STRESS AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE Rob Rutledge [email protected] .

MAIN POINTSMAIN POINTS

• Recognize when you feel stress

• Train yourself to de-stress

• Learn to live in a peaceful way

WHAT IS STRESS?WHAT IS STRESS?

• A condition in which an individual perceives the demands of a situation as exceeding their resources

» Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman

STRESSORS VS STRESSSTRESSORS VS STRESS

• Stressor - thing that causes stress

-Physical or psychological

-Real or perceived

• Stress - our body/mind reaction

-Physical and psychological

Stressor Perception StressStressor Perception Stress

HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE STRESSSTRESS

• What are your triggers ?• What happens in your body?• What happens to your thinking?• What emotions do you feel?• What thoughts do you have?

– What do you say about yourself?– How do you label other people/situations?

IS STRESS ALL BAD?IS STRESS ALL BAD?

• In short term - can help us

• When in danger - keeps us safe

• Helps our bodies heal

• Sharpens our minds• The problem - ongoing stress

TOO MUCH STRESSTOO MUCH STRESS

• Animals - stress reaction works

• Humans - ‘think’ and relive a stressful reaction

• Multiple stressors over years

• We often forget to relax

PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM STRESSLONG-TERM STRESS

• ALL SYSTEMS• Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease• Mutes the normal stress reaction• Susceptible to infection• Chronic fatigue syndrome• Inflammatory disease• Damage our brain

CHRONIC STRESS SYNDROMECHRONIC STRESS SYNDROME

• Irritable• Depressed• Poor concentration/memory• Anxiety• Poor sleep and fatigue• Vicious circle

STRESS RESPONSESTRESS RESPONSE

HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE LONG TERM STRESSLONG TERM STRESS

• What happens to your body?

• What happens to your thinking?

• What emotions do you feel?

HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE STRESS?STRESS?

• What are your triggers?• What happens in your body?• What happens to your thinking?• What emotions do you feel?• How do you know you’re burned

out?

How do you help yourself?How do you help yourself?

• What practical steps do you take to decrease your stress?

• In what ways does your spirituality or spiritual life help address stress?

THE ANTIDOTE TO STRESSTHE ANTIDOTE TO STRESS

• Dealing with acute stress

• Looking at the big picture

• AWARENESS IS KEY

• Listen to your body

• Watch your mind and emotions

ANTIDOTE TO ANTIDOTE TO ACUTE STRESSACUTE STRESS

• Notice - be aware

• Center yourself with breathing

• Think - Is the threat real?

• Reassure yourself

• Remember to relax - choice

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO DECREASE STRESS LEVELSDECREASE STRESS LEVELS

• Find a balance in your life• Stop the stressors• Rest and exercise• Use humour• Let Nature surround you• Listen to music, garden ...

STRESS AND EXERCISESTRESS AND EXERCISE

• Very effective

• Burn off the sugars and fats

• Strengthens the heart

• More energy, better sleep

LEARNING RELAXATIONLEARNING RELAXATION

• Relaxation is a natural state

• Relaxation techniques, massage, meditation

• Creates a response in the body

• The feeling stays with us

• Call upon the relaxation response

BREATHEBREATHE

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

PHYSICAL EFFECTSPHYSICAL EFFECTSOF STRESSOF STRESS

HORMONAL CHANGES• Sugar and insulin release• Cholesterol release• Sex hormones decrease

PHYSICAL EFFECTSPHYSICAL EFFECTSOF STRESSOF STRESS

CARDIOVASCULAR CHANGES

• Increase in heart rate and

blood pressure

• Increase in blood clotting factor

• Increase in sweating

PHYSICAL EFFECTS PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF STRESSOF STRESS

• Increase in respiratory rate • Increased tension of all muscles• Digestion slows down

HOW TO ELICIT THEHOW TO ELICIT THE RELAXATION RESPONSERELAXATION RESPONSE• Repeat a word, sound or prayer

• secular - one, ocean, love, peace, calm

• spiritual - “The Lord is my Shepard”, “om”, “Hail Mary, Full of Grace”

• Passively disregard everyday thoughts

• Meditate