00:00
Now, we need to manage stress.
00:04
And we talked about this
U-shaped curved in other sections
in this course as well.
00:10
But here's another example
of we have an optimal range.
00:13
So when there's not a lot of
stress, so sub-optimal really
low or extremely high,
you can note that
this is not a good thing.
00:23
You don't want to be too low
and you don't want to be
too high.
00:25
What do you want it that sweet
spot where a little bit
of stress is actually arousing.
00:29
And it's priming the system.
00:31
It's allowing you to confront
what's there.
00:33
And it's allowing you to improve
your performance
so that you do well.
00:37
So you are going to try
and put yourself in situations
and get yourself through
resources so that when something
comes to you as stressor,
you are able to manage it
and do well.
00:49
Now, how do you cope
with stress, right.
00:51
So there's lot of ways to cope
with stress and this is by no
means an exhaustive list.
00:55
I wanted to talk about
three nice broad bends
that are quite common.
00:59
Probably the number one
is exercise.
01:02
Aerobic exercise in particular
because this is actually aerobic
versus anaerobic.
01:07
Aerobic is when you're
running and you're
alleviating your heart rate.
01:11
So think of you know,
think of yourself in some nice
pink tights and doing some aerobics,
right.
01:15
So that is aerobic exercise.
01:16
And what it does is actually
lower blood pressure.
01:19
It improves cardiac function
because it's getting
your heart pumping.
01:21
And increasing the production of
neurotransmitters which we'll be
talking about later.
01:25
There are transmitters in your
brain which allows you to do
what you do, think and remember
and communicate.
01:30
And these are all good things.
01:32
You can do other things
like lower cholesterol.
01:34
It can sort of other
peripheral affects.
01:37
These are all positive benefits.
01:38
So I would say the number one
answer to almost anything that
ails us is almost always
exercise is a good thing.
01:44
Another way it's something
called 'Bio feedback."
And this is a fancy way
of saying your controlling
your biological function which
might seem almost impossible.
01:56
But it's doable.
01:57
You train to control
autonomic responses.
02:00
Things like meditation and yoga.
02:02
So the premise of behind
meditation and yoga and
relaxation and breathing
are things like,
remove all other variables
and focus upon yourself.
02:10
Look at the biological
things like breathing.
02:13
And we know that if you
can control and manage your
breathing.
02:17
That in itself will lower
your stress response.
02:20
If you can remove all extraneous
side variables and focus on just
yourself in bringing your heart
rate down, trying to bring your
blood pressure down,
this in itself will actually
help you manage the stress.
02:31
So very, very useful.
02:32
And the third is social support.
02:35
So we know the evidence tells us
that if you are suffering from
something, it's extremely
stressful, whether it's divorce,
death, post traumatic
stress disorders.
02:46
Sitting with others who are
going through the exact same
process.
02:49
And you showing your past
beliefs, problems and issues,
is very, very useful.
02:54
So we say vocalization
of thought.
02:56
So you actually, physically
saying the words.
02:58
I can't believe that my wife
left me for my brother, okay.
03:03
So you saying that in itself
is actually helping.
03:06
And then when you are sitting
at the support group and the guy
next to you says, Oh my god!
My wife said the
exact same thing.
03:12
And you know all of a sudden
you're getting some compassion.
03:15
You're saying,
"Okay, it's not just me."
There are all things happening there.
03:18
It's quite dynamic.
03:19
But that will help you
understand and say,
"Okay, this isn't just me
and there's some support there,
that really helps."
Another really useful tool,
something called
"Expressive Writing."
So that's when you open up
your journal and you sit there
and you write through
thoughts.
03:33
So it could be something simple
and benign as, you know you walk
through your stressful day.
03:37
The man on the bus stole my seat
and I'm very upset about that.
03:42
To things like, I can't
believe my wife left me.
03:45
And you write all
that down in your book.
03:46
So that process of
actually writing it down.
03:48
Just like vocalization, we know
actually helps in managing your
stress.
03:53
Okay, so to tied it all
together, I think, I want you to
understand that there are
acute versus chronic stress.
04:00
And we have different
ways to manage it.
04:02
It can impact our emotions
and it can impact our behavior.
04:04
But at the end of the day,
we all have to deal with stress.
04:07
We all have to try
and manage stress.