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THE EXECUTIVE LIFE
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Health

Save stress for special occasions

Most people would say “stress” is a bad thing. But stress is natural; an inevitable result of changes in the body’s equilibrium. Stress can actually be pleasurable in some cases, like when your heart goes pitter-patter at the thought of a new love. It can also be uncomfortable, like when your boss is dissatisfied with your work, and the company you work for is on a cost-cutting kick.

But stress can serve a useful purpose. It can even make the difference between life and death, by putting you in a state of “fight or flight” when you are startled by external stimuli.

Take, for instance, a common drive down a Cairo street. You’re tailgating a microbus that suddenly screeches to a halt. Instantly, your heart races, and you hit the brakes to avoid an accident. This immediate response occurs because your brain instructs your adrenal gland to pump out adrenaline and coritsol. This increases your heart rate, gets your blood flowing more quickly and tenses up your muscles, allowing you to react fast enough – in some cases – to avoid disaster.

But while stress may be great in crisis situations, it becomes problematic when such a heightened state comes in response to minor everyday threats, like being late for work or spilling coffee on a spreadsheet. Excessive, continual stress exhausts the body.

Studies by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health show that stress-related disorders are becoming the most prevalent reason for worker disability. Thus job stress costs American companies over $200 billion annually, due to absenteeism, turnover and accidents.

Being able to identify the “stressors” in your life is the first step in managing them – either by changing the source of stress or changing your reaction to it. Answer “yes” or “no” to the following questions:

1. Have you recently started or ended a new relationship?
2. Has a loved one recently died or been very ill?
3. Have you recently started a new job?
4. Are you dissatisfied with your current job?
5. Do you have financial, legal or family troubles?
6. Do you often feel rushed and over-committed?
7. Do you consume more than two caffeine beverages daily?
8. Do you drink more than five alcoholic beverages a week?
9. Do you often feel dehydrated?
10. Do you feel tired most days due to lack of sleep?
11. Do you exercise less than three times a week?

The more “Yes” answers you have, the more stress contributors you have in your life. Eliminating these, or managing them more effectively, is the first step to better health. Now, there are a number of techniques you can use to reduce the tension in your body:

1. Exercise more. Exercise helps release endorphins, which relieve stress.
2. When you feel angry or upset, take a few deep breaths before reacting. Oxygen helps you think with a clear head.
3. Practice meditation or yoga, two widely used stress-relief methods.
4. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and vitamin-rich foods to help you concentrate and feel energized.
5. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration contributes to fatigue, aching joints and headaches.
6. Reduce consumption of caffeine, alcohol and sugary or salty snacks – all of which impact your body’s metabolic state.
7. Prioritize your daily tasks in the present tense, and give yourself credit for the things you accomplish everyday. Writing them down and checking them off helps.
8. Make a list of stressors in your life that you can control, and those you can’t. As for those that are out of your control – don’t stress over them.
9. Get enough sleep.

Diana Boeke

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