Welcome to Enhancing Recovery Part 2.
I'm Dr.
Lynne Brown.
Today's topic is The Stress in Your Life and What to Do About It.
Stress is any action or situation that places certain physical and or psychological demands upon you.
Stress is necessary to well-being.
A lack of it may be harmful.
But stress causes some serious ailments.
And research has determined that the stressors we find in modern life are more harmful than those found in the days gone by.
There are three responses to stress.
There is an emotional response that reveals itself in annoyance,
Fear,
Etc.
The second response is behavioral that causes a change in performance.
The third is physiological.
This results in changes in body functioning and psychologically induced illnesses.
However,
The brain influences the nature of stress by its ability to control environmental events and our ability to look ahead.
Some people are less susceptible than others to the influences of change because they interpret their environment as less threatening,
Challenging,
Or demanding.
They have certain personality traits in common.
They are flexible in their attachments to other people,
Groups,
And goals.
They easily shift to other relationships when established ones are disrupted.
These people are aware of their psychological limitations.
The healthiest people show little psychological reaction to events and situations that cause extreme reactions in others.
What are the signs of stress?
The visible signs of stress include increased breathing rate,
Frowning,
Clenching of jaw and or fist,
Muscle tension,
And perspiration.
The invisible signs are increased heart rate,
Redistribution of blood from internal organs to large muscles,
Decreased perception of fatigue,
Breakdown of fat stores,
Increased coagulation of blood,
Decreased blood clotting time,
Urge to urinate,
Increased cardiac output,
Increased blood pressure,
And increased sympathetic nervous system activity.
How can you avoid stress?
Get up 15 minutes earlier than you usually do.
Prepare for the morning the night before by laying out your clothes,
Getting the coffee ready to brew,
Taking a shower,
Making your list of things to do the next day,
Etc.
Never wear ill-fitting clothing.
Wearing clothes that are too small won't make you appear thinner.
Always dress neatly and comfortably.
Set appointments ahead of time.
Schedule regular appointments by setting up the next one while still at the current appointment.
This way you'll never have to remember to call and make the next appointment.
Don't rely on your memory.
Write down everything you need to remember.
Focus preventive maintenance on yourself and your possessions.
This will reduce the amount of time and money spent on repairs.
Make duplicates of all keys.
Rearrange your work hours.
Say no more often.
Practice in front of a mirror if necessary.
Use off hours for shopping and banking.
Rearrange mealtimes.
Keep an emergency supply of all necessities.
Make copies of all important documents and keep the originals in a safe place.
Don't put up with anything that doesn't work properly.
Allow extra time for everything.
How can you reduce stress?
Learn to accept what you cannot change.
Don't waste your energy.
Take one thing at a time.
That's all you can do anyway.
Be prepared to wait.
Bring something to read or people watch.
Relax your standards.
Everything doesn't need to be perfect.
Get enough rest and sleep.
Lack of sleep lessens your ability to deal with stress.
Practice work and play.
Schedule time for relaxation.
Talk out your worries.
Share them with someone you respect and trust.
Another person may help you see a different side to your problem and therefore a solution.
Avoid self-medication.
Alcohol and food can mask symptoms of stress.
Finish a serene place of your own.
Use it to have time when there are no demands placed on you.
Blow off steam physically.
Physical activity helps to reduce the tension your body absorbs.
Do something for someone else.
Get your mind off yourself for a while.
It will change your perspective.
Time the humor in the situation.
Get help with the jobs you hate.
Give in once in a while.
It's a good way to start the give and take process.
Remember stress is the discrepancy between expectation and reality.
So to reduce the stress in your life,
Reduce the expectations you have and begin using the information you just heard.
You will find your life is much more enjoyable.
Copyright 2017,
Lynn Baranius-Brown.
Published by Best Life Publications.
No part of this audio recording may be reproduced without permission from the copyright owner.
