressed, talk about how you feel to your partner, spouse or friends. If you don’t know whether you are stressed, ask them – they’ll tell you! Alternatively, talk with a health professional.
• Take 10 very deep breaths (using your diaphragm muscles instead of your rib cage) every time you feel stressed.
• Exercise to the point of a light skin sweat for an average of more than 20 minutes a day every day. It’s OK to do 40 minutes three times a week, for example, to make your average, but make it regular and avoid one big hit a week.
• Experiment with six weekly or monthly massages in a row, and see how you feel.
• Schedule to enjoy light, entertaining or funny films at the movies or at home on a regular basis.
• Add a little aromatherapy to your life with lavender on your pillow or in your bath. You’ll find it helps you to relax and to sleep, both of which build your stress-management ability.
• Give Yoga, Tai Chi or Pilates a try. They are rhythmic and gentle and hugely de-stressing.
• Experiment with bridge or pool or a similar shared activity on a regular basis. The mental focus will take you out of “work mode” for a couple of hours of renewal.
• Buy a dog, they are proven stress busters, they enjoy a walk so much that they are likely to lead you into regular exercise, and that big dose of unconditional love they give you is seriously good for your health.
• Join a laughter group (no joke). These are non-profit groups set up around your community.
• Go to the library and lose yourself in a magazine or book.
• Start a new hobby – gardening is a great candidate here. Grow your own veggies!
• Shorten your working hours, then discipline yourself to get the important stuff done inside of your new times.
• Have a hot bath once a week, using essential oils and floating candles. A small glass of champagne would be OK. And some company…?

For more of Sam’s wisdom, check her out here www.byebyebridget.com

PS. Sam’s a frequent traveller and has written a book “Hot Tips for the Business Traveller” which we’d recommend.