HealthyPlusno2Aug30pages (1) - Flipbook - Page 6
Stress less
Tips for giving your mind and body
a break
S
pilled coffee…a missed bus…overdue bills…
cranky toddlers…and that guy who just
had to have the very parking spot you were
eyeing…there’s seemingly no end to sources of
stress in our lives.
Often triggered when we experience something
new or unexpected, or when we feel we have little
control over a situation, stress is a normal reaction
that happens to everyone. For the most part,
short-term stressors (remember that guy and the
parking spot) isn’t a problem, especially if we’re
able to find ways to move past the experience
quickly. However, long-term, or chronic stress,
can take a toll on the body and increases your risk
of heart disease, high blood pressure, headaches,
insomnia, weight gain, a weakened immune
system, anxiety, and depression.
While you can’t get rid of all the sources of
stress in your life, it is possible to manage how
you respond to it.
Tips for handling high-stress moments
According to Kristina Schmidt, RN, National BoardCertified Health & Wellness Coach and owner of
Plan for Wellness in Sunderland, VT, one of the
keys to addressing stress is learning to recognize
it. “While we think of stress being related to
our thoughts, our body is fully engaged in the
experience, too. The minute we start to experience
stress our body reacts in any number of ways
including an increased heart rate, a tightening
in the neck or jaw, sweating, or a knot in your
stomach. Learning to recognize your body’s stress
cues actually empowers you to take control of the
stress and how you’ll experience the situation.”
4 | HEALTHY+ | SUMMER/FALL 2022
For in-the-moment high stress situations,
Schmidt recommends a technique called HeartFocused Breathing. She explains, “The goal is to
reduce the intensity of a stress reaction by shifting
your focus from the cause of the stress to your
heart and your breath.”
The three steps to Heart-Focused Breathing
steps are:
• Focus your attention on the area of the heart
• Pretend your breath is flowing in and out through
the area of your heart
• Change the pace of your breathing to be a little
slower and deeper than usual
“In a matter of 15 seconds or so, your body and
mind will respond. Your thoughts will slow, so you
can process and respond to whatever’s happening
more calmly,” says Schmidt. She adds, “I encourage
clients to practice this type of breathing even when
they’re not stressed. The more we practice slow,
deep breathing throughout the day, the stronger
the muscle memory becomes, and the easier it is to
call upon the skill when we need it.”
When stress becomes more than a passing
moment
Over the past few years, psychotherapist and
mindfulness meditation teacher Sue Budz, MSW,
LICSW, OSW-C, of Berkshire Stress Management in
Williamstown, has noticed an uptick in patients,
struggling with chronic stress.
“For many,” she says, “life was hard enough prepandemic. Doing well at work, raising a family,
making ends meet and trying to make it all look
effortless … it was a lot already. Then you layer on
an ever-evolving virus that ground the world to a