Stress Management
By: Kevin Linehan
Dr. Hans Selye, the father of stress theory, defined stress as “the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it.” The “demand” can be a threat, a challenge or any kind of change that requires the body to adapt. The response is automatic and immediate.
You’ve all felt this automatic and immediate response caused by the outpouring of adrenaline and other hormones into the body. This response is intended to be protective and happens so that you can be prepared to fight or flee from the cause of the stress. The changes include an increase in heart rate and blood pressure so that you get more blood to the muscles, brain and heart, faster breathing so you can take in more oxygen, tensing of muscles so that you can prepare for action and increased mental alertness and sensitivity to sense organs in order to assess the situation and act quickly. The increased blood flow to the brain, heart and muscles which are the organs that are most important in dealing with danger means there is less blood to the skin, digestive tract, kidneys and liver where it is least needed in times of crisis (is it any wonder why stress causes headaches, digestive problems etc.. In addition, there is an increase in blood sugar, fats and cholesterol for extra energy and a rise in platelets and blood clotting factors in order to prevent hemorrhage in case of injury. After the threat is gone the body responds by secreting other hormones in order to relax. Of course if the stress is constant the body remains wired and the opportunity to relax and replenish resources is missed.
There are many ways to measure stress. Scales have been developed that look at life events and assign a relative number to them, in addition there are scales that look at lifestyle and other factors. These tools are excellent for forming a baseline of your own stress level. Once you have a baseline you are able to track the effect of any new stressors or the effectiveness of a stress management program.
There are many ways to reduce stress. In addition, tools can be learned in which some stressors have much less of an impact on your health. Worry is a big stressor for many people. Looking at things in certain ways causes worry. For example, imagine your son or daughter is late in getting home from a night out how would you feel if you were watching the clock thinking the worst has happened versus trying to find something on TV or reading a book to pass the time? One thing about stress and our reaction to it is that the effect is the same whether the threat or change is real or imagined. Let’s say you’re always late for appointments. There is a certain amount of stress involved with that behavior, you may have to drive faster, you worry as to whether the person you are meeting will wait etc. However, creating a new habit of leaving for the appointment five minutes earlier could allow you to avoid all of that worry and stress.
There are many ways to reduce and to manage stress. From exercise to self-hypnosis all of them will allow your body and mind to relax and replenish it’s resources. Deep breathing, progressive relaxation, the relaxation response, hypnosis, and visualization, can all be easily learned to allow you to manage stress better. There are literally hundreds of tips and techniques that can be easily incorporated into daily routines to reduce stress as well.
At OnTrac Hypnosis we conduct group stress management workshops. These are 4, 8 or 12 hours in length and make a great training workshop for employees. All are affordable and with each format the participants will each receive a 66 page stress management workbook, a stress management hypnosis CD, a stress ball, as well as 10 methods for reducing stress in their lives and over 60 tips and tools that are easily incorporated into daily routines. These are fun, dynamic and interactive sessions that all will enjoy. If you are looking for an employee workshop that will be appreciated, why not stress management?
If you would like to discuss any of our workshops on stress management, effective communications, NLP or self-hypnosis please contact us. We do offer a free consultation to anyone that is considering the use of hypnosis to make a permanent change in their life.
Self-hypnosis classes are held monthly, contact Kevin or Christine at OnTrac Hypnotherapy Inc. at 603.362.8868 or email ontrachypnosis@aol.com. We also offer hypnosis CD’s for Weight Loss, Stress Management, and Smoking Cessation.
