WHAT IS THE MOST SCIENTIFIC WAY TO REDUCE STRESS?

Dear friends, 

                     In the present day world, stress is ubiquitous. It is said that the only person who is free of stress is a dead person! We all experience stress to varying extents; some of us manage it well while others, not so well. Thus stress management is a skill of paramount importance for all of us to learn and implement. 

                     

                   So how do we manage stress? Numerous methods have been proposed by experts and laypersons alike. But what works and what does not? Do many of the popular methods actually work? Can many of these methods stand the test of scientific efficacy evaluation? 

                Below we shall discuss those techniques that have been scientifically proven to be effective in a number of research studies. It is important to understand that the following 5 techniques are to be used together as each of these complement one another. Some of these might work well for some while not so well for others and vice versa. Essentially, they include a three pronged approach: Changing the situation, changing the way we see the situation and changing the way our body responds to the situation.

Changing the way one views the situation

Self monitoring: We are human beings, the most evolved, most complex and most intellectually advanced organisms on the planet. Thus, the way we process external stimuli at an intellectual level plays an important role in whether or not stress is generated. 

                 But before we intervene, we need to understand how we think, how we process data and what our thoughts are. This is the goal of self monitoring. Without going into the technical details, self monitoring basically involves observing and recording what our thoughts are, how we view a situation especially when we feel stressed, sad or anxious but also when we are feeling happy and relieved. Although it appears like a mere assessment, it can sometimes be healing too. When one observes oneself closely, errors become apparent and many times changes occur spontaneously without actually having to intervene.

Cognitive restructuring: Once one's thoughts and thinking patterns are analyzed, it is time to intervene expertly. The human brain is constantly trying to simplify the vast amount of data that is being continually thrown at us. In the vast majority of the situations, such a simplification is accurate and adaptive, but sometimes they are erroneous. In persons that are easily stressed out, there is a high rate of such erroneous conclusions. Please read the section on CBT  at http://drsathyaprakash.blogspot.in/2016/06/what-is-cognitive-behavioural-therapy.html for a more detailed explanation on this.

Changing the situation

Time management: Besides making changes to the way we see the situation, it is also important many a time to change the situation itself. Time management and problem solving are the key elements in this endeavor. The key to managing time is to make a commitment to follow what one has decided. These decisions should be recorded in writing in a diary. The decision should be detailed and made after giving a proper thought. For instance, preparing a time table is an important way of managing time. But there are certain important points to keep in mind while preparing a timetable. Very often, timetables reflect extremes of thinking; some timetables are over ambitious, while others are half-hearted while still others are lax. It is important to prepare a time table that is reasonable and make a commitment to follow it. 

Problem solving: This is the other method of making a decisive change to one's environment. So what are the steps of problem solving? First identify the exact problem. Second generate all possible solutions without bias, without regard to practicality and without regard to likelihood of succeeding (brainstorming). It is well known that the best solution very often is the one, that at the face of it, might have seemed unsuitable or ineffective. Once all possibilities have been explored, rate the solutions in terms of practicability, logistics  and likelihood of succeeding. After a careful evaluation of the ratings, decide upon the solution and take action. Do not procrastinate!

Changing the way one's body reacts to a situation

Relaxation techniques: Now that we have changed the world around us and the way we view the world, it is time to change the way our body reacts to stress. This is where relaxation techniques are useful. Stress results in a number of bodily changes such as palpitations, muscle tension, headaches, fidgeting and so on, that reinforces stress. Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscular relaxation, deep breathing, yoga, pranayam, relaxing music can be useful. 

Friends, whether a bridge is able to hold itself when a train passes through it depends on the strength of the bridge and the weight of the train. So too whether we are able to handle stress depends on the amount of stress that we are faced with and how strong we are. Our strength in turn is dependent on the skills that we possess. The techniques outlined above, target all aspects of this stress machinery for maximal benefit. What's more, these techniques have been evaluated in scientific studies and found to reduce a number of stress related disorders such as heart conditions. So it is time all of us practiced at least some of these techniques!

Hope that was a useful discussion, friends!

Please let me know if there is any specific issue that you want me to address. Write in at stayhappy.prakash@gmail.com

So until next time, STAY HAPPY!

Dr. Sathya Prakash, MD, Dip. CBT

Consultant Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist and Behavioural Sciences Expert

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