Stress Junkies Unite!

There are different levels of stress junkies: There are perceived stress junkies, people who can handle more stress and are highly motivated, but are able to turn it off, relax, and have a good time. There are also stress junkies who are cruising toward major health problems from unrelenting stress, and then there are seriously ill stress junkies, unintentionally harboring an addiction to a drug they are unaware of, often to mask other serious problems such as depression, anxiety, or lack of confidence or direction.

Stress refers to a set of physical changes your body undergoes as a response to an emergency. It works by triggering hormones that shut down unnecessary bodily functions so all your energy is available to fight someone off, or to run away.

It comes in handy for a zebra about to be eaten, or when you're being chased by a mugger, or when you need to escape from a burning building. When the emergency is over these changes should reverse so you calm back down.

Click the image to witness a chase from the start.

A certain amount of extra stress in our lives is part of what makes us human. Stress is what motivates us to make things happen, to be creative, and to explore. Robert Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, points out that some of us even pay for stress.

Ever ride a roller coaster, watch a scary movie, go to a sports event of your favorite team? We don't usually think of those things as being stressful, because the term "stress" has such negative connotations. But what these activities do is to artificially induce stress hormones. In a safe environment this is stimulating and can be pleasurable.

But unrelenting stress can be devastating to your health. There is an optimal amount of stress, and it's different for each of us. Click the image for a fun ride, and for a great illustration of how we react differently.

Where do you draw the line? This is where it gets tricky, because we all respond to stress differently. At some point, some people cross over to the point of actually having an addiction to their stress hormones, with very serious consequences. Many even create stressful situations so they can get their "fix".

The key question is:
Can you turn it off every day and really relax?

Take the National Geographic Stress Quiz.
The answers may surprise you.

The key question is:
Can you turn it off every day and really relax?

Click here to take a test to help you decide.

If you suspect you have serious problems with stress, you may realize in the back of your mind that you need to do something to make changes. But because the physiological purpose of these hormones is to give you the ability to fight or run away, sometimes it's best to give in to them and run around the block, or whatever you need to do. Awareness is the first step, and if you try to make yourself slow down when every cell in your body is saying NO!!!, then it may not be the right time.

When you are ready to try something calming, a quick and efficient first aid solution is given in the blue box below. It will relax you and restore your energy, so you can carry on. Give it a try when you're ready.

For more stress first aid, including things you can do at your desk while you're waiting for an application to open, or some data to process, or a late appointment, visit this lens: Stress Reduction Simplified.

PUT YOUR FEET UP

Not just on the coffee table, but on the couch. Feet up, head down. I'm shown here lying on the floor with my legs on a chair-I recommend your couch or whatever is handy, as long as it's not so high that your feet don't rest on the couch comfortably. Put something over your eyes (I use a clean dark sock), use earplugs if you like, and throw a blanket or sleeping bag over you to make sure you are plenty warm, if needed. It makes a nice little cocoon to shut out all the stressors, at least long enough for the stress hormones to subside.

You may put something under your head if needed: if your head tilts back so that your chin sticks up, you need something under your head. But don't overdo it; your forehead should be level with your chin and your neck not stretched.

When you are ready to get up, bring your knees to your chest, roll them to the floor to the right, and extend your opposite arm away from your knees, so you're in a relaxed twist. You may hold this for a while if you have time. Then twist to the other side. Next roll to your right side and put a pillow under your head (you can stay for as long as you like on your side). When you are ready to get up roll toward the floor and use your arms to push yourself up, so you can preserve the relaxation benefits.

How does this work? Having your legs higher than your heart means that gravity can help return the blood to your heart after it has been pumped to your feet. Your heart doesn't have to work as hard, and it sends a signal to your endocrine system that the danger (whatever was stressing you out) is past and your body can go back to functioning normally.

Stress Reduction Simplified

Image courtesy of Wordle

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