Front-Shop Magazine

Stress relief

Candice Lee De Carvalho MSc (Med) Human Genetics

No matter what ailment a client coming into the pharmacy is suffering from, they will undoubtedly be having issues with stress management.  Since an overwhelming majority of people will say that they experience moderate or even chronic stress daily, pharmacy staff should be ready with a word of practical advice on stress relief.

More than just a luxury, that few people think they can afford, relaxation for stress management is important for both emotional and physical health.  As the body’s stress response is triggered throughout the day one needs to engage in stress detox so as to avoid being in a state of chronic stress. 

Chronic stress is the type that may ruin people’s health and sense of well-being.  Stress related health problems include heart disease, high blood pressure and even the common cold. 

Relaxation
Relaxation techniques help the body to restore itself to its natural state and help a person to become more resilient to stress in the long term.  Stress relief expert and researcher, Dr Elizabeth Scott states that relaxation can occur when a person is just sitting and watching t.v. in a lounge chair (which is what some people think of when they think of the word ‘relaxation’), but having a more structured plan for relaxation can be more helpful in the face of stress

• Breathing Exercises
  These can be the first line of defense against stress. Breathing exercises are wonderful for relaxation because they can be used anytime and at any place, they work quickly, and are easy to master.  Basic and deep breathing as well as deep breathing with visualization are all used as stress relief techniques
• Meditation
  While there are numerous different meditation techniques, a common thread runs through virtually all meditative techniques:
  • Quiet Mind: With meditation, one’s thinking mind becomes quiet. A person stops focusing on the stressors of their day or life’s problems, as well as solving these problems. You just let that voice in your head be quiet, which is easier said than done. This usually takes a bit of practice.
  • Being In The Now: Rather than focusing on the past or the future, virtually all meditative practices involve focusing on right now. This involves experiencing each moment and letting it go, experiencing the next. This, too, takes practice, as most people live most of their lives thinking toward the future or rehashing the past
  Meditation increases brain activity in an area of the brain associated with happiness and positive thoughts and emotions, and some evidence shows that regular practice brings prolonged positive changes in these areas.
• Music
  Playing music is a great way to relive stress and promote relaxation, which could include the whole family.  Because music brings real benefits in terms of wellness (music therapy is a growing field), it can be conveniently used effectively for relaxation as well.
• Exercise
  It may seem that exercise is the opposite of relaxation, but a good workout can actually make a person feel more relaxed afterward for a few reasons: First, working out can be a good way to release stress and blow off steam. Second, the endorphins released during a good workout can aid relaxation quite nicely. Additionally, exercise can get one into a state of flow where it’s difficult to stay stressed—your body has to move toward relaxation as the stress response begins to reverse.
• Having Fun
  Some people may get stressed about getting relaxed! Relaxation methods don’t all have to be clinical and practiced. Letting loose and having fun with family and friends is an excellent way to relieve stress and experience relaxation. The problem is that people don’t always prioritize plain old ‘fun’ as an important part of life—they don’t fit time for it in their busy schedules (at least not nearly as much as they should) because they don’t realize the value of fun for balance as well as physical and emotional health.

Stress release tips
The author, Gaynor McTigue, who wrote the best-selling book “Why Make Yourself Crazy?”, offers this stress-relief strategy:

• Do not multitask
  Multitasking leads to careless mistakes, shoddy work and unreliable performance but, worst of all, having to do things over.
• Be less competitive
  Today, we compete for everything: the space around us, to be first to own a new product, to get our kids signed up for programs, to get our viewpoints across, to be faster, smarter, richer, sexier. Our days are filled with stressful competitions. And most are absolutely unnecessary. Because they’re driven by insecurity, fear of being left behind, an ingrained need to always consume more or better than the next guy. If you want to compete, be the one who stays calm and in control, who isn’t easily sucked in by material things, who avoids being caught up in the daily grab-bag that robs people of their health and peace of mind. 
• Throw something out every dayMost people just have too much stuff! House. Office. Garage. Attic. Useless clutter that’s weighing you down, getting in the way, obscuring the things you really need. Be realistic. If you’re not going to use it, lose it. And you don’t have to make a humongous project out of it. Every day, find one thing you don’t need and toss it. Or give it away. Over time, the clutter will begin to vanish and space and order will magically appear in your home and your life. 
• Eliminate meaningless deadlines
  Our life is full of them. Arbitrary and unrealistic time constraints imposed by ourselves and others that serve only to make us more pressured, anxious, stressed out and for no worthwhile reason. Avoid the trap of assigning time frames to everything you do, especially if you have little idea how long it will take. Instead, make your goal one of completing a project in a careful, professional, satisfying manner. In other words, as long as it takes to do, do right.  Save your nerves, and your energy, for the few real deadlines that you face. 
• Get more out of life by doing less
  Is your life fulfilling, or is it merely crammed? Know the difference and you’ll realize it’s not the quantity of activities you engage in (or possessions you collect) that ultimately determine your happiness. One naturally unfolding, enriching experience can easily surpass many rushed and distracted ones. But you may be so chronically over-scheduled, that you never give yourself a chance to enjoy anything to the fullest.  

Conclusion
Some practical advice for clients suffering from stress, and for pharmacy staff to implement in their lives includes daily relaxation and long-term, directive planning to slowly remove unnecessary stressors from one’s life.  Today’s simplest advice for clients? Have more fun!