Stress and I don't get along. Some people say they thrive on stress, that it gets them motored up to push through things they wouldn't otherwise people able to do. I am not one of those people. The good thing is that I know what havoc stress wreaks on my well-being, and I work to minimize the stressors in my life. When I get stressed, my immune system starts to stutter and I get sick, my stomach gets upset, I can't sleep. Years ago I also suffered from panic attacks, which, at one point, were so bad that I considered taking time off from school.
Fortunately, I am the daughter of a very wise man. When I talked to my dad about my panic attacks, he gave me a some specific actions to take. They were just the tools I needed to get through the worst of it so I could finish up the year.
1. Eat more protein. At the time I didn't understand the importance of protein when it comes to stress and panic attacks. As I started to read up on hypoglycemia this summer, though, every source talked about how critical regular protein is to maintaining stable blood sugar. And what is one of the symptoms some hypoglycemics experience? You guessed it -- panic attacks.
2. Stop with the caffeine. I had a ten-Diet-Cokes-a-day habit. The mere thought of that horrifies me. Of course anyone who drinks that much caffeine (not to mention chemicals and aspartame) is going to feel jittery, to say the least!
3. Practice deep breathing exercises. When I first started doing breathing exercises, I only had one basic technique: Inhale through my nose to the count of five, exhale through my mouth to the count of seven. It worked, but I've since learned other techniques that work even better for me. The first is ujjayi breath, which is explained quite well here. The other might be the simplest breathing technique I know of, but it's also my favorite: focus fully on each each breath, simply observing it, but with the exhale as the "start" of the breath, and the inhale as the "end." That simple reversal in observation takes just enough focus for me to allow my mind to quiet. This is also my favorite breath for when I meditate.
This past week I have been feeling an incredibly amount of stress, and have been unable to pinpoint its root, which only frustrates me more. Doesn't much help the situation. To make matters worse, in the last three days, I've staved off four panic attacks. I'm glad I was able to prevent them, but it's been a little unsettling that they've resurfaced after so many years. So I'm going back to basics. Protein. Stay off the caffeine. Practice deep breathing. Now I have even more tools in my arsenal, though, which is encouraging. Here are the new additions:
1. In addition to deep breathing to get me through a tough moment, regular meditation to help keep me on an even keel. (If you're thinking, hey, wait, you've been doing this meditation thing for a few weeks now, and you're getting panic attacks for the first time in years. Why would I want to do that? It's because I've been slacking on the meditation. Doh.)
2. Beyond just eating more protein, work to limit my sugar intake as much as possible, thus keeping my blood sugar as stable as I can manage. (Yes, I've been slipping up and having more sugar and alcohol lately, too.)
3. Acupuncture also really helps me to feel centered and grounded. I think it's a combination of the treatment itself, and having twenty minutes to lie in quiet on the table and just decompress. After nearly having a panic attack this morning as I was getting in the shower, I booked an appointment for this afternoon as soon as I got to work.
4. Spend time outside, get some sunlight, experience some nature. I think there's a lot to be said for honoring our circadian rhythms; it makes sense that we'll feel better when we're in sync with our natural clocks.
5. Work up a sweat. Exercise gets the endorphins pumping through your system (the source of a runner's high), which brings extra feel-good chemicals to your body. Who wouldn't prefer that to feeling stressed out. It can also help you work through some pent up aggression and get out of a toxic thought loop. Find something you love -- riding your bike, doing yoga, going for a run or a swim -- and let it act as a resource rather than something on your to-do list.
6. Talk it out. If something's weighing on your mind, find people who care about you and vent a little bit. Ask if they have some insight into the situation. There's no point in going on the journey alone.
If you have other resources you call on when you're stressed out, I'd love to hear them. I'm feeling encouraged just having taken the time to think through all the resources I have at my disposal.
Fortunately, I am the daughter of a very wise man. When I talked to my dad about my panic attacks, he gave me a some specific actions to take. They were just the tools I needed to get through the worst of it so I could finish up the year.
1. Eat more protein. At the time I didn't understand the importance of protein when it comes to stress and panic attacks. As I started to read up on hypoglycemia this summer, though, every source talked about how critical regular protein is to maintaining stable blood sugar. And what is one of the symptoms some hypoglycemics experience? You guessed it -- panic attacks.
2. Stop with the caffeine. I had a ten-Diet-Cokes-a-day habit. The mere thought of that horrifies me. Of course anyone who drinks that much caffeine (not to mention chemicals and aspartame) is going to feel jittery, to say the least!
3. Practice deep breathing exercises. When I first started doing breathing exercises, I only had one basic technique: Inhale through my nose to the count of five, exhale through my mouth to the count of seven. It worked, but I've since learned other techniques that work even better for me. The first is ujjayi breath, which is explained quite well here. The other might be the simplest breathing technique I know of, but it's also my favorite: focus fully on each each breath, simply observing it, but with the exhale as the "start" of the breath, and the inhale as the "end." That simple reversal in observation takes just enough focus for me to allow my mind to quiet. This is also my favorite breath for when I meditate.
This past week I have been feeling an incredibly amount of stress, and have been unable to pinpoint its root, which only frustrates me more. Doesn't much help the situation. To make matters worse, in the last three days, I've staved off four panic attacks. I'm glad I was able to prevent them, but it's been a little unsettling that they've resurfaced after so many years. So I'm going back to basics. Protein. Stay off the caffeine. Practice deep breathing. Now I have even more tools in my arsenal, though, which is encouraging. Here are the new additions:
1. In addition to deep breathing to get me through a tough moment, regular meditation to help keep me on an even keel. (If you're thinking, hey, wait, you've been doing this meditation thing for a few weeks now, and you're getting panic attacks for the first time in years. Why would I want to do that? It's because I've been slacking on the meditation. Doh.)
2. Beyond just eating more protein, work to limit my sugar intake as much as possible, thus keeping my blood sugar as stable as I can manage. (Yes, I've been slipping up and having more sugar and alcohol lately, too.)
3. Acupuncture also really helps me to feel centered and grounded. I think it's a combination of the treatment itself, and having twenty minutes to lie in quiet on the table and just decompress. After nearly having a panic attack this morning as I was getting in the shower, I booked an appointment for this afternoon as soon as I got to work.
4. Spend time outside, get some sunlight, experience some nature. I think there's a lot to be said for honoring our circadian rhythms; it makes sense that we'll feel better when we're in sync with our natural clocks.
5. Work up a sweat. Exercise gets the endorphins pumping through your system (the source of a runner's high), which brings extra feel-good chemicals to your body. Who wouldn't prefer that to feeling stressed out. It can also help you work through some pent up aggression and get out of a toxic thought loop. Find something you love -- riding your bike, doing yoga, going for a run or a swim -- and let it act as a resource rather than something on your to-do list.
6. Talk it out. If something's weighing on your mind, find people who care about you and vent a little bit. Ask if they have some insight into the situation. There's no point in going on the journey alone.
If you have other resources you call on when you're stressed out, I'd love to hear them. I'm feeling encouraged just having taken the time to think through all the resources I have at my disposal.
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