Dec. 2, 2008

Virtually everyone I speak with these days is stressing about the economic downturn. It’s hard not to worry about recession, skyrocketing prices, foreclosures, potential job losses and how we are going to keep body and soul together through the difficult times that are already upon us.

Certainly I can’t tell you not to stress about these things. That would be like saying, “Don’t pay attention to the elephant in the living room.”

So stress is with us. How to we deal with it? Of course, you’re going to take whatever action is necessary. You’ll polish up your resume, review your budget, cut out the fluff and perhaps even cancel vacations.

Right now, it’s just as important to take care of yourself. Here‘s how:

1. Do take time for yourself. Whether you take a bath, spend half an hour uninterruptedly reading a favorite book, listening to music or just sipping a cup of tea, your stress levels will ratchet down.

2. Do get lots of exercise. Exercise is my favorite way of burning off that jittery energy that accompanies stress. Science tells us that the endorphins released during exercise have a brain calming effect. Choose your favorite form of exercise: a peaceful walk in the woods or a vigorous game of tennis have equal stress reducing effects.

3. Do breathe. This may sound silly, because if you’re alive, you must be breathing. However, most of breathe shallowly in our upper chests. Deep yogic belly breathing is an almost instantaneous stress reliever. Try is the next time someone cuts you off in traffic. Then translate that quick relief to the long-term chronic stress most of us are experiencing these days, and you’ll see how helpful it can be.

4. Do get lots of sleep. We’ve all experienced it at one time or another: suddenly being wide-awake in the middle of the night, thoughts racing through our brains and the accompanying restlessness that keeps us from returning to sleep. It happens to most of us form time to time, but if this happens to you more than once a month, you need to take action. Beyond the obvious stress-producing effects of not getting enough rest, chronic insomnia can have profound health effects ranging from weight gain to increased risk of diabetes. Ensure a good night’s sleep by winding down slowly I the last hour before bedtime, perhaps taking a warm bath. Keep TV out of the bedroom and read something relaxing before you turn out the light. Sex is a great sleep inducer, since the endorphins you get with an orgasm can help you drift off and stay asleep. Ditto for those white noise machines and, in a pinch, natural sleep aids like Rescue Sleep (a homeopathic) and valerian, passionflower, St. John’s wort or kava.

5. Finally, do spend time with friends and family. While it’s important to take time for yourself, there’s nothing quite like the support of those who love you. Don’t hold in your concerns. Confide in your spouse, best friend, sister or mom. Don’t expect they will solve your problems, but just getting your worries off your chest is an excellent stress reliever.

Here are a few things not to do when stress threatens to overwhelm you:

1. Don’t become a workaholic in hopes this will change the situation. If you’re already a workaholic, limit your work hours.

2. Don’t drown your sorrows in alcohol, drugs or other destructive behaviors. They’ll ultimately cause more stress than they could possibly relieve.

3. Don’t give in to The Blame Game. Spouses, family members and friends will suffer and, ultimately, you’ll suffer, too.

4. Don’t talk about financial issues at the dinner table, late in the day or when you’re feeling under pressure. When you need to discuss money matters with your spouse or significant other, make a date. Have an enjoyable meal together and then sit down at a mutually agreed upon time.

5. Conversely, don’t shove financial issues under the rug or make unilateral financial decisions or attempt to hide the magnitude of financial issues by running up credit card debt.