Wellness Journalism: Stressing You

Last week’s blog post explored stress using the metaphor of waves in the ocean.
Now, let’s take a more scientific approach.

Your nervous system is divided into two operating platforms: sympathetic and parasympathetic.

When the parasympathetic nervous system sits in the driver’s seat, your body enjoys “rest and digest.” This state of being feels nice and comfy—like life is going fine and you are going right along with it.

The sympathetic nervous system, in contrast, is triggered by a perceived threat (historically this included lions, tigers, and bears—but today’s homo-sapien is more often faced with final exams, an angry partner, or being broke). The body then responds with “fight or flight” preparedness. In physiological terms, this translates to cortisol release; with it comes muscle tension, increased blood pressure, cessation of digestive function, and shallow breathing. As you can imagine, this state of being is not conducive to normal daily life. Yet many of us run around all day as though we are at gunpoint.

Dr. Kathleen Kawamura and The Stress Management Group define stress as the perception of threat combined with the perception of an inability to cope. In other words, here comes trouble, and it’s gonna getcha. But if the “trouble” has been self-generated, it can also be self-mediated (in other words—if you made it up, you can also remove it).

Cognitive Psychology emphasizes a rational approach. You can examine your perceptions, and restructure them as needed.

To decrease a perception of threat, ask yourself:
• How bad is it really? Does this fear have a tangible basis?
• How likely is it that this feared event will happen?
• What is more likely to happen?

To decrease perception of inability to cope, ask yourself:
• If this did happen, how would I cope?
• What are my options?
• How have I coped with similar situations in the past?

Of course, it’s also effective to bypass the mind altogether and go right into the body—as the body is always ready to release stress. Exercise, sports, yoga, deep breathing, massage, and skipping happily down the sidewalk are just a few of the many ways to engage yourself in the present moment (a realm where the future—and any potential threat it may carry—is not a complication).