School staff, dedicated to the instruction and
nurturing of children, may experience feelings of stress from their
considerable workload and responsibilities.
Looking for ways to relieve stress? Try:
Physical Activity
Physical activity can improve your physical health
as well as decrease feelings of stress. For physical activity
information and suggestions, visit our Move More page.
How can physical activity help you deal with stress?
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Decreased anxiety. A University of
Illinois research study found that exercise significantly reduced
anxiety levels, and was more effective than simply sitting quietly.1
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Time out. Taking time to exercise allows you a mental break from
whatever is causing you stress. Also, if you are active with a friend
this interaction can provide you with social support on top of the
benefits of physical activity.
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Reduced depression. Multiple studies in the U.S. and Canada have
reported that physical activity can reduce symptoms of depression.2 A
study of Harvard alumni also indicated that being physically active may
prevent the development of depression.3
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Muscle relaxation. Stress is often presented in the form of muscle
tension. Physical activity may combat this by increasing the body’s core
temperature, resulting in decreased muscle tension.4
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Improved mood. A study of women who had recently begun a walking
program found that being active was related to having a positive mood,
and women who were most active were more likely to have a positive mood.
Researchers suggest that this may be because being active stimulates the
production of hormones such as endorphins which improve mood.5
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Physical appearance. Consistent exercise strengthens and tones the
body, which for some people may help enhance self-esteem and
self-confidence.
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Improved health. Participating in regular physical activity helps you
be less susceptible to illness and injuries which can cause stress.
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Decreased stress response. A Swiss study of highly trained athletes
and untrained men found that, when faced with a stressful public
speaking and metal arithmetic task, the trained men had a much lower
physical and mental stress response than the untrained men. The trained
men were calmer, had a better mood and less anxiety. The researchers
proposed that exercise “trains” your body to be better able to deal with
stress.6 While you may not exercise as much as these athletes, it seems
reasonable that moderate physical activity would provide the same
benefit, although perhaps to a lesser extent.
Toning/Relaxation Video
Learn how integrate the Taking it Slow toning/relaxation video into
the workplace or classroom by clicking on the
Taking It Slow
Guidesheet
Rhythmic Breathing
Rhythmic breathing can be an effective means of
reducing stress and treating stress-related conditions.7,8
How does it work? When faced with pain or stress,
breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Controlling the breath and
breathing rhythmically can decrease pain and aid relaxation.9
Try these breathwork routines –
Massage
Massage is an ancient technique which has been
gaining attention for its health benefits, including stress reduction. A
study of the effect of a weekly 15-minute massage on Australian nurses
demonstrated that even this small amount of time devoted to massage
resulted in a reduction in the nurses’ anxiety.10
Try these suggestions –
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is “moment-to-moment, non-judgmental
awareness”11 of your thoughts, body and emotions. Rather than running on
“automatic pilot,” mindfulness trains you to experience and accept each
moment for what it is.12
While the idea of mindfulness originates in
Buddhism, mindfulness itself is not a religious practice.12 More than 25
years ago, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts Medical
School developed a systematic approach of teaching mindfulness called
mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). MBSR is targeted towards
individuals experiencing high levels of stress from everyday life as
well as those with chronic illnesses,12 and is now taught in more than
200 medical centers and clinics around the world.11
Research studies have demonstrated that MBSR is
effective in facilitating stress reduction in those who practice
it.12-14 Participants in two studies reported that their greater
self-awareness enabled them to objectively accept stress, be more
relaxed, have improved coping skills and ability to adapt to change.13 A
study of the effect of MBSR on nurse stress and burnout indicated that
MBSR significantly reduced emotional exhaustion and improved feelings of
personal accomplishment.14 When mindfulness was taught to children at
school, teachers reported that it contributed to decreased anxiety,
social conflict, attention disorder and behavioral problems among
students.15
Try these guided mindfulness recordings as an
introduction to mindfulness –
From Lynn Rossy of the
University of Missouri
Mindfulness Practice Center:
From Diana Winston of the
UCLA Mindful Awareness
Research Center:
1 McAuley E, Mihalko SL, Bane S. Acute exercise and
anxiety reduction: does the environment matter? Journal of Sport and
Exercise Psychology. 1996;18(4):408-419.
2 Penedo FJ, Dahn JR. Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and
physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Current
Opinion in Psychiatry. 2005;18:189-193.
3 Paffenbarger RS, Lee IM, Leung R. Physical activity and personal
characteristics associated with depression and suicide in American
college men. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum.
1994;377:16-22.
4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity and
Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. 1996. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/prerep.htm.
Accessed July 20, 2007.
5 Janisse HC, Nedd D, Escamilla S, Nies MA. Physical activity, social
support, and family structure as determinants of mood among
European-American and African-American women. Women & Health.
2004;39(1):101-116.
6 Rimmele U, Zellweger BC, Marti B, Seiler R, Mohiyeddini C, Ehlert U,
Heinrichs M. Trained men show lower cortisol, heart rate and
psychological responses to psychosocial stress compared with untrained
men. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2007;32(6):627-635.
7 Kochupillai V, Kumar P, Singh D, Aggarwal D, Bhardwaj N, Bhutani M,
Das SN. Effect of rhythmic breathing (Sudarshan Kriya and Pranayam) on
immune functions and tobacco addiction. Annals of the New York Academy
of Sciences. 2005;1056:242-252.
8 Brown RP, Gerbarg PL. Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment
of stress, anxiety, and depression: part II – clinical applications and
guidelines. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
2005;11(4):711-717.
9 Kitko J. Rhythmic breathing as a nursing intervention. Holistic
Nursing Practice. 2007;21(2):85-88.
10 Bost N, Wallis M. The effectiveness of a 15 minute weekly massage in
reducing physical and psychological stress in nurses. Australian Journal
of Advanced Nursing. 2006;23(4):28-33.
11 Kabat-Zinn J. Bringing mindfulness to medicine: an interview with Jon
Kabat-Zinn, PhD. Interview by Karolyn Gazella. Advances in Mind-Body
Medicine. 2005;21(2):22-27.
12 Grossman P, Niemann L, Schmidt S, Walach H. Mindfulness-based stress
reduction and health benefits: a meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic
Research. 2004;57:35-43.
13 Proulx K. Integrating mindfulness-based stress reduction. Holistic
Nursing Practice. 2003;17(4):201-208.
14 Cohen-Katz J, Wiley SD, Capuano T, Baker DM, Shapiro S. The effects
of mindfulness-based stress reduction on nurse stress and burnout, part
II. Holistic Nursing Practice. 2005;19(1):26-35.
15 Suttie J. Mindful kids, peaceful schools. Greater Good. Summer 2007.
