Wellness Newsletter

The 2006-07 school year has finally arrived and with it has come smiling new faces, squeaky clean sneakers, and backpacks filled with supplies. All is well in the world of education – or is it? Unfortunately, as most veteran educators well know, the new year can also bring other surprises: sleepless nights, migraine headaches, hypertension, and overeating (just to name a few). It’s called stress, and when not managed correctly, it can be very damaging to your health.

Stress can be caused by various physical, chemical, or emotional factors that can lead to bodily or mental unrest. When not managed correctly, ongoing stress may also be a factor in disease causation. Physical and chemical factors that can cause stress include trauma, infections, toxins, illnesses, and musculoskeletal problems of any sort. Emotional causes of stress and tension are numerous and extremely varied. While many people associate the term "stress" with psychological stress, scientists and physicians use this term to denote any force that impairs the stability and balance of bodily functions such as a rising pulse, increased blood pressure, rapid breathing and muscle spasms. This is termed the “stress reaction”.

If stress disrupts body balance and function, then is all stress bad? Not necessarily. A mild degree of stress and tension can sometimes be beneficial. For example, feeling mildly stressed when carrying out a project or assignment often compels us to do a good job, focus better, and work energetically.

Likewise, exercising can produce a temporary stress on some body functions, but its health benefits are indisputable. It is only when stress is overwhelming, or poorly managed, that its negative effects appear. What is your stress level? If you feel out of control or under intense pressure you may experience physical, emotional, or relational symptoms such as: nervousness/anxiety, depression/moodiness, irritability, lack of concentration, hair loss, sleep disturbance, tension headaches fatigue, isolation from social activities and even road rage.

An important goal for those under stress is the management of life stresses. Elimination of stress is unrealistic, since stress is a part of normal life. It's impossible to completely eliminate stress, and it would not be advisable to do so. Instead, we can learn to manage stress so that we may have some control of our physical and mental health.

So how does one manage stress?

Decrease or discontinue caffeine consumption – Many people are not aware that caffeine is considered a drug and a strong stimulant that actually generates a stress reaction in the body.

Regular exercise – As a way of draining off stress energy, nothing beats aerobic exercise. At the very least one should participate in activities such as brisk walking or jogging. Other beneficial exercise includes swimming, bicycling, racquet sports or aerobic classes for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Relaxation/Meditation – Just as our bodies can undergo a stress reaction, we also have an inherited ability to put our bodies into a state of deep relaxation, which Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard University has named “the relaxation response.” This deep relaxation reverses the stress reaction. For this, I recommend reading Dr. Benson’s book, The Relaxation Response. It can be as simple as taking slow deep breaths with your eyes closed and imagining you are sitting next to a calm lake or pool. Paying attention to your breaths and counting each one aloud when exhaling. Only opening your eyes to check the time.

Sleep – As mundane as it sounds, sleep is an important way of reducing stress and help one function better. People who are chronically stressed also suffer from fatigue. People who are tired do not cope well with stressful situations and these dynamics can create a vicious cycle. A normal night sleep should be around 8 hours of restful continuous sleep. Naps if taken should not exceed 20 minutes and can be rejuvenating but longer than this could cause grogginess.

Time outs and Leisure – Many rational people think nothing of working from dawn to dusk without taking intermissions, and then wonder why they become stressed. The two major issues here are pacing and work/leisure balance.

Pacing – It is important to monitor your stress and energy level and then pace yourself accordingly. It is all about awareness and vigilance; knowing when to extend yourself and when to ease up as well as acting on the information your body gives you. Every couple of hours a person should take a quick time-out to recharge mentally as well as physically.
Work-leisure balance – Research shows that the average American is working an extra three hours per week compared to 20 years ago. That translated to an extra month of work each year. Leisure time and levels of stress are inversely proportional – the less leisure time the more stress. There is no known normal range of leisure time so one has to judge for his or her self what is appropriate leisure time.

Realistic expectations – A very common source of stress is unrealistic expectations. People often become upset about something, not because it is innately stressful, but because it is not what they expected. When expectations are realistic, life feels more predictable and therefore more manageable.

Reframing – This is a key component to managing stress. It is a technique used to change the way you look at things in order to feel better about them. The key to reframing is to realize that there are many ways to interpret a situation. It is like the age old question: Is the glass half empty or half full? The answer is both depending on your point of view.

Ventilation/Support System – There is an age old saying that “a problem shared is a problem halved.” People who keep things to themselves carry a considerable unnecessary burden. Ways to ventilate are by writing in a journal, talking to friend or family member, or creating a support system. This support system can consist of family members, co-workers, or friends.

Humor – This is a wonderful stress reducer because it reverses the stress reaction. It eases tension, creates a sense of warmth and we also tend to forget about the things that have caused us stress. The one thing that all sanitariums have in common is that there is no laughter. Laughter keeps us sane and keeps our emotional well being.

These are just a few ways to help manage stress and I hope you find them helpful in your journey towards another successful new school year. Have a great school year, McAllen ISD!