5.3: Coping with Stress

We know that everyone has stress in their lives and a little stress may be helpful, but too much stress can lead to illness. It is important to recognize the stress in your life and then take action to handle stress in a positive way and keep it from making you sick.

Cognitive strategies to reduce stress

Cognitive strategies to reduce stress are focused on how you think. These strategies can help you to develop a new attitude in regards to stress in your life.

• Become a problem solver.
  • Make a list of the things that cause you stress. From your list, figure out which problems you can solve now and which are beyond your control for the moment. From your list of problems that you can solve now, start with the little ones. Learn how to calmly look at a problem, think of possible solutions, and take action to solve the problem. Being able to solve small problems will give you confidence to tackle the big ones. And feeling confident that you can solve problems will go a long way to helping you feel less stressed.
• Be flexible.
  • Sometimes, it’s not worth the stress to argue. Give in once in a while or meet people halfway.
• Get organized.
  • Think ahead about how you’re going to spend your time. Write a to-do list. Figure out what’s most important to do and do those things first.
• Set limits.
  • When it comes to things like work and family, figure out what you can really do. There are only so many hours in the day. Set limits for yourself and others. Don’t be afraid to say NO to requests for your time and energy.
• Set priorities
  • Decide what must get done and what can wait, and learn to say no to new tasks if they are putting you into overload.
• Reward accomplishments
  • Recognize what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.
• Build your Resilience
  • Resilience refers to the ability of an individual, family, organization, or community to cope with adversity and adapt to challenges or change. Everyone will experience hardships in life from everyday challenges to traumatic events and each person reacts to the challenges differently. Being resilient does not mean that a person does not experience difficulty or distress but it may help you adapt well over time to stressful situations.
  • Resilience is the ability to:
    • Bounce back
    • Take on difficult challenges and still find meaning in life
    • Respond positively to difficult situations
    • Rise above adversity
    • Cope when things look bleak
    • Tap into hope
    • Transform unfavorable situations into wisdom, insight, and compassion
    • Endure

Relaxation Strategies to Reduce Stress

Taking time to relax is helpful response to stress in your life. There are many ways you can purposefully relax, here are a few techniques to try:

Stretch

Stretching can also help relax your muscles and make you feel less tense.

Get a Massage

Having someone massage the muscles in the back of your neck and upper back can help you feel less tense.

Do something you love

Take time to do something you want to do. We all have lots of things that we have to do. But often we don’t take the time to do the things that we really want to do. It could be listening to music, reading a good book, or going to a movie. Think of this as an order from your doctor, so you won’t feel guilty!

Practice Deep Breathing

When we become stressed, one of our body’s automatic reactions is shallow, rapid breathing which can increase our stress response. Taking deep, slow breaths is an antidote to stress and is one way we can “turn-off” our stress reaction and “turn-on” the relaxation response. Deep breathing is the foundation of many other relaxation exercises.

Deep breathing activity:

• Get into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down.
• Put one hand on your stomach, just below your rib cage.
• Slowly breathe in through your nose. Your stomach should feel like rising and expanding outward.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth, emptying your lungs completely and letting your stomach fall.
• Repeat several times until you feel relaxed.
• Practice several times a day.
• Try this guided video for Deep Breathing

Use Guided Imagery

In guided imagery, you picture objects, scenes, or events that are associated with relaxation or calmness and attempt to produce a similar feeling in your body.

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, with eyes closed.
• Start by just taking a few deep breaths to help you relax.
• Picture a setting that is calm and peaceful. This could be a beach, a mountain setting, a meadow, or a scene that you choose.
• Imagine your scene, and try to add some detail. For example, is there a breeze? How does it feel? What do you smell? What does the sky look like? Is it clear, or are there clouds?
• It often helps to add a path to your scene. For example, as you enter the meadow, imagine a path leading you through the meadow to the trees on the other side. As you follow the path farther into the meadow you feel more and more relaxed.
• When you are deep into your scene and are feeling relaxed, take a few minutes to breathe slowly and feel the calm.
• Think of a simple word or sound that you can use in the future to help you return to this place. Then, when you are ready, slowly take yourself out of the scene and back to the present.
• Tell yourself that you will feel relaxed and refreshed and will bring your sense of calm with you.
• Count to 3, and open your eyes. Notice how you feel right now.
• Try this guided video for practicing Imagery

Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation

In Progressive Muscle Relaxation you reduce muscular tension and negative feelings by learning how to relax and relieve the muscular tension. The key to the relaxation process is taking some deep breaths and then proceeding to tense, then relax a group of muscles in a systematic order.

• Sit in a comfortable position, with eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths, expanding your belly as you breathe air in and contracting it as you exhale.
• Begin at the top of your body, and go down. Start with your head, tensing your facial muscles, squeezing your eyes shut, puckering your mouth and clenching your jaw. Hold, then release and breathe.
• Tense as you lift your shoulders to your ears, hold, then release and breathe.
• Make a fist with your right hand, tighten the muscles in your lower and upper arm, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left hand.
• Concentrate on your back, squeezing shoulder blades together. Hold, then release. Breathe in and out.
• Suck in your stomach, hold, then release. Breath in and out.
• Clench your buttocks, hold, then release. Breathe in and out.
• Tighten your right hamstring, hold then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left hamstring.
• Flex your right calf, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left calf.
• Tighten toes on your right foot, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left foot.
• Try this guided video for Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Practice Meditation

Meditation is about clearing your mind. There are many types of meditation, but most have four elements in common: a quiet location with as few distractions as possible; a specific, comfortable posture (sitting, lying down, walking, or in other positions); a focus of attention (a specially chosen word or set of words, an object, or the sensations of the breath); and an open attitude (letting distractions come and go naturally without judging them).

• Sit in a comfortable position, with eyes closed.
• Set a time limit such as five or 10 minutes.
• Notice how your body feels
• Focus on your breath. Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and as it goes out.
• Notice when your mind has wandered and simply return your attention back to your breath. It is normal for your mind to wander, just come back.
• When time is up, take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions. Show yourself kindness and appreciation.
• Try this guided video for 5 Minute Mindful Meditation to be more Calm

Behavioral Strategies to Reduce Stress

It is important to take care of your body, especially when you are experience a lot of stress in your life.

Listen to your body

Recognize signs of your body’s response to stress, such as difficulty sleeping, increased alcohol and other substance use, being easily angered, feeling depressed, and having low energy.

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep helps you recover from the stresses of the day. Also, being well-rested helps you think better so that you are prepared to handle problems as they come up. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night to feel rested.

Eat right

Try to fuel up with fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. Don’t be fooled by the jolt you get from caffeine or high-sugar snack foods. Your energy will wear off, and you could wind up feeling more tired than you did before.

Get moving

Getting physical activity can not only help relax your tense muscles but improve your mood. Research shows that physical activity can help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Avoid counterproductive actions

Don’t deal with stress in unhealthy ways. This includes drinking too much alcohol, using drugs, smoking, or overeating.

Explore stress coping programs, which may incorporate meditation, yoga, tai chi, or other gentle exercises.

Social Strategies to Reduce Stress

Connecting with others is a helpful strategy for stress reduction.

Share your stress

Talking about your problems with friends or family members can sometimes help you feel better. They might also help you see your problems in a new way and suggest solutions that you hadn’t thought of.

Get help from a professional if you need it

If you feel that you can no longer cope, talk to your doctor. She or he may suggest counseling to help you learn better ways to deal with stress. Your doctor may also prescribe medicines, such as antidepressants or sleep aids. Get proper health care for existing or new health problems.

Help others

Volunteering in your community can help you make new friends and feel better about yourself.

Activity: Reduce stress in 10-15 minutes

You can reduce stress in 10-15 minutes with one of the following activities:

• Get outside. Take a nature walk or city hike. Remember to wear a mask and stay 6 feet from others.
• Take a dance break!
• Write three things you are grateful for today.
• Giving back to others can help you too. Take a look at volunteer opportunities that interest you through a site such as VolunteerMatch.
• Take a break from the news today… watch or listen to something fun.
• Wash your face or rinse your hands in cool water to reduce tension and calm nerves.
• Check in with a friend, family member or neighbor. Talk by phone, video chat or visit in person while maintaining proper distance and wearing masks.
• Close your eyes, take deep breaths, stretch or meditate.
• Laugh! Think of someone who makes you laugh or the last time you laughed so hard you cried.
• Channel your energy into a quick cleaning of your home.
• Exercise. Lift weights. Do push-ups or sit-ups. Kick around a soccer ball.
• Make and enjoy a cup of tea and relax in a comfortable place.
• Consider a new hobby, such as playing a musical instrument, gardening, trying a new recipe, working on a crossword puzzle or knitting.
• Connect with your faith through prayer or reach out to a member of your faith community.
• If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed with stress, anxiety, sadness or depressed mood, use this time to make an appointment with a counselor.
• Check in with yourself—take time to ask yourself how you are feeling.
• Curl up with a book or magazine in a comfortable place.
• Practice relaxation exercises or yoga.
• Find an inspiring song or quote and write it down (or screenshot it) so you have it nearby.