WHAT IS STRESS?

Stress is as old as man and inseparable from life. It is part and parcel of our adaptation to our

surroundings. Stress is either good or bad and cannot be completely eliminated, nor should one

seek to do so.

It can be a warning signal that moves us to certain actions which can be either constructive or

destructive. However, if certain situations are consistently causing high levels of anxiety, it is important to recognise these triggers and try to find a way to effectively cope with the m.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS. / STRESS TRIGGERS;

Triggers are thoughts, feelings, or events that cause a person stress.

MANAGING STRESS.

I.D THE PROBLEM, acknowledge your work stress and be honest.

PHYSICAL SIGNS;

Headaches, fatigue,, perspiration, muscle pain, weight changes, chest pain, tummy pain, ad changes

to bowel habits.

EMOTIONAL SIGNS;

Feelings of negativity, depression, hopelessness, mood swings, increasing irritability and having a

short fuse.

BEHAVIOURAL SIGNS;

Changes in y our eating and sleeping habits, withdrawing from friends and family, increased use of cigarettes and alcohol.

Typically a stressed employee can have difficulties functioning in a work environment.

HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SIGNS;

1. Had too many things to do at once. .

2. Were unable to decide on where to start/ how to prioritise your work.

3. Were forgetful about arranged meetings or deadlines.

4. Have difficulty managing your time.

5. Did not take breaks or lunch,

6. Brought work home, or worked longer hours than others/or expected.

7. Felt afraid to make a decision.

8. Felt overwhelmed and tearful .

9. Thought about work tasks during leisure times or woke during night thinking of work issues.

10. Feeling less confident about work you do .

11.

12. Difficulty concentrating.

13. Difficulty saying no to additional/unreasonable demands. 14. Increasing difficulty asserting yourself.

IF YOU HAVE NOTICED ANY OF TH ABOVE SIGNS OVER A 2-4 WEEK PERIOD…. YOU MAY BE EXPRIENCING WORK STRESS.

STRESS AND HOW TO AVOID IT.

For many of us relaxation means zoning out in front of the tv at the end of a stressful day…. But

it does little to reduce the “DAMAGING” effects of stress.

To effectively combat stress, we need to activate the body’s natural relaxation response.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES.

1. Deep breathing.

2. Meditation.

3. Rhythmic exercise (physical exercise).

4. Complementary/Holistic therapies ie massage, reflexology etc.

5. Self help to manage work stress; take regular breaks, leave y our workstation and move

around,

6. Diet; focus on eating nutritious food, avoiding sugary processed or refined foods. (comfort

foods). If possible avoid stimulants like coffee, chocolate and alcohol.

7. Stay hydrated, drink 2 litres of water during your day.

8. Exercise; releases “endorphins” counteracting the release of stress hormones that are released

in to the body when stressed. 40 minutes cardiovascular exercise every day is recommended.

9. Sleep; sleeping problems are common with stress. Ensure consistent bedtime routine and go to

bed at the same time every night.

10. A hot bath, with Epsom salts and or aromatherapy oils, radox, etc can aid relaxation before bed.

11. Read a book, light a scented candle, play some relaxing music, create the quiet calm

environment.

12. Try mindfulness through adult colouring books,

13. Keep a pen and pad beside your bed, write down your worries/problems and park them for the

night.

14. Write down your feelings/emotions.

15. Exercise gratitude.

16. Use a stress ball if agitated.

17. Set realistic goals and time frames.

18. Learn to laugh, particularly at yourself.

19. Be aware of your body language and that of others ie facial expressions, body posture,

stance,etc. break the tension with a SMILE. . Listen with empathy if a colleague takes you into

their trust.

20. Develop a support system; Have one or more friends with whom you can share your worries

with.

21. NURTURE SELF; Keep reinforcing positive self-statements in your mind. Focus on your good

qualities and accomplishments. Recognise something you enjoy ie massage, walking, running,

cycling, swimming, dancing, singing etc.

22. Recognise and accept your limits. Set priorities.

23. Remember that everyone is unique and different.

24. Develop time management skills; plan ahead and avoid procrastination, make a weekly schedule

and try to follow it.

REMEMBER, “ IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE, YOU’LL ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS GOT”.

THE RELAXATION RESPONSE, puts the breaks on stress and brings the body and mind back into a

state of equilibrium.

RELAXATION RESPONSE IS NOT LYING ON THE COUCH OR SLEEPING, BUT A MENTALLY ACTIVE PROCESS THAT LEAVES THE BODY RELAXED, CALM AND FOCUSED.

Learning the relaxation response technique is not difficult but takes practise.

Setting aside 10/20 minutes a day working up to an hour.

Many techniques can be incorporated into your existing daily schedule- practised at your desk/workplace- over lunch or on the commute to and from work.

How you react to stress may influence the relaxation technique that works best for you. Are you

the (a) “ Fight response” type? Do you become ANGRY, AGITATED, OR KEYED UP UNDER STRESS.?

If so you will respond best to activities that quiet you down ie,

Meditation,, Progressive muscle relaxation, Deep breathing or guided imagery,

(b) The “Flight” response, type?

If you tend to become depressed, withdrawn, spaced out under stress you will respond best to

activities that are stimulating and energize your nervous system such as, Rhythmic exercise, massage, mindfulness or power yoga

(c) The Immobilization response;

If you have experienced some type of trauma and tend to “freeze” or become “stuck” under

stress, your challenge is to first rouse your nervous system to a fight of flight response (above) to

do this, choose physical activity that engages both your arms and legs, such as running, dancing or tai chi and perform it MINDFULLY, focusing on sensations in your limbs, as you move.

BREATHING MEDITATION FOR STRESS RELIEF;

With its full focus on full, cleansing breaths, it’s easy to learn, can be practised anywhere and

provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check.

PRACTISING DEEP BREATHING MEDITATION;

The key is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible into your

lungs- this way you inhale more oxygen rather than shallow breathing from the upper chest. The more oxygen you get, the less tense , short of breath ad anxious you will feel,

METHOD;

Sit comfortably with your back straight- put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.

BREATHE, in through your nose- the hand on your stomach should rise- the hand on y our chest

should move very little.

EXHALE through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your

abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but the other hand should move very little.

Continue to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Try to inhale enough so

that your lower abdomen rises and falls, count slowly as you exhale.

(2) RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT. / PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

That engages both arms and legs, ie running , walking, swimming, dancing, rowing or climbing, is

most effective as relieving stress when performed mindfully ie focusing on how the body feels right now.

(3) Practising progressive muscle relaxation.

METHOD;

Loosen clothing, take off shoes and get comfortable.

Take a few minutes to relax, breathing in and out slowly, deep breaths.

When you are relaxed and ready to start, shift your attention to your RIGHT FOOT- take a moment to focus on the way if feels.

Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot, squeezing as tightly as you can- hold for a count of

10. Relax your right foot, focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose, stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.

When you are ready, shift your attention to the LEFT FOOT, follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release. Move slowly up the body, contracting and relaxing the muscles as you go.

It may thake some practice at first, but try not to tense the muscles other than those intended.

SEQUENCE;

Right foot – left foot.

Right calf- left calf.

Right thigh- left thigh.

Hips and buttocks

Stomach.

Chest, Back.

Right arm and hand- left arm and hand.

Neck and shoulders.

Face.

(4) BODY SCAN MEDITATION;

A body scan is similar to progressive muscle relaxation except instead of tensing and relaxing muscles you simply focus on sensations in each part of the body .

(5) VISUALIZATION OR GUIDED IMAGERY.

Ie, taking yourself to your favourite place, safe place, happy place and allowing not only your

visual senses but your senses of taste, touch, smell and hearing to come into play . ie listening

for sounds of the waves, birds, waterfalls, smell the grass, flowers, the sea air, feel the

sand/grass, stones beneath your feet, body, feel the warmth of the sun on your body , taste the

fresh clean air, feel the cool water on your bare feet etc

(6) a 5 minute self –massage to relieve stress.

Start by kneading the muscles at the back of the neck and shoulders. Make a loose fist and drum

swiftly up and down the sides of the back of your neck. Next, use your thumbs to work ti ny

circles around the base of the skull . Slowly massage the rest of the scalp with your fingertips.

Then tap your fingers against your scalp, moving from the front to the back and then over the sides.

Now massage your face. Make a series of tiny circles with your thumbs or fingertips Pay

particular attention to your temples, forehead, and jaw muscles. Use your middle fingers to massage the bridge of your nose and work outward over your eyebrows to our temples.

Finally, close your eyes. Cup your hands loosely over your face ad inhale and exhale easily for a

short while.

REMEMBER; relaxation techniques take practise and are skills. As with any skills your ability to

relax improves with practice- be patient with yourself – don’t let your efforts become another stressor- keep trying out different techniques to find what suits you.

(7) ACCUPRESSURE POINTS TO RELIEVE ANXITY/STRESS.

(a) Three mile point. This point is located two finger widths below the kneecap and four finger

widths towards the outside region of the leg. Applying pressure at this point increases and

regulates energy flow, relieves fatigue and helps to increase concentration. Apply pressure for 1 minute and move to next point.

(b) Grandfather/Grandson. This point is located at the side of the foot, 3 finger widths behind

base of the big toe. Relieves ankle pain/helps balance circulation of energy throughout the body and mind and relieves the mind from worries and anxiety.

© Inner Gate. Draw a straight line on your palm starting between index (finger4) and middle

finger (3) and straight through to arm. This point lies on this line 3 finger widths above wrist

crease. It helps protect the heart from excess stress , encourages deep breathing and relieves nausea.

(d) Outer gate. This point is located on back of arm 3 finger widths above wrist between 2 tendons. It helps support immune function and increases energy flow.

(e) Union Valley… point located in the webbing between thumb and index finger.

(f) Wills Chamber. Point located at mid -section of waist, about 3 fingers width away from spine. Distributes energy flow, strengthens the whole body and relieves back tension.

(g) Shoulder Well.. Point located at the ridge of the shoulder, half way between the point of your

shoulder and the base of your neck. Relieves stress and tension.

BODY POSTURE.

Your posture says a lot about your personality. It also says a lot about how your joints and muscles are working.

How you look and feel is directly related to your posture. Despite the importance of havi ng good

posture, most of us don’t do anything to improve it. We go about our lives with hunched backs

and imbalanced hips, and deal with pain because we think it’s normal.

Living with bad posture can be a dangerous thing. The muscles and ligaments that result from poor alignment can lead to all sorts of problems;

Chronic back, neck and shoulder pain.

Foot, hip and back injuries.

Headaches.

Stiffness.

Fatigue.

Muscle atrophy and weakness.

Difficulty breathing.

Digestion issues.

Impingement and nerve compression.

Sciatica.

Carpel tunnel syndrome.

To solve a problem, you first need to pinpoint the cause. Most postural deviations occur because

the muscles that work to hold a joint in place are imbalanced. Generally speaking, one muscle group will be too tight and the opposing muscle group will be too loose or weak.

For example, those with shoulders that hunch forward to far often have tight pec muscles that

pull the shoulders forward and rotate them in towards the midline of the body. The easiest and

most effective way to correct imbalances is to stretch the overactive muscles and strengthen the underactive muscles.

STANDING ASSESMENT.

Wearing form-fitting clothes so you can see your alignment. Stand barefoot, tall but

comfortable, without trying to force yourself into what you think is perfect posture. To get an

honest assessment, close your eyes and march slowly in place a few times. This will allow your

feet to turn in and out naturally. Bring your body to a stop and stand still. Have a friend take a full body picture of you from front, the side and behind.

STANDING ASSESSMENT POSTURAL DEVIATIONS.

Back, shoulders, hips and head.

1. Sway back (hips press forward and sit in front of the ribs.

2. Lower-cross syndrome, (Excessive curve in the low back, pelvis tilted forward.)

3. Rounded shoulders,(shoulders in front of ears).

4. Forward head.(ears in front of shoulders).

5. Upper- cross syndrome ( Rounded shoulders with an excessive curve in the upper back and

forward head.

6. Head Tilt. ( head tilted to one side, can be accompanied by rotation toward that side)

7. Uneven shoulders (one shoulder sits higher than the other. 8. Uneven hips, (one hip sits higher, can give the perception of leg length discrepancy

STANDING ASSESSEMENT POSTURAL DEVIATIONS;

Feet and ankles

Feet should face forward, rather than turn out or in.