Section A · Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, November 10, 1999
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Many students wind down holistically
diseases that stress can cause, but stress, to some extent, can be a good thing.
Continued from page 1A
Necessary stress
"We need a certain level of stress to get us interested and get us going," said Myra Strother, a physician at Watkins Memorial Health Center. "A certain amount alerts us."
The body's reaction to stress has its roots in pre-history when humans had to worry about being killed by large animals or rival humans. The "fight-or-flight instinct" drops extra adrenaline into the blood stream, pumping up the victim to take a stand or make an escape.
"It was a very functional thing," said Frank DeSalvo Jr., director of Counseling and Psychological Services in Watkins. "Stress caused an adrenaline rush which allowed people to do something they probably couldn't do in other circumstances. It's an evolutionary process that helps people succeed."
Stress in the 20th century is not quite as simple as kill or run, and the body's chemical reaction to modern-day problems can do severe damage, Strother said.
"Now when people get stressed about a final or getting behind in their classes, they have the same symptoms but for no reason," she said. "They just have extra acid dropped into the stomach and blood."
Thinking yourself sick
Early stress symptoms include nausea and loss of appetite, which can grow into stomach aches, heartburn and discomfort after meals.
Other commonly treated stress related problems include eye strain, intense migraines and tension headaches that begin at the back of the neck and creep to the front. Gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, both of which cause pains in the stomach before and after meals, also can result.
More serious problems include insomnia, depression and panic disorders.
A study by Sheldon Cohen, a Carnegie Mellon psychologist, showed that people with lots of stress in their lives were more likely to develop colds when infected with a common influenza vii us. Although one single stressful event does not affect a person's health, chronic stress increases the chances of catching a virus by three to five times.
Even the common cold and flu can originate from extra stress.
Kirsten Drickey, Lindsborg senior, has a heavy load of upper-level Spanish classes. When the going gets tough, Drickey notices that she always gets sick.
"I'll catch whatever is going around," Drickey said. "We've had a couple of really bad weeks this semester, and both times I've caught a cold or something. I only get sick when I'm really stressed out."
A University of Maryland study reported that stress can cause extra fat cells to accumulate around the stomach area, even among people who are thin, causing a potbelly.
Stress also can contribute to the "freshman 15," the weight gain that college students experience when they make the transition from high school.
Strother said it was important for students to learn to deal with stress early in life, so they don't develop a situation where they keep hurting their bodies.
"People who don't learn to deal with stress can develop high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease," she said.
Popular methods of relaxation include yoga, acupuncture, exercise and massage therapy.
Winding down
The Lunaria Holistic Health Center, 1103 Massachusetts St., provides some of these services for anyone who needs a little stress relief.
Sabrina Channel, a massage therapist at the center, said that about 60 percent of her clients were University of Kansas students and that she thought massage therapy was a big help for stress symptom
While massage relaxes the muscles by touching them, yoga and tai chi concentrate on poses and breathing that not only lead to relaxation but also help strengthen the body and coordination skills.
ter about everything and less hectic."
"Muscle therapy stimulates muscles, and all muscles have neotransmitters that release feel good drugs in the body like endorphin[s]." Channel said. "Those are what help get the person relaxed and feel bet-
"It's all about the breathing," said Ali Cutler, Deerfield, Ill., senior, who practices yoga when she is stressed. "You are sitting up straight in Indian style, inhaling and exhaling through the nose and mouth. It's very relaxing. You bring all the oxygen in your body and release the carbon dioxide, and it really calms you down. I think it's just the oxygen circulating through your system. It's very cleansed."
Heal thyself
DeSalvo said that one of the best ways for individuals to deal with stress was just to learn how it affected them.
“You need to get familiar with your own body and your own triggers for stress,” DeSalvo said. “Become real familiar with areas where there are triggers and learn how to manage the stress, so you can harness the useful part of it, and stop yourself before you reach the bad part. There is a skill and technique involved in relaxing when you need to and can't. Most aren't good at it when they first try, but with practice, they can get better.”
While all of these techniques work well, it is easier just to maintain a healthy lifestyle, Strother said.
"Just remember to eat three well-balanced meals each day, get seven to eight hours of sleep and avoid alcohol and cigarettes," Strother said. "Exercise helps wonderfully. If you just take care of your body, then you are more able to handle it when you do have a few days of stress when you can't get as much sleep."
Kim Fuchs, Merriam junior, has a history of stress-related illnesses in her family, so she deals with stress by running for 20 minutes each day.
"When you are healthy, you can deal better with stress," Fuchs said. "I go by myself because it helps me organize my thoughts and make a battle plan. My best ideas come to me on my jogs. It really gets my brain going."
SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
Behavioral
irritability insomnia
eating too much or too little
excessive smoking or drinking eating too much or too little
poor management of time
short temper, crying spells
problems making decisions increased procrestination
short temper, crying spells
changes in exercise habits
nausea, upset stomach
- inability to concentrate or pay attention
Physiological
- fatigue
- poor appetite
rapid heartbeat
diarhea, cramps, gas, constipation
muscle tension, backaches tight throat
elevated blood pressure
frequent colds and infections
- weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath
Mental
- indecisiveness
- disorganization
- nervousness
- anxiety, feeling overwhelmed
- depression
- poor concentration and memory
- increased boredom and fatigue, a general sense of "the blahs"
- persistent hostile or angry feelings,
- increased frustration with minor annoyances
- nightmares
High-risk sources: Watkins Memorial Health Center
Stress can be a dangerous thing, but with the right techniques, stress can be turned into a motivator, DeSalvo said.
"One person's level of stress that is 'exciting' can be another person's 'overwhelming,'" he said. "It all depends on the unique reaction of the person. Some stress improves or increases performance level. Up to a certain point, that is helpful. No one knows where that breaking point is. It is up to the individual to figure out where their limit is."
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