How to get stress relief during times of chaos and confusion
Dear Dr. Sylvia,
I am really learning about how the physical and emotional worlds collide.
I always felt the two were separate. You get sick, it’s from a bug in the atmosphere.
You become angry or depressed. It’s because someone out there made you angry or depressed.
However, I can finally observe how the two are definitely connected.
Here’s a crazy story. I was walking with a plate of cookies (anything to diminish the stress of these chaotic times) and I tripped.
Above all, I must admit, I would have eaten all the cookies. However, I think my guilty pleasure of becoming the cookie monster is what got me walking off-kilter.
A stress test comes even when you stumble.
In any case, tripping is common and really no big deal. Right?
Happens to everyone at some point. Right?
However, as I tripped the plate hit my tooth, and damn, it broke.
Not the plate, my front tooth!
So off I went to my dentist. He smiled and then asked a kinda strange question. He wondered if I have been grinding my teeth when I sleep.
I have no idea what I do when I sleep, cause, duh, I’m asleep.
Your teeth and post-traumatic stress disorder
However, I now need a night guard for my teeth. The concerned dentist told me I must learn to stop clenching and grinding. He also informed me I was not alone here. He said that the stress I am feeling is way too common these days.
And at least I’m in a very large category of the general population.
I know you are discussing a lot about how to handle stress more effectively so please, I need help.
Oh, by the way, stress impacts my relationships with my colleagues. I am annoyed when they ask too many questions and I’m pretty short with them.
Stress and communication are best friends.
And one more, oh, by the way. My teenage kids are also showing signs of stress by chewing too much gum and grabbing for anything they can find that is filled with sugar. Also, they talk back more than they ever did.
In addition, there’s my wife. That’s for a whole other day!!!
Thanks for some advice.
Signed,
Enough Already
How to stay strong when you have no more bandwidth.
Dear EA,
Sorry about your broken tooth although glad it led you to get a nightguard.
However, between pandemic and politics, it seems everyone is like a cat on a hot tin roof. We are all feeling unsafe and unsure.
Many of us are still working from home. Many are starting the hybrid thingy. And some are back to the office full time. However, even as effective ways of working together, most of us are, in fact, gnashing and grinding our teeth.
Above all, that leads to headaches, jaw pain, and that awful feeling of uncertainty.
Beyond medicating aches and pains to get stress relief
Therefore, I decided to pivot from my traditional work with leadership development and executive coaching. Recently, I created a program to master stress, or at least, find some ways to get through the day with less stress.
I’ve started a fun way of handling stress called The Sanity Challenge that you can do for free. Go here to sign up.
It’s great for you to do with your whole family, even the teens are getting into this.
Here’s how to get less stress.
Anything to get rid of the old stress monsters, right?
And once you finish The Sanity Challenge you will have some excellent ways to relax before you sleep and before you eat.
One more way to ‘practice safe stress.’ Get some lavender essential oil and put it on your pillow. No, it’s not just for women, it’s good for everyone. It will help you feel a tad calmer.
There’s one thing about today’s stress. It’s good to be proactive to feel better so you don’t need a whole new set of teeth!
To your success,
Sylvia
P.S. My online program will help you understand your reactions to stress. You will learn what to do about the four types of stress that need to be tamed. You can check out The Stress Busters Program here.
