More than twenty years ago, stress was the cover story in Time magazine. “Stress” was referred to as “The Epidemic of the Eighties,” and it was referred to as the nation’s number one health problem.

Flash forward to 2007. Results were released on December 12, 2007 from “Stress in America,” the American Psychological Association’s (APA) annual survey of stress in the general public in the U.S. The researchers interviewed 1848 adults 18 and over, and the interviews were conducted in both English and Spanish.

Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed believe that they cannot avoid stress and in the month prior to the survey, 77% of those surveyed experienced stress-related physical symptoms, including headaches, GI problems, and fatigue. Seventy-three percent admitted to emotional symptoms, including feeling nervous, lack of motivation, irritability, and anger. In addition, nearly half of Americans (43 percent) reported that stress negatively impacted their relationships with spouses or partners. A fourth of Americans believed that in the previous five years, their personal relationships suffered because of stress.

Since that report in 2007, the APA has found remarkably consistent findings each year. Add the holiday season to the mix, and for many, stress spikes even higher.

STRESS AND YOUR BODY
The domino effect of not controlling your stress levels is clear. Many studies have shown a direct link between stress and fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal diseases, cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and macular degeneration.
We now understand that stress also impacts cholesterol levels, platelet activation (causing heart attacks), and shortened life span. Since sleeping difficulties negatively impact the immune system and lifespan and since stress is one of the main causes of insomnia, you can see your health and your life, itself, depend on taking charge of the stressors in your life.

HOLIDAY STRESS

For many people, stress levels spikeduring holiday season and here are the key reasons:

• Many are nostalgic for the happy family experiences they had at this time of year and the family is now far away or is fractured by divorce and/or deaths
• People who live alone often feel much worse around the holidays, which are viewed as times for people to come together to celebrate
• If you are divorced and during the holidays you must split time with your children with your ex, it can be very frustrating and lonely
• For many people, the winter months and the grey, gloomy weather increases depression and mood changes

A DOZEN WAYS TO DEAL WITH LIFE’S STRESSORS, REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION

It is important to remember that occasional or low levels of stress may actually be protective of our health! For example, stress makes us more vigilant to potential danger. So, totally eliminating our stress is not only impossible, but is probably not a good idea. It is prolonged and debilitating stress that is the culprit.

Both the National Mental Health Association and the American Psychological Association offer many recommendations to build resiliency against the inevitable stressors of life.

Here are a dozen ways to get started:

• Recognize that it will never be a perfect world, even during the holidays, so go with the hand that has been dealt to you for these holidays. “It is what it is.” The holidays will pass quickly.
• Become assertive and learn to say “no” to unreasonable time pressures and responsibilities that others put on you.
• Exercise regularly, engaging in aerobic activities, and maintain good nutrition, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
• Build relaxation time into your life and enjoy calming music or reading, especially during those times when you are not with family
• Have a relaxing hobby that you enjoy and give yourself permission to engage in it each week, in order to distract your attention from stress-producing news on TV, for example.
• Do one task at a time, instead of multi-tasking
• Use the power of visualization to picture yourself engaging in relaxing, healthy pursuits and write down goals in order to accomplish those pursuits.
• Use imagery, meditation or self-hypnosis to imagine accomplishing your goals peacefully, while letting go of situations over which you have little or no control.
• Laugh each day, whether it’s from hearing or repeating jokes, watching funny videos or hanging around with funny people.
• Stay away from highly tensed, negative people
• Try to play with a pet each day.
• Get professional help if you still feel overwhelmed and stressed.

Our world these days is filled with invitations to worry and feel hopeless. But events and situations only represent 10% of the stress in our lives. What we do about these events determines whether we will be overwhelmed or resilient. Begin practicing these dozen stress-busting tips and watch your life take a turn for the best!

Jack Singer, Ph.D.
Clinical/Sport Psychologist

Statistics show that about 75% of caregivers are women and two thirds of the caregivers in the United States hold down regular jobs in addition to being a caregiver which can lead to huge emotional and physical stress over time.

What is a Caregiver?

A caregiver is someone who, whether paid or unpaid, looks after another person who can no longer look after themselves due to illness, trauma, or old age. When a person is limited in what they can do, they need someone to step in and give them the care they need. These are people who need help with daily basic tasks such as grocery shopping, house cleaning, bill paying, meal preparation, medications, bathroom and personal hygiene, and so much more.There are millions of caregivers in the United States alone. If you are a caregiver, you are by no means alone.

It is not easy to be the one who is caring for someone else, no matter what their particular health issue may be. If you are in the position of being a caregiver for a loved one, here are some tips to help you when your energy flags and you are concerned about burnout.

Seek Resources

The internet is a wonderful tool for finding information about just about anything these days. Spend some time Googling terms that apply to your particular set of circumstances. For instance I just typed this search term into Google, “How to be a good caregiver” and found several excellent articles. This one in particular I thought was very helpful: Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers.

Take time to find out all you can about care giving and the resources available to you. Since you are not alone, there is plenty of information on the Internet, in magazines, and at local hospitals and nursing homes about the art of being a caregiver. When you know what you are facing, you can prepare for it.

Craft a Strong Support System

If you are caring for a family member, you may not be the only one who is working to see your loved one get better. Keep in contact with other family members so that you can coordinate your efforts on behalf of your loved one. If each person knows their role, there will be fewer reasons to stress out along the way and no one person bears the brunt of the entire responsibility.

Get to Know the Medical Professionals

I just Googled this term “Caregivers talking to medical professionals” and instantly found a great article at Caregivers Support.org called “Communication with Health Care Professionals” that gives some excellent advice and tips for talking to healthcare professionals.

Take Care of Yourself!

Caregiving is demanding and caregivers need time off from their caregiving responsibilities to relieve stress and prevent burnout.

• Schedule regular afternoon or evenings out.
• Take time to talk with friends, either in person or on the phone.
• Eat nutritious meals.
• Get enough sleep.
• Exercise regularly. It is a great stress buster.
• Make a list of jobs you could ask for help with. For some reason, this seems to be one of the hardest things for caregivers to do!
• Arrange adult day care.
• Join a support group.
• Draw strength from your faith.
• Take time to pamper yourself.
• Plan a weekend getaway.
• Hire a temporary caregiver from a respite care program. While many forms of respite care exist, the quality of care provided by respite services may vary.  Therefore, it is important to check out the facility before leaving your loved one

Childhood has changed. Instead of pick-up baseball and basketball games on the corner lot, there are competitive travel leagues for kids as young as seven or eight. Instead of the three “R’s”; Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic,  kids are faced with standardized tests and after-school tutors. Instead of Sunday night with the Wide World of Disney, there’s questionable “family” shows such as the Family Guy, South Park, and the Simpsons. And then there’s technology!

Kids today are experiencing higher levels of stress than ever before, partly because they’re being exposed to “mature” material before they’re able to process it, partly because the demands on their time are higher than ever, and partly because they don’t have time to decompress.

Here are five ways to help the kids in your life minimize and deal with stress.

Turn off the TV

Even when carefully monitored, TV can still cause kids stress. The bright colors, advertisements, and frenetic action are all designed to pull kids in, but they’re not designed to calm them down. (Some shows have even caused seizures in epileptic children). Turn off the assault on their senses. Sit with your children and discuss the day. Discuss what is going on in their lives. Listen to them!

Help kids identify and name their stress

Kids, especially younger ones, can have a hard time recognizing and labeling their stress. They may know they feel “bad” or uneasy, but may not know that what they’re feeling is stress or anxiety. Ask questions about what the bad emotions feel like (butterflies? angry tigers? a tummy ache?) and then help your child figure out when the feelings started.  Was it when the teacher handed out the math test ? When former best friend Keeshia sat with someone else at lunch? When everyone laughed at your book report? Identifying what children are feeling can help them sort out those feelings and instill the belief they have some control over the stress they’re experiencing.

Give kids choices

One of the biggest sources of stress for anyone of any age is feeling like they don’t have control over their lives, or the events in it. By giving your child a say in what’s happening to them, you help them feel more powerful. Let’s say your fourth-grader is freaking out about her math class. You can’t let her skip math, but you can give her options. Does she want to ask the teacher for extra help, or look into tutoring? Would she like Mom or Dad or an older neighbor to help her? Would she prefer to study in the morning or right after school? Even small choices help a child feel a sense of control over the outcome of a stressful situation.

Be a good listener

Sometimes, the best thing to do is to just listen to your child, without offering advice or suggestions. Listening will allow your child to share some of the burden of their anxiety, which can help alleviate anyone’s stress. By paying attention to them, you can also gain insight into what the underlying sources of their stress may be.

Be there for your child

Just knowing that you are unquestionably available to your child can help him or her feel more secure and less stressed. After a tough day at school, to be able to come home and be surrounded by a loving, caring family can be the best stress-reliever of all. Take time to laugh and have fun, and create positive memories and events to counteract any negative occurrences in their life. It will help you relieve your own stress, too!

When we assume our kids are processing stress the same way we do, we are missing an opportunity.  We have the tools available to help ourselves through stressful situations because we’ve been around long enough to know what stress feels like and how to combat it.  Your child doesn’t have those tools.  It’s your job to observe, listen, and then help your child work through their feelings. Pass your knowledge on to your child and everyone wins.

To illustrate, think about stress on the body. Some types of physical stress – trauma from a car accident, a torn muscle, or a broken bone – are negative. But other kinds of stress – stretching, lifting weights, speed walking, or running – are good stress that actually make your body stronger over time. Emotional stress works in a similar way.

Good Stress/Bad Stress

Researchers have discovered that the body responds differently to different kinds of emotional stress. Negative stress, which scientists call distress, is the kind of stress that comes from having your well-being threatened, or from being attacked, physically or emotionally. Distress causes the heart to race, breathing to become shallow, blood vessels to constrict (resulting in clammy palms and headaches), and even insomnia. Loss of a job, worry about family or spouse and divorce or death are huge sources of negative stress.

Distress, or negative stress, has the following characteristics:

• Causes anxiety or concern
• Can be short- or long-term
• Is perceived as outside of our coping abilities
• Feels unpleasant
• Decreases performance
• Can lead to mental and physical problems

Positive stress, called eustress, on the contrary, comes from the anticipation, or the experience, of pleasurable events such as a roller coaster ride, falling in love, watching or participating in a close ball game, or waiting for the starting gun for a marathon. Eustress may cause some of the same physical symptoms, but is actually excitement. Your body processes eustress as positive, and eustress can make you feel good as your body releases endorphins.

Eustress, or positive stress, has the following characteristics:

• Motivates, focuses energy
• Is short-term
• Is perceived as within our coping abilities
• Feels exciting
• Improves performance

Does It Matter Which Stress You’re Feeling?

Whether the stress you’re under is good or bad does matter.  The stress you’re feeling can be a critical element in how your body processes the physical sensations it’s receiving. When you consciously realize that you’re excited, not anxious, about an upcoming challenge, you give your body keys to how it should receive and interpret the symptoms you are feeling.

Also, some people get stressed ABOUT being stressed. They don’t take the time to determine if they’re experiencing distress or eustress. The “feeling stressed about feeling stressed” loop just exacerbates the negative emotions surrounding your primary stress.

If instead of interpreting all stress as bad, you realize that your hands are clammy and you’re feeling a little light-headed because you’re excited about, for instance, the presentation you’re going to give in front of your colleagues, you can actually enjoy the feelings, realizing they’re coming from a positive source.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Just because eustress is “good stress” doesn’t mean that you want to purposely seek out all the possible excitement-producing events you can. People who do this are called adrenaline junkies! Instead, researchers believe that there is an ideal amount of stress each person needs to experience in order to work at his or her optimum level.  According to these researchers, too little good stress and you’re bored; too much good stress and you can act recklessly, make poor decisions, and become worn down, both physically and mentally.

Pay attention to your own personal rhythms and response to both eustress and distress. Find your own personal “sweet spot” and try to operate within that range. If you feel a little bored with life, try to spice things up by find new hobbies or adventures. And when you’re feeling a little too excited, skip the roller coasters and try a quiet evening at home. It’s all about balance. You just need to find your own!

If you are genuinely concerned about your stress levels I can offer you some help. I have an e-course called 108 Days to Conquering Your Stress that you can find here, or you can call me toll free at 1-800-497-9880 for a free 20 minute telephone consultation.

Here are eight tips for keeping a clear mind:

1. Get organized. Your life can be much easier if you maintain a good level of organization. You’ll save time and gain a feeling of control over your circumstances. The time you save allows you the opportunity to take care of yourself with relaxation exercises or the pursuit of hobbies that you enjoy.

• Each day, create a “to-do” list. Rank your items from the most important to the least important. As you go through your day, attack the most important items on the list first. At the end of the day, you walk away with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you used your time in the most effective way possible.

2. Take time for yourself. Carve out time for yourself every day, no matter how busy you are. Give yourself permission to relax and enjoy these moments, even though you know that things remain undone. You must allow your body, mind, and spirit to recharge itself so you’re productive when you return to your tasks.

3. Find something you find relaxing. Everyone has their own activities that help them relax. Perhaps you feel pampered by a long, warm bubble bath. Or curl up on the couch and read a book. Find something that you enjoy, take deep breaths and relax.

4. Count to ten. If you find the stresses of life getting to you, catch yourself before lashing out or losing your cool. Instead, take a step back and count to ten slowly. This will allow you time to clear your mind and decide on the most effective and appropriate response.

5. Meditate. Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and regain focus when life seems out of control. With meditation, you learn to focus on deep breathing while you discover more about yourself.

• When you learn to focus on your breath, you’ll likely discover that your breathing is shallow during stressful situations. Learn to breathe deeply from your belly to feel a greater sense of peace in the midst of the storms of your life.

6. Exercise. Exercise is a perfect way to relieve stress and regain a clear perspective. A moderate amount of exercise each day is all you need for improved fitness. Find a type of exercise that you enjoy, and stick with it until it becomes a habit. Soon, you’ll hate missing a workout and have more energy throughout your stressful days.

7. Go for a nature walk. Now that school is out,  find the time to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Grab your children, your spouse or your dog, a bottle of water and get outdoors for some family time. Get your mind off of the many tasks you need to complete. Instead of thinking about the endless list of things you have to accomplish, become aware of what’s really important by really paying attention to the sights and sounds of your natural surroundings.

8. Take it one step at a time. Life often requires you to juggle many different situations at once. It’s overwhelming if you try to think of each one of those things at the same time.

• Focus on one task at a time and work at the task until it’s complete. Then move on to the next task. If you keep putting one foot in front of the other, everything on your to-do list will eventually get accomplished.

Remember that you’re not alone. If you need to talk to someone else about your busy life, reach out to positive people in your life who truly care about you. Sometimes, just talking may help you to clear your mind of everything.

Try these ideas and begin to experience the peace you deserve today!

You can also try my 108 Days to Conquering Your Stress online course. Every day, for 108 days you will receive a new mini-assignment to help you eliminate and reduce your stress. Each day you will be asked to respond to a different question regarding your stress-inducing experiences. It will take you only 5 minutes per day to begin noticing significant changes in your stress levels. You will walk lighter, smile more, and feel a sense of peace over things that previously made you feel nervous and uncomfortable. In addition, with the click of a button, you will have direct access to professional coaches who will answer your questions and help you through the process.

Managing interpersonal conflict in organizations is among the most critical and important skills that employees on all levels of the organization can possess.

Job insecurity, fuelled by the economy, fears of downsizing, mergers and an unknown organizational future, produces fertile ground for the development of low frustration tolerance and conflict. Moreover, personal fears, such as needing to keep up with advances in technology, which is often are viewed as threatening, magnify the potential for anger and frustration in the workplace.

Unresolved or insensitively managed conflict negatively impacts productivity and morale. Ultimately, the bottom line is affected. On the other hand, allowing a conflict to surface and skilfully resolving it can be a platform for enhancing employee trust, team building and creativity.

The good news is that managers, trainers and human resources professionals can easily learn conflict resolution strategies, put them into practice, and teach them to their employees.

The following is a three-step program for assessing and implementing a conflict resolution. This is a proven, successful plan of attack:

Step 1. Evaluating conflict management style

• Several self-assessment questionnaires have been developed over the years giving people insight into how they react in typical conflict situations.
• The insight derived from scoring these questionnaires provides an understanding of what “buttons” get pushed when a person is provoked.

Step 2. Identifying conflict management behaviours

People resort to behavioural habits when experiencing conflict with others.

These reactions include:

• Non-productive behaviours, such as: confronting, dominating, defending, using sarcasm, hostile humour, repressing emotions, insisting on being right, stonewalling, and blaming
• Neutral behaviours, such as: avoiding, cooling off, apologizing, and giving in or backing off to avoid confrontation;
• Positive behaviours, such as: active listening, empathizing, disarming, inquiring, using “I feel” statements, and recognizing how your internal dialogue impacts your emotional reactions

The goal is to eliminate negative and neutral behaviours and practice positive confrontation reduction skills until they become new habits. On the average, these skills actually can be learned in only 21 days of concentrated practice!

Step 3. Learning powerful confrontation reduction skills

Active Listening. The key to all interpersonal communications is genuine listening, as opposed to defensive listening, where you plan your retort while the other person is talking to you.

In order to begin to really listen, paraphrase what the other person says in your own words, without judging, agreeing or disagreeing. Listen to and reflect the content, needs and feelings of the other person.

Next, ask for feedback to determine whether you interpreted correctly. If you have not, ask for clarification. Continue this process until you are sure that you have heard what the other person is saying and how he or she really feels emotionally.

Once you are certain that you understand the message and feelings expressed by the other person, respond. The other person then listens and paraphrases for you. This process continues until you have both clarified your positions and are certain that the other person really heard you and understands.

Empathizing. This involves putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and trying to see the world through his or her eyes, taking into account cultural, racial, gender and experiential differences.

Disarming. The fastest way to defuse an argument is to find some truth in what the other person is saying, even if you do not agree with the basic criticism or complaint. For example, saying “I can understand why you feel angry with me since you believe that I started the rumour” acknowledges and validates the angry person’s feelings without actually agreeing with what was said. This opens the door to clarification, feedback and reconciliation.

Inquiring. By asking for clarification of ideas, needs and feelings you signal a feeling of respect and can then work toward mutual understanding and compromise.

“I Feel” Statements. This is a primary skill in interpersonal communications. Expressing yourself with such statements as, “I feel angry because you seem to be avoiding me” is much more productive than the accusatory, “you made me angry and it’s your fault that I’ve had a bad day at work today.” In the first scenario, you take responsibility for your own feelings and share them; in the second, you escalate the confrontation by blaming and putting the person on the defensive.

In addition, you tell the other person specifically what you need that will make you feel good or what can be done to improve the relationship and avoid further misunderstandings and confrontations.

Internal Dialogue. The key to analyzing your vulnerability to being provoked into confrontations is to understand how your automatic thoughts, including your assumptions and conclusions, cause every emotional reaction.

Examples of these distortions are: “I should have gone to work despite being ill” (using should, must, and have to in judging your actions); “My boss doesn’t care about me…only about my productivity” (reading your boss’ mind about what he must be thinking and feeling); “They’ll probably eliminate my job soon” (catastrophising or fortune telling about what negative things will happen to you in the future); and “I’m stupid for allowing this to happen to me” (negatively labelling yourself instead of describing your behaviour as unfortunate or unproductive).

Once you learn about the distortions that are part of your automatic thinking, you can learn how to challenge them and develop more rational, alternative thoughts. The end result is actually dissolving negative emotions and a healthy, more reasonable outlook on every situation in which you find yourself.

Interpersonal conflict is healthy when it brings a rich sharing of ideas, mutual respect and an understanding and appreciation of diverse opinions, needs, and values. Teaching your employees to understand how they traditionally react in conflict situations and how to use confrontation reduction skills leads to greater trust, less stress, more creativity, and can ignite the team. The ultimate benefits are enhanced quantity and quality of products and services!

I am also available for phone consultations with athletes around the U.S. and in-person visits with athletes in Southern California. Call today toll free at 1-800-497-9880 for a free 20 minute telephone consultation with Dr. Jack Singer.

Jack N. Singer, Ph.D.
Certified and Licensed Sport and Clinical Psychologist
Diplomate, National Institute of Sports Professionals, Division of Psychologists
Diplomate, American Academy of Behavioral Medicine
Certified Hypnotherapist, American Academy of Clinical Hypnosis

Sports Team Participation Among Young Teens Has Important Hidden Benefits

Most parents want their children to participate in sports because they participated and enjoyed the exercise, commaraderie and healthy competition. But now, a new study shows a major advantage for young teens, that goes well beyond the benefits we all believed about sports participation.

A recent study reported in Science Daily and conducted by Dr. Keith Zullig and Rebecca White from West Virginia University shows that middle-school teenagers who are physically active and play on sports teams are more satisfied with their life and feel healthier.

These findings are critical because many studies coming out lately point to the extreme stress levels and depression that teens of all ages in the U.S. experience these days. The cause is listed as a result of extreme stress on families from economic realities these days and the rippling effect on the children.

The authors explored the relationship between physical activity (including sports participation), life satisfaction and self-rated health concurrently, for the first time, among 245 middle school students in grades 7 and 8.

Interestingly, for boys, participation in vigorous activity had no effect on either life satisfaction or self-rated health; however, In girls, those who had taken part in vigorous activity in the last week were significantly more satisfied with their life compared to girls who had not, but participation in vigorous activity had no effect on their self-rated health.

Playing on a sports team was linked to higher life satisfaction in both boys and girls. In addition, boys were five times more likely, and girls 30 times more likely, to describe their health as fair/poor when they were not playing on a sports team.

The authors concluded: “Our study demonstrates the benefits of youth sports participation on self-rated health and life satisfaction among young youth at a critical juncture in adolescent development. Our findings suggest that sports team participation may enhance school connectedness, social support and bonding among friends and teammates.”

I am also available for phone consultations with athletes around the U.S. and in-person visits with athletes in Southern California. Call today toll free at 1-800-497-9880 for a free 20 minute telephone consultation with Dr. Jack Singer.

Jack N. Singer, Ph.D.
Certified and Licensed Sport and Clinical Psychologist
Diplomate, National Institute of Sports Professionals, Division of Psychologists
Diplomate, American Academy of Behavioral Medicine
Certified Hypnotherapist, American Academy of Clinical Hypnosis

Ever walked into a room full of unfamiliar faces and felt a chill of discomfort down your spine? You can gain the confidence to make a good first impression that leads to lasting relationships, even when you feel intimidated.

Follow these easy tips to make yourself a hit when it comes to breaking the ice:

1. Be confident in yourself. Know your strengths and try to accentuate them. If you feel nervous at first, then pretend you’re confident. Move your body as if you’re confident. Use your voice as if you’re confident, and soon your feelings will follow.
2. Dress to impress. Dress comfortably in your best outfit to fit the occasion. Your clothing is an expression of who you are. It’s one of the first things people notice, and a wise choice of wardrobe can give you a head start in putting your best foot forward. If you’re not sure what type of dress is appropriate for the occasion, confide in a trusted friend. Clothing and appearance can feed your confidence or drain it. Feed your success by presenting yourself in the best light possible with the outfit you choose.
3. Keep a realistic perspective. Remember that in most social situations, many of the people in the room are just as nervous as you are. Be yourself, take a deep breath, and dive in. Few, if any, will judge you if you’re polite, friendly, and interested in the people around you.
4. Smile. When you smile, the world really does smile with you. Instead of waiting for a reason to smile, greet each person you meet with a warm handshake and a friendly smile. You’ll almost always get a warm, positive reception when you do. You’ll make the other person feel at ease, and you’ll begin to relax, too.
5. Make easy conversation. You can make the task of conversing with a stranger easier with small talk. Seek to find common ground by asking non-threatening questions about the person’s background, interests, or family. You’ll quickly find something you both have in common, and the conversation will flow easily from there.
6. Listen. One of the easiest ways to be considered the life of the party is to listen more than you speak. In conversation, ask questions that cause the person speaking to open up and explain further. People love to hear themselves talk. Effective listening takes the pressure off of you to come up with things to say in a conversation.
7. Give yourself permission to mess up. If you put pressure on yourself to handle every situation perfectly, you’ll be a nervous wreck. Instead, tell yourself that mistakes are okay. The more conversations you enter into, the more you’ll learn about how to effectively communicate and the more friends you make at the same time. 

By following these very simple guidelines, you can become a master of breaking the ice. In social situations, strive to feel calm and relax, which will help you make friends with ease. The ability to converse easily with strangers and turn them into friends will benefit you in every area of your life, equipping you to seize opportunities that once passed you by.

I am also available for phone consultations with athletes around the U.S. and in-person visits with athletes in Southern California. Call today toll free at 1-800-497-9880 for a free 20 minute telephone consultation with Dr. Jack Singer.

Jack N. Singer, Ph.D.
Certified and Licensed Sport and Clinical Psychologist
Diplomate, National Institute of Sports Professionals, Division of Psychologists
Diplomate, American Academy of Behavioral Medicine
Certified Hypnotherapist, American Academy of Clinical Hypnosis

A fascinating article was reported in the November, 2009 issue of Runner’s World.  Most of us believe that running or doing other aerobic exercise is a wonderful stress reducer.  Indeed, the “runner’s high” feeling that so many runners strive for seems to dissolve away the stresses in their lives, at least temporarily. But, “stress and anxiety can contribute to injuries,” says Buz Swanik, Ph.D., associate professor of sports medicine at the University of Delaware. “When you’re under a great deal of stress, your energy levels get sapped, and you can’t recruit muscles as effectively or react quickly.”

As reported in the Runner’s World article, “a study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport reported that triathletes who had recently dealt with a ‘minor life event’ or ‘hassle’ (family, work, health, or financial issue) were more prone to injuries than those under less stress. Another study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine reported that elite athletes were more likely to get hurt if they competed while angry, confused, fatigued, tense, or depressed.

The author points out that it’s mainly elevated stress levels that makes one vulnerable to injury, because of the prolonged elevation of cortisol, the stress hormone.  Below are some potential problems and solutions if you wish to run when you are stressed:

Stress Symptom: YOU’RE DISTRACTED

If, while you are running, you are going over everything in your mind that is stressing you, the distraction in your thinking can cause you to miss potholes and other obstacles in the road or path.

The Solution: Run on a flat, well-lit surface, pick a scenic run that will capture your attention, listen to pleasing music and try to stay focused on the place, how well you feel physically, how you are helping your body by running, etc.  In other words, fill your thoughts with the present situation and don’t think about distracting stress-producing thoughts.

Stress Symptom: YOU’RE ANGRY

Many people love to go for a run to blow off steam after becoming angry or frustrated.  Experts say that if you run while angry, your form is off, and that alone can make you more vulnerable to injury.

The Solution: Run at a slower pace or even with a partner who runs at a slower pace.  If you are comfortable venting about your anger to your running partner, that will help you to blow off steam and it will also help you to run at a pace where conversation can take place comfortably.

Stress Symptom: YOU’RE TOO TENSE

When you are very tense, and you start to run, you are especially vulnerable to being injured or re-injuring an old injury.

The Solution: Stretching, flexibility and strength conditioning can help immensely to prevent injury from running.  Always take the time to stretch before running.  If you still feel “tight,” stop and stretch your hams…you’ll be amazed at how that calms the whole body down.

Stress Symptom: YOU’RE EATING POORLY

When we are stressed, blood leaves the digestive track to gorge the arm and leg muscles.  Not properly digesting our food leads to a lack of nutrients, so running when stressed may negatively affect the muscles.

The Solution: Eating frequent, small, mini-meals that include protein and proper nutrients will help the digestive process.  Also, using a calming tape while running will keep the stress low and help the digestive process.

MORE TIPS

• Focus on taking deep, relaxing breaths through your diaphragm.  Inhale through your nose to the count of four, hold to the count of four, and exhale through your mouth to the count of five.
• Always warm-up with walking before starting your run.  This will prepare your muscles for the more strenuous work to follow.
• Eat foods that are rich in B vitamins (artichokes, avocados, dark greens), because these B vitamins trigger serotonin, a brain chemical that calms the body by counteracting the stress chemical of cortisol.

I am also available for phone consultations with athletes around the U.S. and in-person visits with athletes in Southern California. Call today toll free at 1-800-497-9880 for a free 20 minute telephone consultation with Dr. Jack Singer.

Jack N. Singer, Ph.D.
Certified and Licensed Sport and Clinical Psychologist
Diplomate, National Institute of Sports Professionals, Division of Psychologists
Diplomate, American Academy of Behavioral Medicine
Certified Hypnotherapist, American Academy of Clinical Hypnosis

Laugh Away Your Stress – Tips to Reduce Stress and Anxiety Through Laughter

Laughter truly is the best medicine. A healthy daily dose of laughter can cut through the deepest feelings of stress and anxiety. Laughter can replace those feelings with a sense of joy that strengthens you to overcome any obstacle you face. Laughter also enhances your relationships by bringing you and the ones you love closer together.

Laughter can have positive effects on your physical health, too. Enjoying funny jokes or silly moments can help you feel more relaxed and less tense. This puts less pressure on your body’s systems and may even promote a healing response within your body.

When you’re feeling intense emotions, laughter can be a powerful tool to work through them. A healthy sense of humor acts as an emotional distraction and creates a fresh perspective on your circumstance. Laughter is often the quickest and most effective way to combat strong feelings of anger and frustration.

Try these ideas to experience more of the power of laughter in your life, starting today:

1. Dedicate twenty minutes to whole-hearted laughter in the morning. For best results, practice this exercise with your entire family. If your family laughs together every day, you’ll be closer and experience more open relationships with each other. Watch a funny sitcom you all enjoy, or share funny jokes and anecdotes. While this can be done any time during the day, starting your day off with laughter first thing in the morning gives your day a fresh, positive start.
2. Discover your humor profile. Find what kind of jokes or scenarios make you laugh, and then pursue more of these things. Comedy shows, movies, and plays can help you discover what tickles your funny bone. This lighthearted process of discovery alone can increase your sense of joy and happiness almost overnight.
3. Keep jolly and jovial company. Having happy people around you spreads the bug of laughter. A healthy sense of humor is highly infectious. So is stinking thinking. Surround yourself with lighthearted people that see the good and funny aspects of any situation.  A sense of humor supplements your worldview. Surrounding yourself with people that create a positive view of the world makes the heavy lifting of life easier.
4. Develop your lighter side. When you make mistakes, find the humor in it. Be willing to laugh at yourself and enjoy the humor in your mistakes. When you practice finding the funny aspects of your most challenging situations, you’ll be at ease and better able to cope with the stresses you face.
5. Share your funny moments. Funny things are happening around you all the time. Squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of them by sharing them with others. Laughter is contagious, and it’s much more fun to laugh with a friend than by yourself.

Opportunities for laughter are all around you. Today, make a conscious choice to look out for the funny aspects of any situation. Give yourself permission to laugh out loud. When you do, you’ll regularly experience a deep sense of joy that’ll carry you through the most challenging moments of your life.

I am also available for phone consultations with athletes around the U.S. and in-person visits with athletes in Southern California. Call today toll free at 1-800-497-9880 for a free 20 minute telephone consultation with Dr. Jack Singer.

Jack N. Singer, Ph.D.
Certified and Licensed Sport and Clinical Psychologist
Diplomate, National Institute of Sports Professionals, Division of Psychologists
Diplomate, American Academy of Behavioral Medicine
Certified Hypnotherapist, American Academy of Clinical Hypnosis