Eliminating Stress Part 1

For the average, healthy person, a little bit of stress can be energizing and motivating.  It can drive them to get things done.  We call this eustress. However, for someone with chronic health or chronic pain, even a minimal amount of stress can wreak havoc on your body! In order to maximize health and the ability to live the fullest life you can, you must learn to minimize, if not eliminate, stress!

Here are some tips that I have found helpful:

1. Make sleep a very high priority. 
   -Unless they have a neurological condition, everyone's body is wired for a daily rhythm.  Make sure you go to bed at the same time every night.  Get up at the same time every morning.  Being inconsistent with that rhythm makes your brain confused and makes it harder to sleep.
   -Create an environment in your bedroom that is peaceful and relaxing. 
   -Do not exercise in the evening. 
   -If you are an extrovert, do not talk on the phone or be in a group of people in the evening.
   -Do not have caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
   -Do not watch intense television in the evening. 
   -Practice meditation and relaxation before bed, whether that is reading or prayer or a meditation app.
   -If you cannot get to sleep in thirty minutes, then get up and do something peaceful, such as reading, but do not do chores or anything very physical.
   -If you consistently have a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep, talk with your doctor.
   -Try a new pillow.
   -Make sure the temperature is comfortable for sleeping.  Most people sleep better when the temperature is slightly cooler than what they have it during the day.
   -Try sleeping with white noise: a fan or an app playing of the ocean or of nature.
   -Do not problem solve late at night.  If you have a conflict, agree to discuss it the next day when you both are more alert and rested.
   -Do creative activities at night.  This will help decrease the racing thoughts.
   -Try counting your breaths.  It is impossible to count and have your thoughts race at the same time.
   -Make sure you are practicing deep breathing and relaxation several times a day so that you have less pain at night than you otherwise would.
   -Reduce screen time.  Did you know that blue light decreases your melatonin.  Meltaonin is the chemical in your brain that helps you sleep.
2. Stay away from caffeine and other stimulants
   -Stimulants raise anxiety, which is the same physical reaction in the body as stress. Stay away from coffee, tea, chocolate, soda, and any other stimulants.
3. Eat nutritiously
   -Any time we load up on carbs, even if we do not have diabetes, our blood sugar rises quickly and then crashes.  This adds stress to the body.  If you are going to eat carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit, treats), make sure you have some protein (meat, eggs, dairy, dried beans, lentils, nuts, seeds) with it. Protein helps to stabilize blood sugar and food cravings.
   -Although  you may crave comfort foods when you are in pain, your body desperately needs vitamins and nutrients to stay as strong as it can. Seek comfort in other ways and keep your diet full of fruits and vegetables and low on sugar.
4. Exercise
   -Do you know that studies show that exercise sometimes has more effect on the body than medicine.  Many studies show that exercise is more effective with depression and anxiety than medication.  This does not mean that you should discontinue a prescription, but by all means, if you can exercise, do. It keeps your body flexible and healthy.  It creates positive hormones in the body.  Nothing is more effective for reducing stress than exercise!!!
   -Figure out how much you can walk in a day without paying for it later.
   -Try swimming.  It is a very low impact exercise but can have profound health benefits, as well as pain reduction benefits.
   -Stretch daily.
   -If you find exercise boring, find a podcast that you enjoy hearing while you exercise.  Better yet, exercise with a friend.
   -Do exercises that strengthen your core.  This helps reduce pain. Ask a trainer or a physical therapist what exercises you can do to strengthen your core.
   -Remember that even if you cannot exercise daily, it is still important to do so on the days that you can.
   
   In tomorrow's post, I will discuss the importance of identifying stressful subconscious messages we give ourselves and how to control those. I will also discuss the importance of setting healthy boundaries in relationships so that relationships do not cause you stress, as well as reducing your obligations. 
   
   For now, look at at least one of the options above and decide how you can improve your life in this area.  Write out how you are going to do that, and tell someone.  Now literally write in your daily calendar.  Taking those steps will motivate you to stick with  it.  Maybe even set an alarm every day to remind you of your new commitment.