Living with Stress
Everyone experiences stress. It is not a sign of failure, simply a sign of the times. At work or at home, and even at your leisure, stress management skills are the survival skills of the 21st century.
We must all accept that there will always be a level of stress in our lives and this stimulus can be positive. However, when we are constantly bombarded with responsibility and over commit oursleves we become overrun and percieve that we cannot cope. Over the long term, we face burn out unless we find ways to imlplement change and learn simple techniques to eradicate the build up of stress hormones from our physical bodies.
Practical Tools for Managing Stress
When life is all too much we need to find time and an environment to take a step back and begin to look at creative ways to develop a better quality of life for ourselves. We can see this as an opportunity for change and growth. There are three broad lines of defense against stress:
Change our Environment
Adapt our Behavior
Change our Response
A change in our environment may be represented by a choice to leave a stressful job behind or to make other changes in our lifestyle. By adapting our behavior we can better manage our stressors, for example choosing to take the train to work instead of sitting in rush hour traffic every day. The third and final mode of creative change is to apply the powerful tool of acceptance. Sometimes, there are aspects to our life that will simply not go away with a change of environment or behavior. It is often our response to stress that causes our problems. By cultivating equanimity through changing the way we see and perceive events is perhaps the most difficult of these three defenses but is often the most rewarding. This involves 're-wiring' our brains and changing our reaction to the world outside. By spending reflective time and developing the aspect of ourselves know in psychology as the 'observer', we begin to manage our inner world and have the opportunity to become truly creative human beings.
In terms of our nuro-physiology, stress manifests itself on a physical level. Each time we perceive that we cannot cope, our Hypothalamus sends out messages to our body and releases stress hormones. Whilst these hormones can be necessary to stimulate our body and mind into alertness and help us cope, over the medium and long term a build up of these stress hormones begins to affect our health leading to fatigue, lowered immunity and exhaustion. By working with our physicality through the practice of Yoga Asana and Pranayama we can work to irradiate these stress hormones from our system and return to optimal physical and mental well being.
So, we see that by stepping back and taking time to manage our lives for the better and addressing the build up of stress hormones on a practical level, we can return to good health and a balanced life.
How does stress impact our lives?
The diagram below demonstrated the relationship between our performance or well being and the level of stress we are currently exposed to. The curve suggests that we can reach an optimal level of performance based on how we manage our stress levels. Too low an activity level in our lives leads to tiredness, boredom and ultimately depression. Too much pressure suggests that we burn out or move into distress.
Most of us will range around this curve during our day or at differing points in our lives. Clearly, we need to find ways to manage and control our levels of stress. Yoga provides us with tools to help manage this.
Below is a quote from Swami Sivananda relating to stress and the pace of life in the new millennium:
"Life today is full of stress and strain, of tension and nervous irritability, of passion and hurry. If man puts into practice a few of the elementary principles of Yoga, he would be far better equipped to cope with his complex existence.
Yoga brings in perfection, peace, and lasting happiness. You can have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of Yoga. You can have restful sleep. You can have increased energy, vigor, vitality, longevity, and a high standard of health. You can turn out efficient work within a short span of time. You can have success in every walk of life. Yoga will infuse in you new strength, confidence, and self-reliance. The body and mind will be at your beck and call.
Yoga brings your emotions under control. It increases your power of concentration at work. Yoga discipline gives poise and tranquility and miraculously rebuilds one's life. The yoga way of life deepens man's understanding and enables him to know his spiritual nature."
Swami Sivananda
If you would like to receive more information on Stress Management, book an individual session with James or arrange for a talk or presentation to your workforce, contact Bliss Divine
