Dr. Douglass on Stress
Don't sweat it: More bad news about stress
Dear Friend,
Sometimes, the best advice a doctor can give you is this: relax. It's no secret that stress isn't just unpleasant, but more and more studies are proving that it's actually downright dangerous to your health. In fact, when you say, "man, this stress is killing me," you could be more right than you know.
This is nothing new, but it bears repeating. I've had a particularly crazy week, and so this topic occurred to me as I tried to juggle a nearly impossible schedule. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean.
When I say "stress," it's important that I don't just mean stress with a capital "s" (i.e., losing your job, divorce, major illness, etc.). The little, gnat-like stresses that gnaw at us nearly every day and at every turn of modern life—long lines, minor workplace politics, noisy neighbors, and bad traffic—can be just as brutally devastating to your health. Like lots of bad things, it's not the ones and twos … it's that the ones and the twos that add up to fours, fives, sixes, and tens. Stress is cumulative.
Believe it or not, stress and health were linked for the first time back in the 1930s by the scientist Hans Seyle. Seyle was actually the man who first applied the term "stress" to the struggle of all forms of life to adapt to and deal with changes within their environment. Prior to Seyle, stress was little more than an engineering term. But oh, how evocative a term! Anyone who's experienced stress knows that there's no better way of describing how it can push you physically, mentally, or emotionally to the breaking point. It's likely not a coincidence that Seyle conducted his study of stress at what was one of the most trying periods in human history: the era of the Great Depression.
Seyle found that the hormone cortisol – which is linked closely to the adrenal glands that are activated by "fight or flight" responses – has a taxing affect on digestion, reproduction, the immune system and even physical growth. So much so that its long- term presence can have an incredibly negative effect on those functions, even shutting them down. Thus, sustained stress can cause a very real deterioration throughout your body, exposing you to everything from a case of the sniffles to a deadly cancer. Think you're losing hair because you're stressed out? Well, you may be right. But as doctors have known for years, stress is most deadly because of its impact on your heart. Depressed? That could be stress, too.
Getting the picture? It's everywhere, and could be the root cause of so many bad things that it's impossible to ignore. How often have I told you about supposed wive's tales being proven to be true by recent studies? It's not just in your mind that you feel "restored" or "recharged" after a vacation or a weekend getaway. You likely are feeling the restorative effects because your brain and your body are getting that needed break from stress.
So now you're thinking, "well, no kidding Dr. D – now that you've told us that day-to- day life is wearing away at our health, what exactly do you suggest I do about it?" Keep reading…
4 tips for battling stress
In addition to all of the other guidance I give you, take some time to put the following tips into your daily regimen when you can. They won't make stress go away, and they're not exactly the equivalent of a two-week Mediterranean cruise, but they'll help. Remember: it's important to battle the cumulative effects of stress, and these tips should help.
GET ANGRY!
It's OK to be annoyed; it's human. And when you bottle things up, you're just adding to the pile of cumulative stress. I'm not saying you need to flip out and scream at everyone around you, but when the going gets tough, it doesn't mean that you should just nod quietly and accept your bad luck. Tell your spouse they've upset you. Advise that co- worker that you're not fond of how they're behaving or that they're making your job more difficult. By asserting yourself and your opinion without losing control, you're actually venting stress. (Hmm…maybe that's why I'm one of the least stressed out people I know.)
SHIFT YOUR FOCUS
Get a hobby, or don't be shy about throwing yourself into the one that you already have. Don't let your schedule deny you the outlet that helps you free your mind. By concentrating your mind on the thing that brings you the most joy – whatever that may be, whether it's stamp collecting, exercise, dancing, or pottery – you're actually sloughing off stress, and giving your mind and body the time to recover. It's like a mini- vacation, and will stop the stress build up.
PUT THE CLOCK TO WORK FOR YOU
Nothing's more stressful than a deadline, and it only gets worse the closer it gets. If you can turn yourself in a better time manager, even the biggest project can be tackled with less stress. By managing your schedule, you avoid being overworked, which is often one of the most common causes of undue stress.
LAUGH OR CRY
Yup, another cliché. But like so many, it's true. Both laughing and crying are enormously effective ways to vent stress. If you've ever just busted a gut or bawled your eyes out, you know that afterwards there's often a great rush of good feeling (with a laugh) or a sense of relief (with a cry). You're human, and emotions are what make you that way. They're there for a reason: use them. Bottling them up leads to more stress. Not the usual advice I dispense, I know. But something that's always important to remember.
Taking a "chill pill" as the kids say,
William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.
Dear Friend,
Sometimes, the best advice a doctor can give you is this: relax. It's no secret that stress isn't just unpleasant, but more and more studies are proving that it's actually downright dangerous to your health. In fact, when you say, "man, this stress is killing me," you could be more right than you know.
This is nothing new, but it bears repeating. I've had a particularly crazy week, and so this topic occurred to me as I tried to juggle a nearly impossible schedule. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean.
When I say "stress," it's important that I don't just mean stress with a capital "s" (i.e., losing your job, divorce, major illness, etc.). The little, gnat-like stresses that gnaw at us nearly every day and at every turn of modern life—long lines, minor workplace politics, noisy neighbors, and bad traffic—can be just as brutally devastating to your health. Like lots of bad things, it's not the ones and twos … it's that the ones and the twos that add up to fours, fives, sixes, and tens. Stress is cumulative.
Believe it or not, stress and health were linked for the first time back in the 1930s by the scientist Hans Seyle. Seyle was actually the man who first applied the term "stress" to the struggle of all forms of life to adapt to and deal with changes within their environment. Prior to Seyle, stress was little more than an engineering term. But oh, how evocative a term! Anyone who's experienced stress knows that there's no better way of describing how it can push you physically, mentally, or emotionally to the breaking point. It's likely not a coincidence that Seyle conducted his study of stress at what was one of the most trying periods in human history: the era of the Great Depression.
Seyle found that the hormone cortisol – which is linked closely to the adrenal glands that are activated by "fight or flight" responses – has a taxing affect on digestion, reproduction, the immune system and even physical growth. So much so that its long- term presence can have an incredibly negative effect on those functions, even shutting them down. Thus, sustained stress can cause a very real deterioration throughout your body, exposing you to everything from a case of the sniffles to a deadly cancer. Think you're losing hair because you're stressed out? Well, you may be right. But as doctors have known for years, stress is most deadly because of its impact on your heart. Depressed? That could be stress, too.
Getting the picture? It's everywhere, and could be the root cause of so many bad things that it's impossible to ignore. How often have I told you about supposed wive's tales being proven to be true by recent studies? It's not just in your mind that you feel "restored" or "recharged" after a vacation or a weekend getaway. You likely are feeling the restorative effects because your brain and your body are getting that needed break from stress.
So now you're thinking, "well, no kidding Dr. D – now that you've told us that day-to- day life is wearing away at our health, what exactly do you suggest I do about it?" Keep reading…
4 tips for battling stress
In addition to all of the other guidance I give you, take some time to put the following tips into your daily regimen when you can. They won't make stress go away, and they're not exactly the equivalent of a two-week Mediterranean cruise, but they'll help. Remember: it's important to battle the cumulative effects of stress, and these tips should help.
GET ANGRY!
It's OK to be annoyed; it's human. And when you bottle things up, you're just adding to the pile of cumulative stress. I'm not saying you need to flip out and scream at everyone around you, but when the going gets tough, it doesn't mean that you should just nod quietly and accept your bad luck. Tell your spouse they've upset you. Advise that co- worker that you're not fond of how they're behaving or that they're making your job more difficult. By asserting yourself and your opinion without losing control, you're actually venting stress. (Hmm…maybe that's why I'm one of the least stressed out people I know.)
SHIFT YOUR FOCUS
Get a hobby, or don't be shy about throwing yourself into the one that you already have. Don't let your schedule deny you the outlet that helps you free your mind. By concentrating your mind on the thing that brings you the most joy – whatever that may be, whether it's stamp collecting, exercise, dancing, or pottery – you're actually sloughing off stress, and giving your mind and body the time to recover. It's like a mini- vacation, and will stop the stress build up.
PUT THE CLOCK TO WORK FOR YOU
Nothing's more stressful than a deadline, and it only gets worse the closer it gets. If you can turn yourself in a better time manager, even the biggest project can be tackled with less stress. By managing your schedule, you avoid being overworked, which is often one of the most common causes of undue stress.
LAUGH OR CRY
Yup, another cliché. But like so many, it's true. Both laughing and crying are enormously effective ways to vent stress. If you've ever just busted a gut or bawled your eyes out, you know that afterwards there's often a great rush of good feeling (with a laugh) or a sense of relief (with a cry). You're human, and emotions are what make you that way. They're there for a reason: use them. Bottling them up leads to more stress. Not the usual advice I dispense, I know. But something that's always important to remember.
Taking a "chill pill" as the kids say,
William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.
posted by Mrs.Cranky Yankee @ 10:51 AM
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