Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 425.

Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress.

Recognize what you can change.

TEXT B. Stress management

• Can you change your stressors by avoiding or eliminating them completely?

• Can you reducetheir intensity(manage them over a period of time instead of on a daily or weekly basis)?!

• Can you shorten your exposureto stress (take a break, leave the premises)?

• Can you devote the time and energy necessary to making a change (goal setting, time management techniques, and delayed grati­fication strategies may be helpful here)?

• The stress reaction is triggered by your perception of physical or emotional danger. Do not view your stressors in exaggerated terms and taking a difficult situation and making it a disaster. Do not expect to please everyone.

• Work at adopting more moderate views; try to see the stress as something you can cope withrather than something that over­powers #ou. Try to temperyour excessemotions. Put the situa­tion in perspective. Do not think about the negative aspects and the "what if s."

• Slow, deep breathingwill bring your heart rate and respiration back to normal.

• Relaxation techniques can reduce muscle tension. Electronic bio­feedbackcan help you gain voluntary control over such things as blood pressure.

• Medications, when prescribed by a physician, can help in the short term in moderatingyour physical reactions.