The Road to Mental Wellness With Desert Rose

Stress can take a toll on your physical and mental well-being. It’s important to use stress management techniques like mindfulness, meditation, exercise and relaxation to reduce the effects of stress on your body.

Everyone experiences stress at various times in their lives. It’s a normal reaction that occurs when you encounter changes or challenges (stressors). Your body responds physically and mentally to stress. Stress management involves using techniques to improve how you respond to life stressors. Your brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for your protection.

When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones that increase your heart rate and raise your blood pressure. This “fight-or-flight” response fuels you to deal with the threat. Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal, relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop complications of modern life and its demands and expectations mean that some people’s alarm systems rarely shut off.

Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset and to recalibrate your alarm system. It can help your mind and body adapt (resilience). Without it, your body might always be on high alert. Over time, chronic stress can lead to serious health problems. These techniques can prevent or ease stress-induced symptoms.

Stressful situations trigger a physical reaction known as the stress response. The brain relays warnings to the muscles, which tighten, and to the adrenal glands, which release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones help your body prepare to fight or flee to safety: your heart pounds, blood pressure rises, and more of your blood is sent to your brain and muscles; your breath quickens to get more oxygen into your blood; and your body releases sugars and fats into the blood for energy.

When you feel stress, you may experience:
• Anxiety, depression or panic attacks.
• Chest pain or racing heart rate.
• Fatigue or insomnia.
• Headaches.
• High blood pressure.
• Upset stomach (indigestion).

In the short term, the stress response can help you navigate a difficult situation. But chronic stress can lead to physical damage. Stress increases blood sugar and can make diabetes worse. It can create high blood pressure and cause insomnia. It can also make people become anxious, worried, depressed, or frustrated. Chronic stress also increases the risk of heart disease, heartburn, and many other health problems. The first step toward reducing stress is learning what your triggers are. If you know what pushes your buttons, then avoid it.

However, there are stresses we have to accept, so we must change our reactions to them. Some of these techniques are:
• Relaxation techniques. These are activities that trigger the relaxation response, a physiological change that can help lower your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen consumption, and stress hormones. You can achieve this with activities such as meditation, guided imagery, yoga, and deep breathing exercises.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is based on the idea that changing unhealthy thinking can change your emotions. A CBT therapist will help you identify negative thinking and learn to automatically replace it with healthy or positive thoughts.

• Goal setting. “When people set goals for themselves, they have a positive sense of commitment, feel they’re in control, and are optimistic,” says Dr. Webster. She recommends setting goals in your career, relationships, creativity, play, and health.

There you have it. Stress, chronic stress and a few ways to help deal with stress. As always, if you or someone you love feels suicidal or that they are in a crisis there is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for confidential, free, 24/7/365 help. You can also chat at 988lifeline.org. Another resource is the Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. The Crisis Hotline: 844-755-5325

Until next week, I’m Desert Rose signing off and wishing you all good mental health.