April 16th is National Stress Awareness Day!
Stress is a significant concern in our country and the more we know, the more we can assist with stress reduction. How in tune are you with the stress you have in your life and the effects it can have on your body?
Stress has been identified over and over as a leading health problem. As early as 1983, stress was identified as “The Epidemic of the Eighties” by Time Magazine. The American Institute of Stress reports that an estimated 75-90% of visits to primary care doctors are for stress related problems.1 In the 2010 Stress in America survey, it was found that most Americans are living with moderate to high stress levels and know it is not a good way to live. Furthermore, the survey found that although stress levels in 2010 were similar to 2009, “fewer adults reported being satisfied with the way that their employer helps employees balance work and non-work demands”.2
The first step in identifying how stress from work, or from life in general, is affecting your life is being able to identify the signs of stress. Physical symptoms of stress identified by the Stress in America survey included irritability or anger, fatigue, lack of interest, motivation, or energy, feeling nervous or anxious, having a headache, feeling depressed or sad, having muscular tension and having an upset stomach or indigestion.2
Nevertheless, Identified Barriers to Change (meaning reasons why people feel they cannot change their stress levels) included; lack of willpower (30% in 2010), lack of time, and feeling what they need to change their stress level is too expensive.2
If you have sustained a injury, had surgery or are dealing with any physical pain or nuisance, physical and emotional stressors can impact your rehabilitation. It is important to identify and discuss any life stressors with your PT in order to determine if stress could be exacerbating your symptoms and may impact your overall outcome. There are many ways to assist with reducing your stress. At Sports Physical Therapy we make it a priority to listen to your concerns as well as motivate you to set and achieve attainable goals. This alone may enhance your willpower to overcome stress.
We also educate regularly on the importance of becoming physically active and assist you with reducing pain and anxiety when performing exercise. Being more active and regular exercise do have a significant impact on reducing pain levels. Along with being more active in every day life, one barrier most of us face is that we sit for the majority of the day at work or school. One solution for such daily inactivity is to practice “active sitting” or in general become more active during a sedentary job.
A few recommendations include the following; squeeze your buttock muscles when sitting. Your gluteus maximus (your buttock muscles) are large supports of posture and movement and when sitting all day they are “turned off” thus need to be woken up. Also, you can use a smaller water cup which will force you to get up more often, walk to the water cooler and refill it. Finally, try putting items you use frequently (e.g. your stapler or hole punch) further away from you so you actively have to reach for these items when needed.
Another quick tip for stress relief is learning diaphragmatic breathing (also known as belly breathing). This term and education on breathing through your belly not only reduces your stress levels, but also has been shown to assist with reduction in back pain and in neck pain! To attempt belly breathing put one hand on your belly and one on your chest. Take a deep breath. If your upper hand (hand on chest) moves first you are breathing with your chest and neck muscles and not with your diaphragm. On the next breath try to make your lower hand (hand on belly) move first or rise. It is easier to do this lying down versus sitting or standing up. It can take up to 2-3 weeks to change this system, but with constant practice you can do it.
I highly encourage you to read the national stress report from 2010 cited below. It is very eye opening. Also, remember the impact you have on others in your life. Stress is an issue for all of us and the more we identify this and try to change the amount of stress we have in our lives or just manage the stress more efficiently, the better off we will all be!
1. Mayo Clinic. Stress: Constant stress puts your health at risk. 11 Sept 2010. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001
2. 2010 Stress in America report. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/national-report.pdf. Accessed April 11, 2012.