3 Guaranteed Tips and Techniques to Destress When You’re Feeling Stressed
By Joelle Y. Jean, FNP-C
“I’m so stressed.” Does this sound familiar? Whether you’re delayed at the airport, or trying to juggle a work/life balance, stress can be found in all aspects of your life. The COVID-19 pandemic also added an increased layer of stress and emotional trauma.
Stress can especially affect caregivers caring for an ill loved one, or homecare healthcare workers. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports 32.9% of unpaid caregivers experience stress or behavioral health problems such as:
Depression
Anxiety
Substance use
At the height of the pandemic, healthcare workers were reporting record-high rates of burnout and stress.
But through research and experiments, we learn that stress can be managed. You can incorporate easy-to-use techniques into your daily routine. They are guaranteed to lower your stress level. Seeking professional help from a mental health provider is also a great way to lower stress.
In this article, we will discuss what stress is, the different types of stress, its signs, and symptoms, how stress affects the body, and techniques to lower stress.
What is stress?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines stress as “a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.” Stress is that overwhelming feeling you get in a situation you think you have little to no control over.
Stress affects everyone in different ways. As a caregiver, you may find after a certain amount of time, caring for an ill loved one is beginning to get difficult and overwhelming. Home healthcare workers may find assignments are taking a toll on their mental and physical health. These are considered stressors that cause you to be stressed.
What you find stressful may not be the same for someone else. But in any situation you think is stressful, your body immediately has a chemical and physical reaction that causes you to act, or behave a certain way.
Stress feels like:
Your mind is racing
Your heart is beating fast
Your palms are sweaty
You may have:
Clenched teeth, and/or fists
Tension in your muscles like your neck and back
You may start to:
Cry
Get angry
Feel tired
Feel restless
It’s important to recognize when you start to feel “stressed out.” When stress is identified, it is easier to be proactive in managing it.
What are the signs and symptoms of stress?
At times, stress can be easily identified. You can see in someone’s facial expression if they look stressed. Their faces look tense, angry, and/or worried. But sometimes, you can be stressed and not know it.
For example, some signs and symptoms of stress may present as:
Stomach pain including constipation, diarrhea, nausea
Loss of sexual interest or ability
Chest pain
Nervousness
Getting sick frequently
Trouble sleeping
Skin issues
When stress is not addressed, chronic stress can lead to:
Depression
Anxiety
Substance and drug abuse
If you are experiencing chronic stress, stress that lasts for more than 6 weeks, seeking professional help can help you identify what is causing the stress and how to manage it.
All stress doesn’t have to be negative. There are some benefits to “good” stress.
What is the difference between good stress and bad stress?
Good stress is also known as eustress. Eustress is defined as normal stress that is actually good for you. It gives you a sense of excitement. Eustress can help you to concentrate and motivate you to complete or accomplish a task or project. Examples of eustress are:
Training for a marathon
Roller coaster rides
Scary movies
Having a child
Exercising
Bad stress is constant thoughts of fear or “what ifs” or stressors that are out of your control like losing your job, getting injured, or losing a loved one. Bad stress can be harmful to your health.
What does stress do to the body?
Scientists like Hans Selye, who defined the word “stress” experimented and recorded what stress did to laboratory animals. When stressors like bright lights and extreme temperatures were inflicted, the animals developed physical changes and diseases. They developed:
Ulcers in their stomachs
Shrinking of their lymphoid tissues
Enlarged adrenal glands
When stress is left untreated, you can develop:
High blood pressure
Increase in your blood sugar
Fertility problems
Erectile dysfunction
Acid reflux
Stress doesn’t have to take over your life. Mastering techniques to lower your stress can help you manage it in your everyday life.
3 tips and techniques to lower stress
Here are three tips and techniques you can start using today guaranteed to lower your stress:
The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise- This exercise is very simple. You can even do it in your car. It helps to lower your heart rate and stress.
First, you want to sit up straight.
You can open or close your eyes.
Place your tongue on the back of your top teeth and leave it there.
Empty your lungs by first exhaling through your mouth and around your tongue. Make a whoosh sound.
You can purse your lips if it helps.
Then close your lips and inhale through your nose and in your head, count 4.
Hold your breath for a count of seven.
Exhale completely through your mouth making a whoosh sound again for a count of eight.
Repeat for 3 more cycles.
2. Self-care- Self-care doesn’t have to only be about bubble baths and face masks. As long as you are intentional about caring for your mental health, self-care can play a huge role in lowering stress. Self-care looks like:
Sitting in your car for a few minutes to collect yourself and your thoughts before entering a stressful situation. (Don’t drive away!)
Getting organized by writing a to-do list (Don’t stress out about not getting to everything. It’s okay to do it later.)
Getting regular check-ups. Scheduling a wellness visit with your primary care provider is a great way to lower stress. (Schedule one every year around a date you will remember like an anniversary or your birthday.)
Journal by writing down your thoughts. It can be very therapeutic. If you don’t want anyone to read it, throw it out after you’ve written everything down. If you want your thoughts to be private, using an app like Penzu allows you to lock your journal.
Practicing gratitude. It has many health benefits like lowering stress and improving sleep. Write three things you are grateful for every morning or night.
3. Get up and exercise- Time and time again, exercising has proven its ability to lower stress. The benefits of exercising are endless. Exercising not only lower stress, it prevents diseases, improves your mood, and helps with weight loss.
Adults should exercise at least 150 minutes a week, or 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Do what you love. Swimming, dancing, yoga, or walking are all excellent ways to get exercise into your daily routine. Bring a buddy for an added bonus.
You can even exercise throughout the day. There are apps that schedule 7-minute workouts. Do that four times throughout the day, and you get your 30-minute workout in for the day.
Stress is inevitable. Acknowledging it is half the battle. The other half is learning how to manage the stress in your life to keep you healthy. When you are healthy, you will be able to care for your loved ones and patients with minimal stressors. Also, learn to set boundaries and say no. Setting boundaries and saying no can also benefit you in managing stress.