Dealing with Stress
Are You Stressed Out?
Our world consists of us wearing many hats: Parent, Colleague, Spouse, Boss, Club Chairs, HOA Chairs, etc. These things that fill our cup sometimes also are the things that can be the source of our stress in daily life. And in the past two years, our bodies have adapted to living in quite a stressful world. But stress, channeled effectively, can be managed to help you be a better you!
There are typically two types of stress, distress and eustress. Distress are the things that create anxiety, make us feel like we aren’t in control of ourselves and circumstances, and can often lead to depression. An example of this is when you have a super busy day and someone asks you to add one more thing to your plate and you get frustrated and feel your blood pressure rise. Eustress is good stress! It motivates and inspires you to perform better and get positive outcomes. Think of this like you did when you were completing your final project for your degree program, it was pressure and work but you were motivated to finish for a positive outcome, your diploma.
Now that you can recognize the different types of stress, think about what you do well and where you may need to find better ways to manage distress. Exercise is a great way to help manage stress. It gives you time to leave the day away and just focus on you for 20-60 minutes per day. People who exercise report feeling less stressed, that they feel better about themselves, and better able to manage their daily lives. There’s a lot of science behind it but the basic point is, take 20-60 minutes per day to get some exercise and fresh air, and you will likely be better able to cope with the negative stressors in your life.
This month of May, I challenge you to find one thing per day you can do to exercise; even if it’s taking a lunch break to walk around your campus or block. At the end of the month, evaluate how much better you feel and take those healthy habits into June and beyond.
Here’s to a healthier, less stressed, you!
In Health,
Casey Nall, CPT
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