Diamonds may be formed under intense pressure, but we are flesh and blood, and sometimes pressure can crush us.
Stress. It can result from the day-to-day rush to get out the door in the morning. Deadlines. Workplace pressures. The weather’s impact on crops. Spring calving. Financial worries. Even mindless scrolling through the phone, getting agitated about information we don’t agree with or negative posts.
Daily living can be stressful, but recognizing stress and taking steps to simply breathe can sometimes reduce the long-term effects of stress.
So, let’s talk about it, says Michelle Montgomery, a wellness advocate with the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of North Dakota.
“The more we can bring attention to it and normalize it, we can have those conversations,” she says. “Discussions about mental health need to be just as important as your physical health. If you had a broken leg, you would immediately get it fixed, because it’s painful to walk around on a broken leg, right? And you wouldn’t be ashamed to have a boot on your foot or have crutches, because you’re allowing your body to heal. But when it’s about our mental health or our brain health, we often just say, ‘I can put that on the back burner.’ But would you tell your child or would you tell your patient to do that? No. So, we need to be giving that the same attention as we do a physical malady.”
From motivating to toxic
Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to our overall wellbeing, according to the World Health Organization.
“There is good stress. So, we need to be cognizant of that, too. There are times in life when stress is good. It’s a motivator. It’s just watching when it goes from good to bad to toxic,” Montgomery says.
The first step in addressing chronic stress is recognizing it.
Changes in sleep patterns, weight loss or gain, irritability, lack of motivation or simply not wanting to get out of bed are all signals of stress. Sometimes, stress even exacerbates itself in changes within the skin.
“There are so many different warning signs. It’s just paying attention to anything that doesn’t feel right or normal to you,” she says.
And those continued symptoms of stress can lead to further physical ailments, such as an increase in blood pressure leading to heart issues.
“It could lead to a risk in the incidence of diabetes if you are susceptible to that. That anxiousness could lead to panic attacks. It’s a myriad of consequences that can happen when we have stress that’s uncontrolled. If it goes untreated, then it can lead to very serious, very chronic and acute conditions,” she says.
Stress ranks high on the list of physical ailments, she says.
“It ranks right up there and I think we need to be talking about it. We need to be noticing it in ourselves and saying it out loud when we notice it in others,” she says.
Managing stress can include some mindful daily steps.
“As humans, we have all these thoughts constantly going through our heads. We’re having to make multiple decisions every minute,” Montgomery says. “We often have these ruminating thoughts. The same things run through our brain day after day, time after time. On average, our thoughts are about 90% to 92% the same every day. We just recycle them in a different way, especially when it’s focusing on our worries and our fears.”
Acknowledging when that’s happening by practicing self-awareness will help avoid those triggers, she says.
So, when stress starts bubbling, she recommends taking a moment, taking a breath and counting – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Notice five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste. That focus will distract your mind from the stressful situation.
Studies have shown our society is more stressed, which may be partially due to more awareness of stress, Montgomery says.
“Although with advances in technology, we are more aware of things going on in the world minute to minute than we used to be,” she says. “I do think we live in a very complex world, and we can’t always get away from it when we have that phone in our hand, when we are searching the web and we’re looking at all the social media and all those things that are going on.”
Self-care is the secret to managing stress, she says. And she likens self-care to airplane passengers being instructed to place their oxygen mask first before helping others during an emergency.
“A lot of people think self-care is selfish, but before you can take care of someone else, you have to take care of yourself first,” she says.
“It’s just giving yourself grace, acknowledging we do have stress, but recognizing it and saying, ‘Hey, I need a little bit of time. I need to take some time to step back for me, because then I’m going to be better able to help and take care of you.’ We need what we call our homeostasis, our comfort zone, our balance,” she says.
She encourages those with chronic stress to seek professional help, through counselors, medical providers, pastors or even talking to friends or family.
“Know if I feel this way, there’s likely someone around me that does, too. A lot of times people feel shame if they have to say I’m stressed or I’m overwhelmed. But, if you’re feeling that way, there’s likely someone around you probably feeling the same. If you’re willing to talk about it, that might give them the courage to talk as well,” she says.
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Luann Dart is a freelance writer and editor who lives in the Elgin area.
Coping with stress
Being aware of stress is the first step in managing it, says Michelle Montgomery, a wellness advocate with the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of North Dakota.
“Mindfulness is stopping and paying attention in the very moment to how you’re feeling right then and there,” she says. “That can be just closing your eyes and taking a scan of your body. I do feel my heart rushing. I have to slow my breathing to stop and think about it.”
Other tips include:
• Limit screen time. Social media has a tremendous impact on our stress levels, Montgomery says.
“With so much polarization in the world, it’s really paying attention to where we’re getting information and making sure it’s credible,” she says.
• Keep a daily routine. Having a daily schedule can help us use our time efficiently and feel more in control. Set time for regular meals, time with family members, exercise, daily chores and other recreational activities.
• Get plenty of sleep. Getting enough sleep is important for both body and mind. Sleep repairs, relaxes and rejuvenates our body and can help reverse the effect of stress. Be consistent in bedtime and waking each morning, limit screen time before bedtime and avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
• Connect with others. Keep in touch with family and friends and share your concerns and feelings with people you trust. Connecting with others can lift our mood and help us feel less stressed.
• Eat healthy. What we eat and drink can affect our health. Try to eat a balanced diet and to eat at regular intervals. Drink enough fluids. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise regularly. Regular daily exercise can help to reduce stress. This can include walking, as well as more intensive exercise. Every little bit of physical activity helps. Start small and build up to 2.5 hours a week. You can break it into smaller amounts, such as 20 to 30 minutes a day.
• Limit alcohol intake and avoid using illegal drugs or prescription drugs in ways other than prescribed. Avoid smoking, vaping and the use of other tobacco products.
• Take time to unwind and do activities you enjoy.
Signs of stress
Stress can cause the following:
• Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness or frustration.
• Changes in appetite, energy, desires and interests.
• Trouble concentrating and making decisions.
• Nightmares or problems sleeping.
• Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems or skin rashes.
• Worsening of chronic health problems and mental health conditions.
• Increased use of alcohol, illegal drugs and misuse of prescription drugs (like opioids).
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Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization
