Issue date: May 9, 1999

In this article:
Disarm distress

Surprise: Stress is good

Stress keeps you young. Use it to your advantage.

By Lydia Strohl

ou've heard stress contributes to 80% of major illness, is responsible for 75% to 90% of doctor's visits and costs businesses as much as $300 billion a year.

But that's not stress; it's distress.

"Stress is the only anti-aging agent we know of - the exact opposite of what we think," says psychologist James E. Loehr, author of Stress for Success.

Stress is a biochemical reaction, the fight-or-flight adrenal rush that readies a body for short-term challenges, such as a tired pilot making an emergency landing. The adrenal gland releases cortisol, which in the short term increases immune cells to kill damaged or infected cells.

Stress is essential. Life without it would be like having a brand-new cherry-red Porsche and driving it only in the driveway. Or having peas for dinner every night.

"What really brings happiness is meeting obstacles and overcoming them," says Emmett Miller, M.D., author of 10-Minute Stress Manager.

The damage occurs when stress levels never go down. A recent study showed it took nine days longer for the constantly stressed family caregivers of chronically ill patients to heal from wounds than it took other people the same age. And because the world is relentless in doling out stress, it's easier to be ready for it than to control all those random forces.

"It's not stress that's the issue; it's insufficient intermittent recovery," counsels Loehr. "Develop the mentality of the sprinter: See the goal line, give it all you got and love it, then shut down and recover."

The key to taking stress head-on, say Loehr and Miller, is being relaxed. The traditional vacation week off here or there is not enough to really recharge. Power vacations are the ticket, even if they're just changing venues for an afternoon. Take off on a Saturday; even make a business trip relaxing. Make mini "vacations" routine, even if it's just taking five at your desk.

You don't have to go anywhere at all, physically, as long as your mind is somewhere else. Build routines into your day that relax you, like absolutely, positively sitting down for breakfast in a pretty corner of the kitchen. Or bicycling to work.

With that preparation, you are open to court challenges the rest of the day.

Go to the top

Disarm distress

Eat right. Small, low-fat meals of protein and complex carbohydrates are best.
Stephen E. Langer, M.D., a stress specialist in Berkeley, Calif., suggests taking two to four high-potency multivitamins with at least 25 milligrams B-complex and trace minerals daily.

Sleep. Studies at Walter Reed Army Medical Center found sleep-deprived people presented with small stressors eventually will snap - even at something as minor as getting a vending-machine sandwich after being promised a steak.

Walk. Exercise appears to stimulate the production of "opioids" that block the release of stress hormones. It also raises levels of endorphins, mood-enhancing brain chemicals.

Talk. Breast-cancer survivors involved in support groups go on to live, on average, twice as long as those without that foundation. Also: A good chuckle can lower cortisol levels and protect the immune system.

Take charge. It's more effective in the long term than ignoring a situation.