April 16th was Stress Awareness day in the USA . I was a little disappointed to find out that we don’t have an equivalent day in New Zealand yet. 

However, we can all improve our awareness of what triggers harmful stress and sends us on a downward curve. Here’s some advice from Herbert Benson, MD, director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Boston:

• Take note of your mood. Are you less optimistic about the outcome of your project than you were an hour into it?
  
• Assess your stamina. Do you feel like you’re running out of steam? Listen to your body. Do you suddenly have heartburn? A headache? What about back pain, dizziness or a racing pulse?
  
• Reflect on how you feel and act when you are deeply relaxed. “What are you like when you have less stress in your life?” “Do you still get headaches?”

Benson recommends that when you’ve learnt to recognise when your stress level is getting too high, take steps to control it. Engage in an activity that calms you, such as yoga, knitting or going for a walk.

Meditation can activate the relaxation response. All you need are a quiet place and 10 to 20 minutes during which you repeat a word, sound, phrase or gesture. When everyday thoughts intrude, as they inevitably will, calmly disregard them and refocus on the repetitive activity.

There are several  lifestyle changes that can help you keep stress in check:

• Get enough sleep. Dozing in front of the TV doesn’t count — you need deep, regenerative sleep.
• Exercise. A walk around the block at lunch time will do more for your productivity than downing a hasty lunch hunched in front of your computer.
• Eat a balanced diet containing plenty of fruit and vegetables.
• Avoid negative expectations. “If you are seeing yourself doing a good job, you are more inclined to move in that direction.” 

Acknowledgments to Judith A Ross Walsh’s article ‘Get the better of stress’ in The New York Times News Service, 18 April 2009