Stress Management

CDR Mark Mittauer

Enabling Objectives

Identify causes of stressDiscuss the harmful effects of stressDiscuss how to eliminate avoidable

sources of stressDiscuss how to adjust to unavoidable

sources of stress

Enabling Objectives (cont.)

Discuss techniques for improving assertiveness

Discuss techniques for better anger management

Describe and practice three stress management exercises

Causes of Stress

What are sources of stress in your life?Stress may result from daily hassles Stress may result from major life eventsStress may result from welcome life

events (e.g., promotion, marriage)CHANGE is a major source of stress

Harmful Effects of Stress

Illness - infections, cancer progression, high blood pressure, obesity from overeating, heart disease, ulcers

Fatigue - that may lead to mistakes and injury or death

Useful Stress

Stress can be helpful when it motivates us to accomplish a task now!

Symptoms of Stress

PhysicalEmotional CognitiveBehavioral

Physical Symptoms of Stress

muscle tensionheadache fatigue sleep problemsgastrointestinal problemshigh blood pressure

Emotional Symptoms of Stress

irritability arguing anxiety depression lack of enjoyment mood swings suicidal thoughts homicidal thoughts

Cognitive Symptoms of Stress

inattentiondistractibility forgetfulnessconfusionpoor concentration

Behavioral Symptoms of Stress

social isolation work problems conflicts with coworkers, friends, and loved

ones unhealthy habits - overeating, alcohol misuse,

nicotine use, caffeine misuse, workaholism aviator: conflicts with peers, disregarding rules

and checklists

Better Stress Coping

Eliminate avoidable causes of stressHandle unavoidable causes of stress

more effectively

Avoidable Causes of Stress

NicotineAlcoholOvereatingCaffeineSleep problems

Nicotine

Chewing tobacco (“dip”) can cause mouth or lip cancer

Exhaled “secondhand” smoke can cause lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory infections in nonsmoking bystanders

Smokers miss twice as much work as nonsmokers due to illness

Nicotine (cont.)

The medical effects of nicotine use should be well known

Children exposed to smoke develop colds, ear infections, asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia

To stop smoking - talk to a medical department representative about smoking cessation classes and nicotine replacement products

Alcohol

Medical problems from alcoholism - depression, liver disease, ulcers, high blood pressure

Almost one half of sailors who suicide are drunk

A blood alcohol level of .15 increases your chance of a car wreck 24 times

NATOPS 3710.7Q: no alcohol within 12 hours of flight planning; no hangover!

Alcohol (cont.)

Drinking only two drinks at bedtime causes less restful sleep - leading to fatigue the next day

If you drink too much - talk to your command DAPA or medical department representative, or visit Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Overeating

Medical problems from overeating - obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high lipid levels

Strict dieting or fasting does not result in sustained weight loss - your metabolism slows and you regain weight when you resume “normal” eating

Overeaters’ Anonymous may help

Overeating (cont.)

Commercial weight reduction programs and diets are costly and no more effective

Eat three meals a day - to avoid evening binges Select a high fiber, low fat diet Cut calories by using sugar substitutes, sugar-free

sodas, fat-free salad dressing, and skim milk; avoid gravy, deserts

Healthy snacks - carrots, celery, pickles, lettuce, fruit

Caffeine

Caffeine increases your alertness for several hours - but then causes increased fatigue

Health problems from caffeine use - high blood pressure, anxiety, irritability, withdrawal headaches, sleep problems

Insomnia may result from any caffeine use after noon

Mountain Dew, chocolate, and tea have caffeine

Caffeine (cont.)

Decrease your caffeine intake to two or less cups of coffee (or the equivalent) per day

Decrease your caffeine use by eliminating one cup of coffee from your daily intake every few days

Sleep Problems

80% of Americans do not get enough sleep Poor sleep causes fatigue, irritability,

depression, work inefficiency, and accidents Optimal sleep - 8 to 8.5 hours per night

(need minimum of 5 hours to avoid performance difficulties - especially for sedentary persons making complex decisions or needing to be attentive)

More Sleep Facts:

Causes of fatigue:

1) sleep debt

2) circadian rhythm disruption

3) prolonged effort (mental, physical)Myths about sleep:

1) cannot “bank” sleep

2) wakeful rest does not replace sleep

Even More Sleep Facts:

Symptoms of sleep deprivation:

1) hallucinations (REM intrudes into day)

2) excessive yawning

3) impaired concentration and memory

4) head bobbing (due to “microsleep”) Remedy for sleep deprivation:

1) caffeine

2) naps for 60 minutes max (if longer, allow 20 minutes to reach alert state)

How to Improve Sleep

avoid heavy exercise and alcohol before bed avoid caffeine use after noon go to bed and awaken at the same time if unable to fall in 30 minutes, arise and read until you

feel sleepy avoid naps longer than 30 - 60 minutes relax for 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime relaxation techniques may induce sleep do not check your alarm clock during night

How to Approach Unavoidable Stress

Try specific stress management techniques discussed later

Change your outlook on how you view stress

Specific Stress Management Techniques

Talk to someone (friend, chaplain, mentor, Family Service Center counselor, flight surgeon)

Create a support network of friends Schedule fun activities - noncompetitive hobby,

reading, music, sightseeing Schedule down time when you have no other

activities planned Introduce spirituality into your life

Specific Techniques (cont.)

Volunteer to help someone - your life will feel meaningful

Aerobic Exercise (biking, running, walking, swimming, aerobics) at least 30 minutes three times a week - improves mood and mental alertness and relieves tension

Unclutter your brain - keep an appointment book; write down tasks and prioritize them

Allow extra time (arise 10 minutes earlier)

Improve Time Management

review your calendar and list of tasks daily prioritize your tasks tackle difficult or irksome tasks first have an agenda for meetings - develop time limits for

each agenda item avoid taking office work home work efficiently - you do not have to complete all

tasks perfectly make a “plan of attack” and set milestones

Reduce Job Stress

Remember that your job is important (hull technician example)

Be cheerful - the world will not end if you are grim and serious all the time!

Praise your coworkers often - with formal and informal awards

Take “fun breaks” at work - talk to someone or review pictures of momentos of fun times

Reduce Job Stress (cont.)

Divide the work day into “time chunks” Plan a fun activity after work Delegate work to others If you fall behind, request help and inform your

supervisor Set limits on what you are asked to do Establish realistic goals If you feel overwhelmed, do something!

Change Your Outlook on Stress

When you feel stressed - take a break, breathe slowly, walk around

View life as a challenge or opportunity to excel - and not as a crisis

When something goes wrong - think of three ways the situation could be worse

Live life “one day at a time” - do not dwell on past mistakes, worry about the future, or wait (miserably) for future happiness

Change Your Outlook (cont.)

Learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of life Do not wait for others to make you happy

(maintain an internal locus of control) You cannot control how you feel - but you can

control what you do with those feelings and how long you keep them (example: when you are angry, do something fun after 30 minutes)

Find the positive part of every situation

Change Your Outlook (cont.)

Stop wasting time worrying - develop a plan to approach the problem and do something

Be prepared to wait - carry book to read, a portable cassette player, or hobby materials

Be wary of “the grass is always greener” syndrome before you leave your current situation

Always have a back-up plan Decide now what is really important

Faulty Thinking Causes Stress

Catastrophizing - anticipating a terrible outcome; overexagerating the importance of a situation

“I can’t stand it” - deciding that you cannot handle a situation, without trying

- alternative: “I can handle this!” “Should” statements

e.g. “I should always be happy”

- alternative: “I’m human. I am allowed to

make a mistake or have a bad day.”

Faulty Thinking (cont.)

“Beating yourself up” about past mistakes that you cannot change

Worrying about situations over which you have no control, or cannot change

e.g., “If only I had 20/20 vision” Overgeneralizing - viewing one negative event as

predicting a never-ending pattern of defeat

e.g., “My girlfriend dumped me. I will never date again!”

Faulty Thinking (cont.)

Emotional reasoning - thinking, “I feel it, so it must be true.”

e.g., “I am anxious today, so something terrible will happen!”

Personalizing - blaming yourself for something that is not your fault

Fairness fallacy - becoming angry when something disappoints you because you think, “life is supposed to be fair!”

How to Correct Faulty Thinking

Recognize your faulty thought patternsReplace irrational ideas with more

accurate and realistic ideas

Anger Management

You can choose to control how you express your anger (others won’t respect you if you curse, yell, or use violence - and you are too important to let situations control you)

Speak calmly when disagreeing If you are about to lose control - count to

“10” slowly, breathe deeply, and walk away if necessary

Anger Management (cont.)

Set limits on how long you choose to be angry - then do something nice for yourself

When you disagree with someone, stick to the present issue (and avoid dredging up past hurts)

Criticize someone’s behavior, not their character

Assertiveness/Better Communication

Ask for what you desire Refuse a “tasker” if you do not really want to

do it, or if you lack the time to do it well When you make a request, give a reason Be specific with your request (tell the receiver

exactly what you want done) Be a good listener - give your full attention,

show interest, and summarize what you heard

Relaxation Techniques

Slow deep breathingProgressive muscle relaxationGuided imagery

Slow Deep Breathing

Inhale slowly through your mouth or nose for 5 seconds, while allowing your stomach to push out

Without pausing, exhale slowly for 5 seconds, and tell yourself to relax

Perform this techniques for at least 5 minutes whenever you feel stressed, angry, anxious, overwhelmed, or unable to sleep

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Sit in a comfortable chair or lie downPractice slow deep breathing for

several minutesThen, tighten and relax each major

muscle group in turn (you may choose to relax each muscle group twice)

Guided Imagery

Practice slow deep breathing for several minutes

Then, practice progressive muscle relaxationFinally, imagine yourself in a pleasant,

relaxing setting (example, the beach)Use all of your senses to observe your

surroundings

Any Questions?

Finis