Stress: These coping strategies may surprise you

We’ve all heard that stress is a killer and that we should learn how to manage our stress levels in order to stay healthy. But how do we do that?

Author, doctor, and one of the world’s leading researchers of neuroendocrine immunology and behavior, Esther Sternberg, commented in a recent interview with ACE that one-third of Americans are living with extraordinary stress and that 90% of us live with continual stress that over time can make us ill. Since some stress is unavoidable in life, it is important to implement some strategies for helping us cope.  Before delving into these strategies, let’s take a closer look at the different parts of stress.

The four parts of stress

1. The event: The “thing” that happens in our lives.
2. Perception: Our interpretation of “the event” as stressful or not. If we don’t perceive the event as stressful, our body won’t have a stress response!
3. Brain’s physiological response to stress: A cascade of chemical events ending with adrenaline and cortisol. These chemicals cause the feelings of stress and anxiety such as pounding heart and sweating.
4. Adaptation to chronic stress: Immune system wear down. Cortisol, among many other things, is a potent anti-inflammatory, “mutes” white blood cells, and wears down our gut lining where a potent player of our immune system, secretory IgA is made.

Strategies for coping with chronic stress

Stress management help in the Bay Area

There are a number of options right here in the Bay Area from stress management workshops, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, therapy, guided meditation, yoga, Tai Chi… and let’s not forget all the beautiful parks and nature we are blessed to have surround us.

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