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RESEARCH FROM McMASTER UNIVERSITY SHOWS THAT CANADIANS TEND TO MANAGE

STRESS BY PROBLEM-SOLVING, LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, TRYING TO RELAX,

TALKING TO OTHERS, BLAMING OURSELVES, IGNORING STRESS, OR PRAYING. BUT ARE

MEN AND W OMEN DIFFERENT IN HOW THEY MANAGE STRESS? YES, SAY PSYCHOLOGISTS. »

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heal t h

THE CAUSES OF STRESS T h e p r im a ry so u rc e s of s tre s s for b o th m e n a n d w o m en a re w ork situ a tio n s, fin a n c ia l c o n c e rn s, h e a lth scares, a n d fam ily iss u e s. H ow ever, p sy c h o lo g is t R a n d y K am e n say s w o m en te n d to s tre s s m o re ab o u t th e ir re la tio n s h ip s a n d m e n te n d to s tr e s s m o re a b o u t w ork—b u t she b e lie v e s th is is slow ly sh iftin g . T h e e x a ct c a u se s of s tre s s d e p e n d o n o n e’s p e rso n a lity , physiology, g en e tic s, h e a lth , en v iro n m en t, a n d em o tio n a l a n d s p iritu a l ap p ro a ch to life.

P sy c h o lo g ist S teve O rm a a d d s th a t it’s im p o r ta n t for b o th m e n a n d w o m en to d is tin g u is h b e tw e e n n o rm al, sh o rt-te rm life s tr e s s a n d u n h e a lth y , c h ro n ic s tre s s . “A p e rs o n c a n ta k e o n a g o o d a m o u n t of sh o rt-te rm s tre s s a n d sh o w v e r y little to n o s tra in ,” h e says.

“H e o r sh e m ay e v e n th riv e on it, s u c h as a w ork p ro je c t th a t is c h a lle n g in g a n d stim u la tin g . H ow ever, th e e m o tio n a l s ig n s of c h ro n ic s tr e s s in c lu d e fee lin g o v erw h elm ed , o v erlo ad ed , a n d an x io u s. P h y sica l sy m p to m s m ig h t b e h e a d a c h e s , m u sc le te n sio n , fatig u e, a n d p o o r sleep .”

B etw een 75 a n d 9 0 p e rc e n t of all d o c to r’s office v is its a re for s tre s s -re la te d a ilm e n ts a n d co m p lain ts. T hus, th e k ey to h e a lth y liv in g is to m a n a g e b o th sh o rt- a n d lo n g ­ te rm s tr e s s b efo re it m a n a g e s you.

“ E v e r y o n e e x p e r i e n c e s s t r e s s i n d i f f e r e n t w a y s .

T h e k e y t o m a n a g i n g s t r e s s a n d s t a y i n g h e a l t h y

i s t o k n o w y o u r s e l f . ”

“W e n e e d to d ea l w ith o u r s tre s s b e c a u s e it a ffec ts o u r m e n tal, p h y sical, a n d em o tio n a l h e a lth ,” say s K am en. “S tre ss ca n in c re a s e o u r r is k of h e a r t d ise a se , m e tab o lic d iso rd e rs, im m u n e p ro b lem s, a n d a w hole s p e c tr u m of p sy c h o lo g ic a l d iso rd e rs. It p lay s a role in h e a d a c h e s , h ig h b lo o d p re s s u re , h e a r t p ro b lem s, d ia b e te s, s k in c o n d itio n s, a s th m a , a r th ritis , a n d d ep re ssio n .” S tre ss ca n also w re ak h av o c o n o u r p e r s o n a l a n d p ro fe ssio n a l rela tio n sh ip s.

E v ery o n e—m a n or w o m a n —e x p e rie n c e s s tr e s s in w ays th a t a re u n iq u e to e a c h in d iv id u a l. T he k ey to m a n a g in g s tre s s a n d s ta y in g h e a lth y is to k n o w y o u rself. If y ou le a rn w h en y o u r s tre s s lev el is to o h ig h o r la s tin g to o long, y o u m ig h t b e m o re lik ely to a d m in is te r y o u rse lf so m e TLC.

“O n e w ay to in c re a s e y o u r se lf-a w a re n ess is to ask, ‘O n a scale of o n e to 10, w h ere is m y s tr e s s lev el?”’ says O rm a. “A n u m b e r b e tw e e n o n e a n d five is a m a n a g e a b le a m o u n t of stre s s, b e c a u s e y o u c a n still fu n c tio n w ell an d feel g o o d . A n y th in g ab o v e th a t is to o m u c h s tr e s s if it’s s u s ta in e d for lo n g p erio d s.

“H ow ever, it’s o k ay to h a v e h ig h s tr e s s for a b rie f p e rio d of tim e, s u c h as d u r in g a n in te n s e w orkout or ro lle r-co a ste r ride.”

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS G e n e ra l s ig n s of s tr e s s in b o th m e n a n d w o m en in c lu d e > in s o m n ia > h e a d a c h e s > u p s e t sto m a c h > low p ro d u c tiv ity > a p p e tite c h a n g e s > em o tio n a l o u tb u rs ts > d ifficu lty c o n c e n tra tin g > w ith d ra w in g > irrita b ility

O th e r p h y sic a l s y m p to m s of s tr e s s —w h ic h m a y b e c a u s in g th o s e tr ip s to th e d o c to r’s o ffice—in c lu d e ch e st p a in , lo ss of se x u a l d e s ire o r ability, rin g in g in th e ear, sw e a ty h a n d s a n d feet, d r y m o u th , jaw clen c h in g , g r in d in g te e th , d ifficu lty sw allo w in g , sh allo w b re a th in g , a n d low en erg y . >>

QUICK STRESS RELEASE TIPS > Take a deep bre a th and tell yo u rse lf

you have enough tim e , energy, patience, and resources.

> R ejuvenate by placing ice o r heat packs on y o u r neck and shoulders fo r 10 m inutes.

> Focus on so m e th in g in nature fo r tw o to five m inutes.

> Rem ind yo u rs e lf o f w hat really m atters.

> Play loud m usic and b o p around y o u r hom e or office.

> Express g ra titu d e o fte n . > Exercise to increase e ndorphins,

release c o rtis o l, b o o s t the im m une system , and process y o u r em otions.

> C o n n ect w ith a frie n d o r loved one. > Forgive.

36 m a r c h 2 0 1 5

S tress in w om en A cc o rd in g to K am en, w o m en are m o re lik ely to e x p e rie n c e s tre s s th r o u g h p h y sic a l a n d em o tio n a l sy m p to m s su c h as h e a d a c h e s , in d ig e s tio n , a n d c r y in g b o u ts.

W o m en a re also m o re lik ely to m a n a g e s tr e s s b y " te n d in g a n d b e frie n d in g .” T en d in g in v o lv e s e n g a g in g in a c tiv itie s th a t p ro te c t a n d n u r tu r e th e se lf a n d lo v ed o n es, w hile b e frie n d in g is a b o u t c o n n e c tin g w ith o th e rs to g iv e a n d rec eiv e s u p p o rt.

SUPPLEMENTS TO RELIEVE STRESS The m o st e ffe c tiv e su p p lem e n ts to relieve stress d e p e n d on th e cause and sym p to m s o f stress. N a tu ro p a th ic d o c to r Je n n ife r Burns o ffe rs some suggestions o f som e su p p lem e n ts th a t m ay reduce stress’s s ym p to m s or severity. However, be sure to ta lk to a health care p ra c titio n e r to fin d th e b e st possible rem edies fo r y o u r sym p to m s and lifestyle.

Magnesium catalyzes m any chem ical reactions, synthesizes pro te in , tra n sm its nerve signals, relaxes muscles, and pro d u ce s and tra n s p o rts adenosine trip h o s p h a te (ATP) energy.

L-tyrosine is involved w ith th e synthesis o f brain n e u ro tra n s m itte rs and is used fo r depression, stress, and to help Im prove a th le tic p e rform ance.

Theanine, in studies, relaxes th e brain, im proves sleep q u a lity, and increases m e m o ry and learning.

Thiam ine (vitam in B1) m e ta b o lize s carb o h yd ra te s. It may help tre a t depression, insom nia, and anxiety.

Niacin (vitam in B3) can help m anage high ch o le ste ro l levels. Low levels o f niacin are associated w ith d ig e s tiv e upsets and p o o r m ental health.

Cam om ile can help induce sleep and calm the nervous system .

S tress in m en M en, o n th e o th e r h a n d , a re m o re likely to re a c t to s tre s s w ith a “figh t-o r-flig h t” re sp o n se , w h ich rev o lv e s a ro u n d fig h tin g b ack , es ca p in g , or b o ttlin g it up. T h ey are also m o re lik ely to e x p e rie n c e s le e p le s s n e s s , irritab ility , an g er, a n d b ac k ac h es.

W h y th e d ifferen ce? A s tr e s s e d w o m a n ’s b o d y re le a se s m o re e n d o r p h in s a n d o x y to c in —a n d e s tro g e n —th a n a s tr e s s e d m a n ’s. A m a n ’s b o d y r e le a s e s la rg e a m o u n ts of n o re p in e p h rin e a n d c o rtiso l w h en h e is s tr e s s e d a n d s m a lle r a m o u n ts of ox y to cin .

A u s tra lia n re s e a rc h s u g g e s ts th e d iffe re n t re s p o n s e s to s tr e s s m a y b o il d o w n to a sin g le g en e. T he SRY g e n e o n a m a n ’s Y c h ro m o so m e p la y s a n im p o r ta n t role in th e fight-or-flight re s p o n s e , n e u ra l activity, c a rd io v a s c u la r fu n ctio n , a n d m o v e m en t. W o m en d o n ’t h a v e th is g ene, w h ich m ay h e lp e x p la in th e d iffe re n t r e s p o n s e s to stre s s.

UNHEALTHY WAYS TO COPE A 2014 s u rv e y fo u n d th a t le ss t h a n h a lf of C a n a d ia n s ex e rcise to reliev e s tre s s , y e t we k n o w e x e rcise is a “w in-w in” a c tiv ity th a t re d u c e s a n x ie ty a n d im p ro v e s o v era ll h ea lth .

“T h e w o rs t w ay to co p e w ith s tr e s s is to ig n o re it or av o id th e sy m p to m s,” sa y s O rm a. N o t d e a lin g w ith s tr e s s c a n tr ig g e r o r e x a c e rb a te o th e r p h y sic a l h e a lth iss u e s o v er tim e, s u c h a s ca rd ia c p ro b le m s a n d d e c re a s e d im m u n ity to d ise a se . A v o id an ce c a n also le ad to e m o tio n a l h e a lth is s u e s su c h as d ep re ssio n , anxiety, a n d h o p e le s s n e s s .

O v e re a tin g , u s in g alco h o l a n d d ru g s , re p re s s in g e m o tio n s, a n d g a m b lin g a re o th e r u n h e a lth y w ay s of d e a lin g w ith s tre s s . “M en s e e m to g ra v ita te m o re to sex a n d g am b lin g , w hile w o m en a re m o re lik e ly to e n g a g e in co m fo rt ea tin g ,” say s K am en. “But sex, g am b lin g , a n d o v e re a tin g a re co m m o n re a c tio n s to s tre s s in b o th g e n d e rs.” T h e se u n h e a lth y c o p in g m e c h a n is m s m ay alle v ia te em o tio n a l p a in in th e m o m en t, b u t cre a te s ig n ific a n t h e a lth a n d o th e r p ro b le m s in th e lo n g ru n .

M a n o r w o m an , it’s im p o r ta n t to le a rn w h at m a k es y o u r s tr e s s lev els s k y ro c k e t a n d h ow y o u r b o d y te lls y o u it n e e d s so m e TLC. E x p e rim e n t w ith d ifferen t p h y sical, sp iritu a l, e m o tio n a l, co g n itiv e , a n d so cial w ay s to m a n a g e s tre s s u n til y o u fin d w h at w orks for you. A n d m a k e o u r C a n a d ia n re s e a rc h e rs p ro u d b y e x e rc isin g as a p r im a ry w ay to reliev e stress! 3

L a u r i e P a w l i k - K i e n l e n i s a w r i t e r w h o m a n a g e s s t r e s s b y h i k i n g

w i t h h e r d o g s i n t h e f o r e s t .

38 march 2015

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