(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) In this episode, stress management tips. Welcome to the Anxiety Road podcast. This is the involuntary journey finding treatment options and resources for people that have an anxiety condition or disorder. This podcast is treatment agnostic. My name is Gena Haskett. The World Health Organization defines stress as the state of worry or mental tension caused by difficult situations.
Now, this is happening to people that don't have an anxiety condition, that they are feeling overwhelmed, that they are feeling that there is no control and everything is going to hell and there's not enough chocolate in the world. Those of us who have an anxiety condition are getting whopped with both excessive stress and anxiety. I want to talk about some ways of dealing with these increased stress levels.
If you're new here, this is the podcast sharing the medical, behavioral health, meditation, relaxation and x equals the unknown treatment options and resources for those of us on the anxiety condition or disorder spectrum. Stress is a mind or body response to what you're experiencing. A stressor is the thing that is causing you to have a reaction. There are a lot of different kinds of stressors. And what may be a stressor to you may not be to another person, but that doesn't matter.
If you are feeling something because you are experiencing an event or you're witnessing an event or you're concerned about an event, then you're probably going to have some form of stress. Some of the examples, getting fired from a job, doom scrolling, being physically sick, having more bills than the money that's needed to pay them. Those things can generate a stress response. Some of the symptoms can include having a sour stomach, loss of sleep, worry, tension, grumpiness and anger.
So what can you do about it? Well, one of the things that you can do is try to install or embed as much stability in your life as you can. For most people, this means having a set routine or a daily practice, something that gives you a sense of security while you're performing it. Another thing you can do is identify what ticks you off. What are your known stressors? What are the stressors that you can take care of in the moment, where you are right now?
Another thing that you can do is make sure that you're not junk-fooding the entire day. Your body needs help and you can give it that help with nutritious food. I am not saying that you can't snack. Just be aware of your sugar and your caffeine levels. Too much junk food can affect how you feel and function. Sleep relates back to stability. You need a constant supply and get the right amount of sleep for you.
This also means having a regular sleep practice, going to bed at the same time, waking up at roughly the same time, even on the weekends. And if you don't have one, now is a really good time to start meditation and mindful practices. Some people call it a moment of stillness. Some people call it prayer. However you define it, you probably should be doing this on a regular basis. And there's all different kinds of ways to do it.
Maybe when you wake up before you get out of bed, you have a recitation of the morning gratitudes, meaning you recite the things that you're grateful for or that you appreciate in your life. Maybe spending time with an adult coloring book. Adult as in themes, not a sexual content coloring book.
There is a magazine and a website called mindful.org and they have a four minute practice to clarify what's important right now that you can use to help train your mind and body to access being in a calm state. You might also consider using an app to help you get started in your meditative or mindfulness process. There is a free app from a non-profit organization.
It's called Healthy Minds and it can help you learn about mindfulness and meditation and provide you opportunities to build up that skill. Other things that you can do? Ask yourself, what do you need at this particular time, in this moment? You might need to remove yourself from the situation, either physically or emotionally. You might need to take a walk or step outside for some sunlight and actual air.
Exercise actually uses up energy in the body and helps get rid of some of the yuck that's in there that's building up. You might need a moment of stillness and calm. That can be a walk down the hall. That can be standing outside just watching traffic go by and not having to go anywhere and just taking a moment for yourself. You need to re-insure your body and your brain that you're okay, that you're fine and that you're not in immediate danger.
I personally have been known to chomp down on some pecan sandies cookies. I could be judgmental about me eating those cookies, in fact, I am not supposed to be eating those cookies, but I could also recognize that in that moment in time, I needed to chop on something and it didn't need to be a carrot. Now it should have been a carrot, but in that moment, I needed those cookies. Do what you can, when you can.
The American Institute of Stress has a stress management questionnaire that you fill out to discover your true stress level and a mastery guide on what you can do about it. There is a fee of $20 at the time of this recording to take the test and to get the guide. Now, the American Institute of Stress is a non-profit organization, so that may or may not help you feel a little bit more comfortable in participating in this particular quiz and information guide.
I'm presenting this to you as an option, I am not supporting or endorsing this product. The American Heart Association has an infographic with 10 tips to lower stress. Mindful.org has a 4-minute practice to clarify what's important right now, and you can use it to help you calm down and get some perspective on things.
As I mentioned at the top of the show, the World Health Organization has an information page about stress, some of the symptoms, and a few things that you can do to help it take it down a notch. One of the suggestions is to limit, but not eliminate, news consumption. We can't stop stress, but we can find ways to deal with it and reduce how much of it we can take into our bodies. Start small, but intentionally find ways to take the load off your brain and your body.
I'll catch you next time on the Anxiety Road. You can visit anxietyroadpodcast.com for links and other information resources. You can listen, download, or follow the podcast via a number of iOS and Android podcasting applications. You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, Pandora, or on the web at listenotes.com.
Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only, and nothing in the program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric, or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.