In today’s fast-paced and inter-connected world, stress has become virtually inescapable. Yet, while it’s become a fact of life, stress doesn’t have to be a way of life if you practice some relatively simple steps.
Let’s face it, everyone has days when we feel overwhelmed. We all know what it’s like to be pushed to the limit and have too much on our plate – whether it be related to family drama, work issues, financial challenges or any given situation that make the heart race or blood boil. Actually, low to moderate stress can often be a good thing, as it enables you to stay alert and better focus. Extreme stress, on the other hand, can take an emotional and physical toll, unless managed in healthy ways. The problem is that most of us are hard pressed to manage stress appropriately.
The key to managing daily stress is recognizing our sources and signals of stress, and then changing our coping mechanisms into more healthy behaviors. For example, rather than reacting to a bad day by gorging on junk food, find a healthy food alternative. Instead of sitting on the couch and stewing in frustration, get up and channel that energy into a brisk walk or some other form of exercise. In place of a cigarette or cold beer, grab hold of some fruit or a bottle of water. Most importantly, don’t keep your stress bottled up. Get it off your chest – literally. Talk to a friend or family member, find a person who can help you verbally release the stress.
Granted, it’s difficult to truly eliminate stress from our daily lives. But it’s not so difficult to make some rather simple changes that will reduce stress and bring greater inner harmony. Meditation and exercise are excellent choices for finding tranquility. But, so too are other simple ways that shut out the outside world and create critical “me” time.
See your stress slip away through simple measures
Stress is a normal physical response to mentally or emotionally disruptive events and conditions. Too often, we rationalize high stress levels by explaining that things are out of our control. In that moment, you feel your mind is too far gone to switch gears. Often, that’s very true. But just as often, you can take control, especially after taking a hard look at the repercussions of poorly managed stress – fatigue, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity, to name a few health concerns.
So why not just take a pause from some of the primary sources of stress? That means unwinding and escaping on vacation, be it for a week or more, if you have the luxury of time and money. Or, just enjoy a nice long weekend. Space out your getaway time, if possible, to perhaps every three months. If it proves impossible to just pick up and go, then take a personal day. But make sure not to run errands or schedule doctor’s visits. At the least, ground yourself by making quality “me” time. Read a book or listen to music. Spend time with your family every day. Attend family events, and sit at the table with your loved ones for dinner and/or breakfast.
But remember, and this is a very important point, taking a pause from the “rat race” means you should also take control of the way you spend your time. Don’t go on vacation only to consume your moments checking in with work or worrying needlessly about home life. Disconnect from electronic devices and the outside world, both while on vacation and for blocks of time even during a typical day. No doubt about it, this is hard to do. Don’t look at your email. Limit your phone conversations. Don’t engage in social networking, be it Facebook, Instagram or the like.
If need be, take small steps on this journey. Find 10-15 minutes. Grab an hour to two. Build your way up to a day or two at a time. Everything in moderation. People tend to think that the world won’t go on without them if they pull the plug. I get that it’s not easy, particularly if you’re a single parent or a sole provider. Trust me, it will work. A few decades ago, society didn’t rely on smartphones and we were just fine. So what’s changed? Check out for a while, and check the impact it will have on your stress levels.
If need be, take small steps on this journey. Find 10-15 minutes. Grab an hour to two. Build your way up to a day or two at a time. Everything in moderation. People tend to think that the world won’t go on without them if they pull the plug. I get that it’s not easy, particularly if you’re a single parent or a sole provider. Trust me, it will work. A few decades ago, society didn’t rely on smartphones and we were just fine. So what’s changed? Check out for a while, and check the impact it will have on your stress levels.
Don’t think of it as a sign of weakness, rather a sign to change
Recently, I suggested this very thing to a patient, a rather high-strung business owner. I told him to try leaving his phone at home, or even turning it off. He looked at me like I was crazy. But then he thought about it after talking with his wife, and he promised to do exactly that. The positive change brought to his life has since been dramatic.
A few years ago a middle-aged patient came to me with high blood pressure, complaining that he was under severe job-related stress. He was a father of young children, and the stress led him to abuse alcohol, among other things. I simply listened and gave him someone to talk with. We gained a rapport. Over time, rather than having to put him on medication, he saw the light, lost weight and made other lifestyle changes. His job performance improved and so did his overall outlook on life. I see that every day.
I believe that far too many people see stress as a sign of weakness. They don’t want others to know they can’t handle things or life has them beat. This is particularly true when it comes to the employee/employer relationship, where people feel if they express feelings of stress, they’ll be seen as an ineffective worker who can’t handle pressure. So they keep it bottled in and pay the price of health and happiness. Your life is too valuable to afford that price tag.
Stress management programs at CentraState Medical Center
At CentraState, we have quite a few programs dedicated to stress management, including meditation, aromatherapy, and Tai chi classes, among others. For more information on all of the classes and programs offered at The Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center, visit centrastate.com/healthprograms.
Robert Pedowitz, DO is board-certified in family medicine and is a doctor of osteopathic medicine. He is the medical director of Family Practice of CentraState in Freehold and can be reached by calling 866-CENTRA7.
