Sunday, December 1, 2013

Staying Healthy During Stress

Hi All,

Since this is a very stressful time for many of you, I thought I'd give you some opportunity to think about - and practice - some strategies that might help you stay physically and mentally healthy.

Here some links that might be useful. Please feel free to comment on any aspect of stress and/or stress management you find important and/or useful.

Stress Management (practical strategies):
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Meditation and Yoga for Stress Relief:
http://www.chopra.com/ccl/meditation-and-yoga
and:
http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Yoga+meditation+boon+mind+body+study+suggests/9231534/story.html
research articles:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/30863901/MBSRMAJPR2004.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1385952163&Signature=hpS4b8iFU%2FIu%2F6p2qaGCoRCId9o%3D&response-content-disposition=inline
and/or:
http://mahashakti.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_The_Effect_of_a_Mindfulness_Meditation-Based_Stress_Reduction_Program_on_Mood_and_Symptoms_of_Stress_in_Cancer_Outpatients.pdf

… and here a hands-on introduction to meditation led by Deepak Chopra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0IOf08pTRc

Hope you will all do some yoga and/or meditation during the next weeks :)

gudrun


24 comments:

  1. I've never been one to do yoga or meditate, although I've always wanted to get into it. I do, however, exercise regularly and vigorously. I have been exercising and playing sports since I was about 7 and maybe it's because I've grown up doing it, I have found that it is one of the only things that keeps me truly stress-free and relaxed.
    When I am playing sports or exercising by simply just going for a run, I find that I don't think about school or exams or anything else that I am otherwise worrying about. It is often said that one shouldn't study or do the same activity for a long period of time because, as I'm sure a lot of us have already experienced, we begin to lose concentration or simply get bored. When going for a run or doing yoga or just sitting down to meditate, we allow ourselves to have a break. Then when we continue with our previous task, our minds are clear and refreshed, letting you be able to concentrate that much better.
    Instead of spending hours on end barely being able to do any work because there's lack of concentration, why not take an hour or a half hour or even fifteen minutes out of that precious study time to just relax.
    Stress-management doesn't only have to be something related to exercise or health. Even sitting down to watch a 20-minute episode of a TV show allows for a break.
    Stress-management, especially during this critical exam period, is extremely important. Doing anything that relaxes the mind and body is a great way to study that much harder.

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    1. Excellent points, Jasleen! I totally agree with every single word!

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  2. I have always been very active. I played many different sports growing up and now I run and go to the gym regularly. I have taken yoga classes before and I also mediate. I have always been surprised at how much I enjoy it, each time after I think to myself that I should be doing it more often. Exercising clears my mind and helps me focus. I find that if I am having trouble studying, after going for a run or doing some other form of physical activity, I can easily sit down and concentrate.
    I find similar results from yoga and mediation. I try to mediate a few times a week. Ideally I would like to everyday. It has such a calming effect. One aspect that I find especially helpful is how it helps me put everything into perspective. Often, it is easy to be overwhelmed and stressed out, especially during exams. After doing some breathing exercises to relax and mediating I can clearly see what I have to do and in what order. Through meditation, yoga, or other exercise I find it helps release negativity in my life. Managing stress is sometimes difficult and everyone has their own ways about doing it. I am glad I know some techniques that help me, and I am interested in learning more.

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    1. Wonderful, Madelaine! Thanks for confirming all this from your own experience!

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  3. Although I have not mastered the skill of coping with stress, I think I am much better at coping with stress now compared to my younger years. It was hard transitioning from secondary school to the university life, and as a typical first year, I began to overstress. It was getting overly severe so one day I took some time to sit down and see what I can do about this problem. I found that identifying what causes the stress and coming up with a way to resolve it to be very effective. Some other methods mentioned that were really beneficial was, avoiding people who stresses me out, learning how to say no, avoiding hot-button topics and reminding myself of what I needed to do. I basically was too concerned with distractions and wasn’t able to focus on my academics. After realizing that, I began to study in a silent library in a cubicle. Now, as much as that sounds very isolated, it personally works well for me and it helps with lower my stress. However, another way that I thought was helpful was being active with yoga. I have always been very interested when it comes yoga, I have tried it out for various purposes, for mental and physical health. I always thought it was yoga had no real relaxing effect and was simply a psychological one. But it was great knowing it actually has biological effect on people who practice it so thanks for sharing these links!

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  4. There was a meditation class(?)/event(?) in Gage resident. I am not sure about the other residents on campus, but Gage, thankfully provided students a time to just relax. It was really awkward just sitting there watching people not moving with their eyes all closed. I am not even a yoga person. My body just can't stay still. I, this time, was also constantly relocated my body parts. However, it was little different from any other days. With my abnormal stress level, just breathing in a quiet dark room for few minutes had given my brain to relax and find my inner peace for few minutes. Even though I had to go back to my normal stressful exam period, I think it was a really good idea to participate in such event!

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  5. Taking some time out the day for physical exercise can do wonders. When I had examinations, midterms etc. before, I used to take a break from all that by watching a show. It was a way to get my mind off of the work and was entertaining! But all of that just made me realize I'm staring at a computer/TV screen again, after studying from my computer all day. So instead of that now I take the time for some exercise. Incorporating a period movement into my day not only makes me feel better during/afterwards, but it really helps me structure the daily schedule. "When am I going to get up..eat..study..exercise?". It makes breaking down the day even more effective and in a way, has made my snack choices a lot better! Obviously after exercising it's not smart to binge on nutrient-deplete snacks and being a food-lover, I’ve learned to control cravings. Studying can make people get the munchies and it’s important to choose wisely – even during exam time! If anyone is interested in trying out a yoga exercise at home, there’s one done by Jillian Michaels and I love getting a good sweat out of this one. Definitely try it next time before you aimlessly log onto facebook for half an hour. Good luck on all your exams!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5nyrD4eM64

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  6. I have a question. What do you guys think and focus on when you meditate? I have read and listened to different people. Some say that you are suppose to reflect on different aspects of your life. Others say that the ideal way to meditate is to think about nothing. Is it possible to think about nothing? I think the state of mind that you want to strive for varies from culture to culture.

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    1. Hi Richard,

      I personally think it's extremely difficult to think about nothing. I have been to yoga classes before where we do meditation periods and I have never been able to completely relax my mind. However, that doesn't mean they aren't beneficial. Like you said, usually I end up focusing on different aspects of my life and I find that while I'm in that quiet room I can finally organize what's been on my mind and what the root causes of my stress are. I can't try to fix what's been bothering me without facing it first. Also, I think meditating has a lot to do with breathing. I know if I take a moment in my day to take a few deep breaths, I find myself feeling calmer.

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    3. Hi Richard! I completely agree with your point that it's hard to not focus on anything while meditating. I usually end up thinking of outer space, and even that isn't exactly "nothing", or at least I don't think it is. For the most part, I agree with Carolina in that it's best to face our problems and it really to be able to organize our minds when meditating. There's focus and it helps us to really address what's going in in our lives.

      However, I do something specific when I'm a little stressed out or if I just want to not think about that exam I have the next day. I usually find a quiet room to sit in, and sometimes I even play music, but it's really optional. I then close my eyes and think of a room with four white walls. I make sure there aren't any blemishes on the walls. Then I think of the colours I associate with serenity and happiness, and imagine those colours being painted on the four walls. You can paint shapes or just artistic splashes-it's up to you. Now slowly try to return that room to its previous white state. Of course, you don't have to pick white, I just chose it because it's easier to see different colours on it. Open your eyes, and you should feel a little calmer.

      This actually helps me to not focus on what's troubling me for a while. It helps me to calm down, and when I return to my work, I find that I can work a little more efficiently. It may or may not work, but give it a try and let me know! :)

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  7. Thank you for all the great links on stress management! I tend to worry a lot about whether I prepared well enough and the possibilities that there could be something on exams I do not know how to do. This makes me even more nervous and stressed. It helps me a lot to tell myself that I have already worked hard all term. Reminding myself of that and all the things I have done well makes me a lot more confident about the material I know. I also find it helps to put into perspective how important exam marks actually are. Not doing well on an exam does not make you a worse person. Your friends and family will still love you. If we never made any mistakes we could not improve ourselves any more. We are the best and only version of ourselves that there will ever exist. We should not compare ourselves to others because we all have different abilities which make us unique.
    I think we should focus on what we can do and what is under our control. If you do your personal best you have done all you can.
    I found this mediation video on youtube about creating positive energy. I like it because it asks you to create 'a new vocabulary' and helps you let go of anxiety.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZQ9GfmzR14

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    1. Hi W. Bartels,
      I am always nervous before exams like you. We need to release since we may have a bad mark when we are too stressed in an exam. For my last midterm, I didn't have enough time to review all the thing, which made me so nervous during the exams that when I get my exam paper I found that I made many small mistakes. After reviewing all the materials that I think is useful, I will be confident and do well in this exam.
      So it's really important to have confidence during an exam and Well-preparing for a exam is also a good way to release stress.

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  8. When I am feeling stressed I feel that the best way that you can relieve stress is by doing the things that you love. For example, I have been playing music all my life. And on days that I feel overwhelmed, I enjoy sitting at the piano and playing music. Whether it be learning a new song or improvising music, it feels like an escape from everything. This is when I feel most relaxed. People could say that it is just a distraction, and maybe that is true. But I believe if that it is truly something you enjoy doing, then what is it the problem with taking time out of your day to do it. Exercising is another method I use to de-stress. Some people may view it as a chore, and find it more tiring and useless. I enjoy working out, I feel that during workout sessions focusing on my movement and body helps me gather all my thoughts into one. Being able to focus on only one thing, creates a simpler mindset for myself and therefore, relieving my stress.
    I believe that as long as you have prepared well for something, you will be okay. And stressing over it is really just going to cause more harm than good. If have you procrastinated, the harsh reality is that you probably will not do as well as you could have done if you had prepared earlier or better. But there is no point dwelling on that, that is the past, and you can only focus not the present. So focus on that and aim for the best outcome that you think you are capable of!

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  9. I get stressed really fast and overwhelm myself even with the simplest of tasks at times. For me being alone with my thoughts is not the best option. Instead of shutting things out I think about them even more. That’s why yoga or meditating doesn’t work for me because it’s not a big enough distraction. I need to have something that requires focus for me to release stress. For me the best stress release has always been working out for me. My favorite thing do is a get in the gym and play some basketball. As soon as I get a couple of shots up everything else in my life disappears. Sometimes after a workout out I can’t even remember what I was so stressed out about. My mind becomes so clear that I my work manages to be much easier I just cruise through the work. I played ball all through middle school and high school. I decided to not play in university so it would be easier to just focus on school work. I was wrong though; it’s been harder to focus because I haven’t had my release. Especially with finals I have had no time to get a work out in. All I have been doing is studying and I can feel the strain emotionally.
    I read the article on the Chopra Centre website and I agree that stress is something we cause ourselves with our own thoughts. As humans I believe that we do build things up and over think. We almost create our own problems. I know personally when I have a lot to do I stress more about what needs to be done rather than the current process which slows everything down. It’s like a domino effect of thoughts. The more things I think about at the slower I get things done and the more stressed out I become. I think it is really important to have consistent stress reliever in order for effect work to get done. Knowing you have a place to go where your mind can be in healthy place and peace is powerful in itself. It’s like the light at the end of the tunnel knowing to matter how hard you are working in the moment that you can go somewhere for as little as an hour and just be at peace. For people who haven’t found this place yet I think that they should go out and find it. To me everyone needs a place where they are guaranteed a healthy mind set. There are so many times we as humans are in a negative mind set and we also deserve a place to simply be happy.

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  10. I really enjoyed reading everyone's ideas on how they relieve their stress. Most of you suggest working out, which is the best idea not only because it relieves stress, but because it also produces certain neurotransmitters that make your brain sharper and work better!
    Unfortunately, having 3 jobs and doing school work does not make a very "stress-free" environment or give me time to go work out or take yoga classes. Because all this stress would build up sometimes, I had to find ways in my house and at work to help with this situation. So I thought to myself "What makes me forget all my problems and not think about anything?". Just like some of my fellow classmates, the first thing that came to mind is music. I'm the type of person that can't sit still without having some kind of rhythm in my body; whether it's a tapping foot or playing with the lid of my pencil. It is how I function. So I realized that as I was studying quietly, I would get so stressed and start pulling my hair, bitting my nails, breathing heavily, things that you aren't supposed to feel while studying. It was because it had no beat to it, no guitar solos, no peaceful swaying music; it was just nothing. That's when I knew music was the answer. Every time I would start getting those feelings, I would stop, put some music on and dance in my bedroom. You wouldn't believe how stress relieving it is! Stress is just energy in your body, building up because it isn't being used. So by dancing, I was using it. I could then sit down and focus on my studying. This has been working for me and I hope all of you try it! It is good to be silly and let go sometimes :)
    Another way I like to deal with stress, whenever I have the time, is to go outside and take a walk. And I know this might sound a little weird to some of you, but when I go for walks, I try to help people; whether it's opening a door, holding some groceries, helping with directions or even looking after people's pets while they go into the store. Helping people is the best stress reliever, because you feel great about yourself afterwards! And you get so many smiles and positive energy from everyone, you cannot avoid being happy for the rest of the day! Try it and you will understand what I mean! :)
    I do have to say, my sister has been bugging me to go try out her yoga class. Now that exam period is almost over, I think I might try it and possibly make it my new hobby! Also, I need to learn how to manage my time better to avoid stressful situations!

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  11. Wow, reading everyone's comments here has made me realized how we all experience the same thing during this time of year! To be honest, I'm not very active and I'm trying to change that bit by bit. When I get stressed out, I can't seem to do anything. I start having meltdowns, and the tears become a constant companion! I have major exam anxiety. My palms tend to get sweaty, and sometimes I even blank out and forget what I'm writing about. To combat these anxiety issues, I've realized that breathing exercises always help. However, when that doesn't come to my aid, I try to figure out why I'm so stressed out most of the time. The answer is actually quite simple: to not feel like a failure.

    As a child, I was very competitive and I would push myself a lot, and sometimes I think I didn't enjoy doing childish things as much. It wasn't that I was being pushed to work so hard on academics, it was me pushing myself. I wanted to feel better, and I wanted to be the best. As I grew up, I realized how unhealthy this was for my mental health. This lust for competition and being better than others really came in the way of what I love the most: learning. And learning should not be about competition, and my grades should not be determining who I am as a person. I eventually learned to accept that I'm not going to be the best at everything, and that it's completely okay.

    I know grades are really important, and I know that we should all try our best, but what helped me to calm down with my anxiety a little is that if I try my best, good things will come of it. I tend to procrastinate a lot, and I think most of you can relate to me. Procrastination is the source of stress for me. I don't manage my time well, and I keep putting things of until the last minute. If I learn to manage my time, I won't be so stressed as much.

    Bit by bit, I'm trying to change. Exercising and eating healthy food really helps, but sometimes it's more than that. Sometimes the anxiety has to do with what you expect of yourself. I hope all of you do super swell in your exams!

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  12. Everyone says the same thing about how to manage stress. They tell us to meditate, play sports, and play music. However, for me, these ways do not work to manage stress. Whenever, I try to meditate, I can never stop thinking of what is bothering me. Therefore, I cannot do meditation to manage stress. I also tried doing some sports when I was younger, but it only gave me more stress because I was never good at sports and always lost. When I tried to learn new sports with my friends, I was always compared to them and felt more discouraged. Therefore, I believe managing stress through sports can only be done by people with decent athletic skills. For others, it just gives more stress before they play at an appropriate level. I also think playing musical instruments works the same way. I used to play violin when I was young, but the lessons were so tiring. Before I could play at an appropriate level, I just quit playing. It was also stressful to learn to play piano at first. Although I enjoy playing it today, I believe learning new techniques to manage stress via sports and musical instruments provides more stress before reaching a certain level to find enjoyment; in the end, people have to find out their own ways to reduce their stress.

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  13. There are many things that causes us to stress. The most prominent cause of stress for myself would be school and keeping up with my relations with friends and family. Even since high school there has been a lot of pressure in getting certain grades and I would spend most of my time studying. Even when I would try to enjoy myself by going out with friends, I know in the back of my mind that there are large assignments hovering over me. Even when I am done all of my homework, I still have the urge to study. Although I am in second year the transition from high school to university has taken a toll on my social life and increased my stress. The strategies that are recommended in the links provided are great ways to cope with the increase of stress. Meditation for myself is synonymous with prayer. I find going to church and practicing my religious values give me similar results. Furthermore, listing the causes of my stresses have been a way to remedy the sources. Instead of viewing school to be this rigorous phenomenon, I have learned to view the education system to be something that is trying to help me in life. I used to associate school with stress and the curriculum trying to hurt me, but now I am happy to know that I am here to improve myself and these obstacles are to test my abilities. Although this comment in the blog may go unnoticed to others, I really hope that my entry has at least helped others the same way it has changed my perspective, positively.

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  14. It is exam season now and i believe most of the students are under pressure and stress. Some people have three exams, some have more. I have six exams and these two weeks have been very difficult for me especially when i have my last exam on the very last day, i see friends and other students going on vocation earlier while i am still preparing for my exams.

    I believe being active and exercise regularly definitely help on stress management. I have always been a health nut. I can't go a day without exercising. If i don't go to the gym or do some kind of exercise, i will end up being so unproductive for the rest of the day.

    Not only exercise is a great stress relief, i believe that proper nutrition can also be very helpful in releasing stress. having an optimum amount of vitamin and minerals can help our brain to function properly and stay focus on the task we should be doing.

    A small amount of pressure maybe very good for pushing ourselves in school, exams or other types of work. However, too much pressure can be very stressful and sometimes it is hard to take it all on ourselves, our mind could very well be overwhelmed. I believe mental health plays a big role in stress. When i am stressed, i would always try to keep my mind relaxed by listening to music and talk to others about what is in our mind. Finding someone trustworthy such as a close friend or a family member to express your feelings can sometimes be a stress relief. They have always given me great suggestions or simply being there for me have made me feel less stressed.

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    1. Yes, I heard that vitamin C and B can help us to release stress and keep brain active. I keep having them and found it's help :)
      You guys can try.

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  15. Finals season can be the most stressful time of the year for students. I see my friends taking less courses than me having only 3 exams and I get super jealous of them when I have 5. I also see friends with 6 exams and work and assignments due for them and feel a sense of relief when I don’t have that much. Nevertheless, stress is imposed on all of us during these few weeks. The best way I relieve stress is by allowing myself to rest. There are many ways of resting, whether it be a quick nap from studying or grabbing some food to fuel your body. Most of the time we just need a break from whatever we’re doing. I think taking a break is one of the best ways to relive stress. As I previously stated in my other blog comments, there’s only so much you can do and sometimes the only thing you can do is just go with the flow. There are so many things you cannot control in life so why worry and stress about them? There are so many other things for you to stress about so sometimes the little things aren’t worth stressing about. Another way I remove stress from myself is probably one of the worst ways to relieve stress but yet one of the most effective ways for me. When I’m stressing about school or friends, I often tell myself that the problems I’m facing now is nothing compared to the ones I will face in the future. I scare myself with the thoughts of bigger problems in the future to temporarily remove the ones I’m facing now. I tell myself “what if my family is at risk” or “my marriage is on the line” and instantly the problem I’m stressing about seems so much smaller. I personally wouldn’t recommend that way of relieving stress but I thought I should just share the ways that I remove stress from myself. Stress in investable, it’s a part of our life. Learn to love stress and learn to live with it and you’ll have a easy time dealing with it.

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  16. In another course I am taking, we studied the effects of chronic stress. It may be so severe leading to brain damage. Researchers found social animals tend to exhibit more stress. I guess one reason is the constant competition between individuals that ultimately leads stress. In ecology, the goal of any organism is to survive and reproduce as much as possible, passing on its genome. The society we live in today runs on the same concept. Since we are born, we start to learn things such as language and behaviour. We go to school to be trained for a future profession that ensures our survival. Then we get married and have children. During each of these steps in life, we have to face competition, whether it's a test, a job hunt, or a person you like. My way of stress relief is playing games and sleeping. When I play games, I can distract myself, although momentarily, from everything else I have to face. The same goes for sleeping. Sleep guarantees a sense of peacefulness and we can forget about everything else. Even though the effects are temporary, these are good ways of stress relief, especially during the exam season.

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  17. Thank you you guys for sharing so many different ways about releasing stress, they all sounds good. I may try to do some sports such as yoga and listen to music. During the final period, I spend most time in front of the desk in my bedroom, so I think do some sport can not only wake may body but also my brain making me study more efficiently. And I used not to listening to the music when I am reviewing since I think the music will disturb my thought. Maybe I can try listening some soft music, and I heard that some of them can improve our memory. Don’t know if it’s true.

    I always can’t fall asleep the night before an exam, which I think is the main expression of my stress. I always want to sleep earlier the night before an exam to make me energetic during the exam, so if I can’t fall asleep I will become nervous and try to force myself to sleep.I don’t know if anyone else has the same situation with me, but still want to share my solution. Having searched the solution online, I think the most important thing is that we should have a positive attitude toward insomnia. We need to know that even though we didn’t sleep last night, we still can do well in the exam. We should not to force ourselves to sleep since we will become more stressed if we still can’t successfully fall asleep. And than, we need to try think nothing. I always think a lot when I can’t get sleep, and when thinking, I find that I am become more and more clear. Finally, we can also try to have a cup of milk or do somethings else until feeling sleepy.

    I am totally agree with Matthew that a small amount of the stress can help us to perform well in a exam, but huge pressure will be harmful to our mental health. Sometimes I heard that students comment suicide since the stressful competition in school. It’s a tragedy. Balance our lives and try to think beyond our grade. Considering our purpose of lives, we will find that grade are not so important as we think before. Life has infinity possibilities. Just do our best, we will fine!

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