Long Term Goals for Stress Management

Last time I wrote about simple steps to follow when dealing with short terms stressors, like traffic jams and spilled milk. Your Short term stress management system, or SMS, should include steps to take when an immediate stressor is affecting your ability to deal effectively with your life at that moment. This time I’d like to talk about things you can do to manage stress over the long term. A long term SMS should include lifestyle changes that improve your overall ability to handle stress in general. Here is a list of some things you might include in your long term stress management system.

• An Exercise Program – It may sound cliché, but making sure you get regular exercise not only gives you something else to do but stew, it is scientifically proven to increase your endorphins. This natural painkilling hormone is almost like the body’s own version of drugs, but unlike the drugs, it has no side effects.

• A Sleep Schedule – Too many long nights at the computer can lead to a breakdown of certain immune functions and metabolic functions that are not fully understood yet. Sleep time is the body’s rebuilding time. Make sure you have enough sleep to adequately rejuvenate, especially if you are in the middle of your quit plan. Your body is busy detoxifying itself; give it the rest it needs to complete the job.

• A Diet – I don’t mean you need to lose weight here. If you think about it, everyone is on some sort of diet, and the purpose of a diet is to give your body what it needs to properly function. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially since recent research indicates micronutrients, such as chlorophyll, have health benefits.

During the quitting process these may seem difficult to fit in, but it may make all the difference in sticking with, or falling away from your quit plan. No matter how you handle stress, be sure to talk to your doctor. He or she can discuss what you can do to best manage the level of stress in your life.