Presenter: Jackie Collins Robinson Ph.D.Associate Professor

Department of PsychologyFlorida A & M University

May 19, 2012

THE ANSWER TO STRESS – LEARNING HOW

TO RELAX AND FIND BALANCE

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Objectives: Participants will- learn about stress and its impact.- assess the level of balance in their lives

- learn about strategies to de-stress and improve balance - develop a plan for a more balanced life---------------------------------------------TOPICAL OUTLINE Stress and its Relatives/Offspring The Assessment The Strategies The Plan

Overview

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Stress is what we experience when we meet a stressor.

What are stressors? Anything that challenges us –

Examples?

How we evaluate a situation determines if we will view it as stressful or not.

What is Stress?

A certain amount of tension in our lives is normal

Different Types of Stress

◦ Eustress = good stress

◦ Distress = bad stress

◦ On a Continuum

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Effects of Stress on a Continuum

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Calm Stress – Distress –Disease - Disorder

Most frequent conditions:

◦Depression

◦Anxiety

The Relatives

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High Blood Pressure

Heart Disease

Stomach problems (irritable bowel, reflux disease)

Headaches (tension headaches, migraines

Poor Immune system leads to many other conditions such cancer, lupus, even the common cold

The Offspring

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(Can happen over 100 times a day)

IS STRESS PHYSICAL?YES!

FIGHT/FLIGHT REACTION

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The Relatives

The Offspring

African Americans experience more stress than White Americans according to research

Stress decreases your quality of life and shortens your life span

So Why Should We Bother To Do Something About Stress?

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Mistakes Accidents forgetfulness Irritability (more likely to snap at others and

be unpleasant) Focus/concentration problems Take longer doing things

On an everyday basis being “too busy”/stressed causes-

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THE ASSESSMENT

Think about a typical week for you. Draw lines to indicate how you spend your time. Divide the circle into work, caring for others, household duties, community involvement, mental, physical, spiritual maintenance, etc.

How Do You Spend Your Time?

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Remember that just as your car requires maintenance, you require maintenance as well.

Balance in your life helps you maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit.

Does Your Life Circle Reflect Balance?

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Maintaining mental health (de-stressing, reading uplifting material, meditating, listening to relaxing music, etc.)

Maintaining physical health (eating well, exercising, stretching, etc.)

Maintaining spiritual health (attending church, church related meetings, Sunday School, Bible study, etc.

How Do You Spend Your Time?

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THE STRATEGIESFOR

BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE

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We have many rituals ◦ Eating◦ Prayer◦ Watching TV (special programs)

◦ What is your Calming Rituals?

THINK RITUALS

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Stretching and Deep Breathing Before Rising

Meditation and prayer/Attitude of Gratitude Eye Relaxation

Morning Calming

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Two minute break◦ Turn off phones; breath and relax for 2 minutes

◦ Avoid computer eye strain with mid-morning walks outside (at least 2-5 minutes)

◦ Take a Nature Break (Good substitute for coffee break/cigarette break)

Mid-Morning/Midday Calming

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Turn on Pandora (www.pandora.com) and type in “relaxing music” – use as background or for a break

Take a mid-afternoon break with your favorite magazine (let your imagination take you away to far away places)

Afternoon Relaxation

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3 minute body focus: while seated close eyes; put both feed flat on floor; pull shoulders toward ears (breath in) and drop shoulders (breath out); do this three times then continue with focused deep breathing

For tension and irritability◦Practice mindfulness Focus on here and now (not out there

in the future, what you will do next hour, later in day, etc.)

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Meditation/Prayer/Bible Reading Session

Do something fun (walk in the park, window shopping [looking without a “mission”])

Walk your dog

Give yourself a few minutes of alone time – pull back from the world and interaction

Evening Calming

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Ask someone to rub your shoulders

Get a professional massage

Listen to relaxing CDs, Pandora, etc.

Do deep breathing

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Our thoughts affect our mental health

The power of positive self-talk and positive thinking

Research shows that optimists are healthier than pessimist. Optimists:◦ Don’t get ill as much◦ Recover quicker from illness

Healthy Thoughts

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Joel Osteen on positive thinking◦ “You can speak victory over your life - success

into your life or chaos and catastrophe”◦ “God has already blessed us – so bless your own

future by speaking about how you want it to be”◦ Proverbs 4: 20 – 23 “…words can be health for

the whole body” ◦ Proverbs 18:21 “a joyful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones”

Scriptural Support for Optimism

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Mental stimulation is healthy

◦ Choose reading material that is engaging (choose from many of the faith-based books)

◦ Read funny and even challenging material

◦ Older Americans will maintain mental functioning (memory, reasoning, etc.) better if they are mentally active; do word search and other mental games

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Dr. Don Colbert’s book on “Stress Less”

Whether intentional or unintentional, when someone offends you don’t let it linger

Rumination is not good for the soul!

Don’t Sign for a Box of Rattlesnakes

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Research supports having a rich spiritual life◦ Less prone to depression/stress◦ Handle negative events better◦ Healthier

What to do-◦ Maintain strong ties to a community of believers◦ Maintain/Develop spiritual rituals

Read the Bible regularly Pray/talk with a prayer partner Focus attention on discipleship (in other words focus

on the spiritual development of others and your spiritual life will be enriched)

Healthy Spirit

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Matthew 6:14◦ “If you forgive men their trespasses, your

heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”

◦ How do you do this? meditate on forgiveness (read scripture pertaining

to forgiveness) Speak forgiveness View forgiveness as an act of faith that God will take

care of hurt feelings, right the wrong done to you, etc.

Practice Forgiveness

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Eat balanced meals – ◦ lots of fruits and vegetables

The stress coping nutrient◦ Foods rich in vitamin “B” (vegetables, fruits, nuts,

grains)◦ Think “B” vitamins for stress relief

Averaging fewer than 6 hours of sleep per night places your health at risk

Healthy BodyEat Well – Sleep Well

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Absolutely!! Exercise turns down levels of stress

hormones Research shows that physical activity :

◦ Reduces risk of stress related diseases such as heart problems, high blood pressure, etc.

◦ Lowers weight which is also related to poor health◦ Reduces depression, anxiety◦ People report “I feel better” (improves

psychological well-being)

Can physical activity help?

Dr. Toni Yancey (UCLA School of Public Health) recommends 30 minutes of physical activity each day

◦Good news! 10 minutes 3 X per day is as good as one 30 minute workout (based on some studies)

Decide what you can do for 10 minutes:Walk, run, climb stairs, dance, etc. (always

make sure your physician is ok with your exercise program)

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The single most important intervention for maintaining mental and physical health

Social Support

THE PLAN

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I can improve my mental/physical/spiritual maintenance and counteract daily stress by doing the following:

1.

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3.At the end of each week I will do a balanceassessment. How did I do? How can I

improve?

MENTAL-PHYSICAL-SPIRITUAL BALANCE IS THE KEY

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Recommended Resources Don Colbert, M.D., “Stressless”, publisher, Siloam A Strange

Company, 2008, ISBN: 978-1-59979-313-9

Sheree Crute, “Health & Healing for African Americans”, publisher, Bantem Books, 1998, ISBN: 0-553-57699-2

Audiotape: Kelly Howell, “Deep Stress Relief” (a relaxation audiotape), ISBN: 1-881451-51-8

Zeer, D., “Everyday Calm”, 2003, ISBN0-8118-3757-2

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THANK YOU !

QUESTIONS?