Stressing A Bit Too Much Lately?

Okay, so maybe you're not plotting a huge national coup but maybe you've felt overly stressed recently. If you have, I think this is something you should take a look at.

So, you're a Type A personality, on the go 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you have a bit of a competetive edge, and that's why you never let anything pass by you without your careful consideration....and perhaps sometimes it consumes you a bit. Episodic stress can be useful and in many cases important, on the other hand, chronic stress can be dangerous.

Most of us understand the basic changes that can occur in the body, when a stressful situation presents itself: increased heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, slight nausea and many others that we have all experienced. We also understand that if someone is really uptight and anxious all of their life, they're pretty likely to form an ulcer in the stomach. Sometimes we are able to see experiments using rats in which they discover that exteme stress in rats causes ulcers. But what we are not often times exposed to, is where and how the actual damage occurs.

In your brain there are fibers that connect the different working parts, some of them can be damaged by hormones released during stress. Let's start with a situation. It's your first day at college and you're starting classes. Not only are you incredibly nervous to begin with but in your speech cless you are asked to get up and give a five minute improvisational delivery. You fumble for words and feel your face giving way to a tremendous blush. After that first day things do not get any easier, now you are being teased for the way you messed up and you can't seem to feel comfortable. This type of situation can cause serious stress, anxiety can still linger even when the person thinks they are getting accustomed. Not only does this situation damage performance for future experiences, because of the learning that took place, it can also damage performance of the nerve fibers running through the brain.

These fibers can run from the central nucleas of the amygdala, from the periaquaductal grey (PAG) in the midbrain, or from the locus ceruleas; they run to the periventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. (This link can take you to a place where you can investigate the different areas of a brain) These areas of the brain are damaged by glucocorticoids released by the adrenals. The basic pathway for the release of the glucocorticoids is as such: The amygdala, the PAG, and the locus ceruleus send messages to the hypothalamus when there is an aversive, meaning potentially bad or dangerous, stimuli. The hypothalamus then secretes a corticoreleasing factor to the piuitary, the pituitary releases ATCH into the bloodstream. This travels to the adrenals, which in turn release the glucocorticoids. This is a cycle that is modulated by a negative feedback system.

Allowing the aversive stimuli to affect the body at a frequent rate, slowly over time destroys those important fibers. The glucocorticoids also raise the blood pressure, the pulse, and destroy operations of the immune system.

SO WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN? We're allgoing to die because we get angry in traffic all of the time? No, but knowing that this distruction occurs in the body, is one good reason to start checking alternatives.

• One good way to reduce the amount of chronic stress, is to take all situations and force your brain to see them as merely episodic. If you were to take the college speech class as an example, you could begin looking formward to the finish of each class, physically taking a deep breath and sighing as you leave the room. Each time you were to finish a speech, the same thing can occur. In other words, focusing on the ends of situations can be very helpful, instead of spending all of the time in anticipation.
• Other ways can be through meditation, biofeedback, and other techniques. There are many resources available on the topic.
• And now, complements of the "Let's Live" Magazine from the General Nutrition Centers, here is a list of 15 ways to reduce stress:
  1. Listen To Music- hospitals use music as a way to reduce anxiety in patients. According to music therapists, the music should be 55 - 70 beats per minute.
  2. Go Aerobic- fitness experts claim aerobic exercise eases anxiety and muscle tension, and reduce depression.
  3. Eat A Nutrient-Dense Diet- build up a stress fighting reserve with nutrients, vitamins B and C, potassium, magnesium, and zinc ( helps maintain a healthy nervous system)
  4. Hug Your Pet- animals have a big impact on physical and mental health. Caring for a pet can lower blood pressure and relieve stress. Besides, pets give unconditional love and affection.
  5. Take A Bath- hydotherapy has been used for centuries to induce relaxation. Another tip is to accompany it with aromatherapy, and music.
  6. Wash Your Hands- hand washing is a quick and easy way to relieve stress, you ae supposed to imagine that you are washing the bad things away, it can be done just about anywhere.
  7. Organize Your Space- clutter can also be a big source of stress, organize things one by one, and be sure to throw out things you wont need.
  8. Read A Book- reading is a natural sedative, it's also an inexpensive excape.
  9. Avoid High-Anxiety Foods- ome common foods that frazzle your nerves: coffe, tea, sodas, sugar, and chocolate. Stress fighting nutrients can be depleted by too much sugar and coffee.
  10. Learn To Smile And Say No- Think before saying yes tto things that can't realyy fit into your schedule, keeping things simple will eliminate unnecessary frustration and turmoil. Keep a card that says "just say no!" by your telephone or calendar.
  11. Take A Deep Breath- you can control stress by focussing on your breathing, exhale your problems.
  12. Talk To A friend- Reach out to someone you know, chatting and gossiping can strengthen bons and calm both parties.
  13. Take A Hike- Taking yourself away from an indoor environment and going outdoors can help to de-stress the body, mind and spirit.
  14. Think Before You React-Counting to 10 can enable you to respond more effectively,this way you can take things seriously instead of personally.
  15. Take Care Of Yourself- when you are stressed it is easy to forget to take care of yourself, getting back to the basics of eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep is really fundamental to remaining healthy.