Let's Talk About Stress, Baby....
By Cheyanne Crisman
Let’s talk about you and me, Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be, let’s talk about… STRESS (adapted from Salt-n-Pepa, 1991).
I think it’s safe to say we have all had to try to manage stress at some point, whether it’s working too much, taking hard classes, or just having a series of stressful events happening in your life. Under stress we might break down and feel unable to handle our current situation, but there are a few things you can do to help yourself when you’re feeling this way.
Usually, people think sitting back and focusing on themselves will just lead them to feel more stress, or that they are experiencing too much stress to sit for just a few short minutes. However, allowing yourself to relax will actually not lead to more stress. Take the time to set aside even just five minutes to focus on your breathing, meditating, or clearing your mind of your worries.
Do not worry, it’s not going to put you even further behind or add any stress. Instead, what it will do is allow you to take a break. I was a firm believer that sitting back and allowing myself to rest for a minute would cause more stress. I am usually trying to balance school, extracurricular activities, and my four jobs, so sitting down just wasn’t an option. BUT IT HAS HELPED SO MUCH. The simple task of relaxing or pausing for just a minute can be extremely helpful and reduce strain. Do we all know the way or technique we personally need to handle our own stress? Of course not. I understand that not everything I do will work for others and vice versa. Some of you reading this may need more ideas or other helping hands, which is OK too, but try some of these “at home remedies” and they may be more effective than you thought they would be. Consider some of the activities listed below. There are other stress management techniques, and as long as you have a couple of extra hours a week, you have time to try these out. Do you enjoy yoga, running, other exercise, or relaxing activities? These are specific examples that can help you reduce the stress hormones, anxiety, and improve physiological well-being.
Stress management ideas:
Go for a walk — Journal — Meditate — Laugh — Play with animals — Reduce caffeine intake
What happens if you don’t manage your stress levels? Excessive stress:
Can lower your immunity, leading to more frequent illness — Can cause inflammation — Can lead to a serious illness
Can lead to weight gain — Can lead to panic attacks — Increases headaches and migraines — May worsen current health conditions
These aren’t listed to scare you or stress you out even more, instead, they are reasons why you should tackle your stress once you are aware it’s there. Stress can really hurt your emotional balance and physical health in the long run, and may take longer to manage the longer you procrastinate to fix it. Find additional information on how stress influences health here and here. The National Institute of Mental health has an excellent handout on 5 Things you need to know about stress.
Now is the time for you to start taking control of overwhelming STRESS.
Resources:
Salt N Pepa. (1991). Let’s Talk About Sex. On Blacks’ Magic album.