The Right Time

When we are stressed we try to cut corners.  First to go is a full night’s sleep.  We can get by with less sleep, right?  Wrong.  Stress is generally caused by too many things to do in too little time.  Cheating on sleep makes us work less efficiently and become irritable. 

Next to go is exercise.  We think we can use that extra time to knock off some of those tasks on our plate.  But without the exercise keeping our bodies regulated, our metabolism slows, we tire faster, tasks take longer, and we feel like we are moving through molasses. 

Rest and activity are our bodies’ prime stress relievers.  Without time spent exercising to keep us sharp and tuned, and time spent sleeping to repair our bodies and realign our minds, stress piles up, resulting in more frustration and anger, the great killer. 

Anger a killer?  Studies show that stress and anger can cascade our bodies into life-threatening states, raising blood pressure, causing headaches and back pain, stomach and colon trouble, and perhaps even embolisms and strokes. 

The best course is to avoid the stress in the first place.  But many times, it finds us, in the form of loss of personal control over our lives or our jobs, facing financial hardship, loss of a loved one or potential loss if they are seriously ill or in the military and deployed to a danger zone.  The reasons are many. 

If we are the caregiver or just the one responsible for keeping things running, we must remember that we can’t do that job if we are sick.  It is our responsibility to deal with both the situation and the stress, so we should protect ourselves and not feel guilty about taking some personal time. 

And how do we do that?  The first two methods we can easily guess. 

Get enough sleep and rest.  We know we have enough sleep if we wake up without an alarm, even if we lay in bed for a short time planning our day.  How much sleep?  As much as it takes.  Some people can get by on six hours sleep and others need nine.  Experiment with the length and don’t cheat.  If we feel we can’t fall sleep, pretend.  Lay still with eyes closed, clear the mind, and sleep will come.  The reason counting sheep works is because it is boring. 

Exercise; work out; walk in the sun.  Fresh air and sunshine are miracles of stress relief. Find an activity to enjoy that will take the place of the worry and stress for a short time.   

Take one thing at a time.  When many things are hitting us at once, it is like a hurricane.  Anyone would just cover up under an onslaught.  Break big projects into smaller tasks, stay focused and finish one thing or reach a checkpoint before starting another.  

Learn to say “no” to requests if they interfere with the main task.  If we have no time to catch up now, it will get worse with more responsibility.  Turn the tables.  Ask for help.  There are always small chores that steal our time but can be done by anyone.  People will respond to our calls for help if they see we are buckling under the pressure. 

We should share our feelings.  Letting it out decreases the pressure level.  Two people sharing feelings halve the pressure.  We all have others in our circle of friends, family and associates who share their feelings when they are in a stressful situation.  

If you don’t have someone you can confide in, get someone.  Build a relationship of trust with another by sharing your experience and being a good listener when they share theirs.  Join a mutual support group. 

Take time during the day to calm down and take a time out.  Power naps or quiet “do not disturb” meditations of 20 minutes resets our system. 

There is no easy solution to the stress many of us deal with on a daily basis.  We do the best we can, we go as far as we can, and should be satisfied with that. 

We know we would do more if we could. 

Command a vital life. Live free.