The “Best Of” Our Blogs: On Stress
In celebration of our two years of blogging and updating our book, we’ve chosen a few of our past blogs to “replay.” The following blogs concern another of those issues that none of us can escape, even if we don’t admit to ourselves that it exists in our life. Is stress all in our head? Not so.
Thursday 16 Oct 2008
Who is stressed, or rather, who isn’t?
In addition to the stress due to what’s going on in this country, I have had a fair amount of personal stress in my life lately. My dad recently died, my youngest son has gone to college and the nest is now empty and my job is changing and getting a whole lot busier. That has led me to this current blog topic….STRESS!
Stress is one of those things that is a natural part of life. And one of those things that can show up physically with new, or worsening, symptoms. Some of us handle it better than others. There are various types of stress. There is acute stress that you feel when you are in danger and that provokes a “fight or flight” response, otherwise known as an adrenaline rush. There is intermittent acute stress that is a hallmark of those with the type A personality. These are people who are stress junkies and thrive on deadlines and rushing around. Finally, there is continuous or chronic stress. This can be seen in people who are oppressed either by a job, relationship or a government.
The most dangerous form is chronic stress. After time, those with this type of stress get so used to it they don’t even notice it. The continuous outpouring of stress hormones can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even cancer.
It is important that you recognize stress in your life and that you do something about it, especially since there are so many ways to relieve stress. I advise starting with a healthy diet (avoid the urge to devour carbs), exercise is key, and then find ways to relax: read a lighthearted book; listen to soothing music; lay on the sofa holding your dog, and pet her nonstop. There are also complementary medical therapies (CAM) such as massage and acupuncture that can help. Meditation and yoga are great ways to relax and manage the stress response. Some may need the help of a therapist. There are chapters in our book, which go into much greater detail about all of these stress-busters including diet, exercise, and CAM therapies
Regardless of which route you choose, it is important to pay attention to your body and if you are chronically or even intermittently stressed get help and stay healthy. Robin Miller
Saturday 18 Apr 2009
April is Stress Awareness Month:Are the Effects of Chronic Stress on Your Body All in Your Mind?
Have you ever believed that your mental functioning was “off” during a long period of time when you were under a lot of stress? Did you think it was all in your head, so to speak? Or, that it wasn’t real, but just in your imagination? Think again.
A recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2009 Jan 20; 106:912.) followed twenty healthy medical students for the month before and the month after their important exams, and compared them with twenty matched control students who were not taking exams or under stress. That the students preparing for exams were indeed under stress was confirmed by using a standard scale of measurement.
After four weeks of stress, impairment was shown by MRI scan, and by testing, in the section of the brain known as the prefrontal cortex. The specific function that was found to be impaired was that of “attention”, or the ability to prioritize mental tasks, to focus on them, and to shift the focus as the need arises. This impairment was not seen in the students who were not under stress.
Four weeks after the stress ended, the students were tested again. Those who had been under stress were no longer different from those who had not. This shows that brain function can change, and then change again. And shows that stress-induced changes are reversible.
This study confirms what we’ve thought for years: that chronic stress can indeed affect the brain so that it does not function as well as usual. And this research leads to the conclusion that we need to be on the lookout for stress-induced changes in our bodies, and that we need to de-stress in order to keep ourselves functioning well.
So, the next time you are under stress for a longer period of time than just a few days, and think that your mental functioning is not quite up to par, remember this study. It’s not all in your head (imagination)! Learn ways to de-stress. Janet Horn
TOMORROW: SOME WAYS TO DE-STRESS
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