Counteract Symptoms of Stress

     Stress isn't altogether a bad thing.  While, yes, it is a major contributor to many serious health conditions and poor quality of life, it can be channeled in positive ways.  Researchers have found that some people can "harness" their stress and use it to benefit themselves and others.*

     When stress is caused by mortal danger- whether real or perceived - it can elicit a biological "fight or flight" response. But for people who enjoy stressful situations that also excite and delight, such as riding a roller coaster, stress can trigger a challenge response.  This challenge response affects the cardiovascular system in a good way, stimulating blood flow in the same way that exercise does.

     Our response to stress also includes a nurturing side, referred to as "tend and befriend." We see this whenever disasters strike - strangers aiding strangers, shielding others from danger or stopping roadside to save an animal. We see it in police officers and firefighters who run toward danger instead of away from it.  Biologically, the tend-and-befriend stress response causes increased levels of oxytocin that enhance the brain's reward centers, making it more responsive to social contact.

The following tips offer ways to harness feelings of stress to create useful benefits:

• When feeling nervous, take a moment to consider why you have these feelings.  If it's because you're in a high-stakes situation, remind yourself that those circumstances matter to you.  This can help reinforce your values and your resolve to perform well.
• When feeling overwhelmed, do some small act of kindness for someone else.  By "tending and befriending" to another person's needs, you can relieve some of the pressure you feel through distraction.
• Maintain your social networks.  Caring for others and engaging with them is important to our overall well-being.

*Credit: March/April 2018 article: Andersonwm.com

 Harvard Medical School, April 22, 2017. "Harnessing the upsides of stress." https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/harnessing-the-upsides-of-stress

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The DNR Critical Incident Stress Management Team would like to remind you to stay hydrated in the heat.