If Stress Becomes Overwelming
When stress becomes overwhelming, it is okay to turn to others for professional help. The Wellness Resource Lab, WRC 104, might be a good place to start. Health educators on staff can help locate self-help resources and provide referral.
In addition, UNI has an excellent counseling staff that can serve your needs.Counseling services are confidential and provided free of charge to students who have paid the Student Health Fee.
What Is Stress?
The word "stress" has many different connotations and definitions. In common usage, it refers to two different things:
1. situations that trigger physical and emotional reactions
(often called a "stressor") and
2. the reactions themselves (known as a "stress response").
The first mistake is to believe all stress is negative or bad. People need some stress in their lives. It is a fact of life. It is stimulating, increases our adrenaline, and adds excitement!
Different people have different stress levels that are appropriate for them. Some people need more stress in their lives than others. It is important to find a balance that works best for you.
Symptoms Of Stress |
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Identifying Stressors |
Take a moment to think about the stressors in your life. Sometimes it helps to identify what they are so we can begin to relieve stress before it warrants medical attention! |
Common Stressors |
Ways To Relieve Stress |
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Take Charge Of Your Stress
By taking charge of our stress, we can deal with the stressors of our everyday lives. Try these simple suggestions to start taking charge!
- Make a list of what's going on in your life and prioritize what is really important. Take time to look at the big picture and ask yourself, "Will this really matter in a week, a month, a year?"
- List your values. Do your values match up with the list of things that are causing stress in your life? i.e. would it make decision making easier to choose to do things based on your value system?
- Check your timing: figure out what you can and cannot let go of now.
- Make an action plan and do it! This can mean prioritizing, delegating tasks, setting aside time for yourself, learning how to say "no" to others, etc.
Stress Reliever Recipes
STRESS BALLOONS
You will need: Balloons, Funnel, & Flour.
1. Blow balloon up a little and release the air (this stretches the balloon).
2. Place the balloon over tip of funnel.
3. Pour flour into the funnel.
4. Push flour into balloon (make sure to squeeze out the air).
5. When balloon is desired size, take balloon off the funnel and tie it.
NECK ROLLS
You will need: Knee length sock, Rice or any legumes, Lavender, sage, or other relaxing scents, and Wide mouth funnel.
1. Fill socks with rice, add scent, and secure end.
2. Microwave for 10-20 seconds.
3. This provides stress reducing comfort for the neck.
BATH SALTS
You will need: ¾ cup Epsom salts, ¼ cup baking soda, 1 ½ cup coarse sea salt, and10 drops essential oils
1. In a large bowl, combine salts and baking soda.
2. Add food coloring and scents.
3. Stir mixture together. The drop of food coloring will break up and distribute the salt.
4. Pour salt through funnel into large glass bottle.
Stress Management Resources
(found in the Wellness Resource Lab, WRC 104)
Relaxation Room
This quiet room has recliners, dim lighting, a reflection fountain, and a CD/Tape player
to listen to relaxation tapes and/or music. Quiet Oasis is an audio-tape developed by
Martha Colwell which incorporates four stress management techniques:
1) Breathing exercises
2) Progressive muscle relaxation
3) Autogenic exercises
4) Imagery.
This tape is 30 minutes of music with narration, or 30 minutes of music only. Videos
Stress Management Videos
"Manage It!" 6 video series. Topics include stress traps, stress overload, interpersonal conflict, addictive patterns, job stress, and survival skills. Other videos include:
"Success with Stress: Take charge of Your Life"
"Success with Stress: Manage a Fast-Paced Life"
"Success with Stress: Develop New Stress Skills"
"Efficient Time Management"
"Lighten-Up"
"A Day Away from Stress"
"Stress: Keeping Your Cool"
"Handling Stress Today and Tomorrow" and
"Earth Prayers: Stress Reduction."
The Wellness Lab has a TV/VCR to preview videos. You may check out media for five days.
Books
Stress Management Books
We have several books on stress management.
Wellness Lab Stress Management Books
Pamphlets
Many different pamphlets are available on stress. Ask a desk assistant to help you find what you are looking for.
Reproducible Stress Management Worksheets
Life Skill Builders by Parlay International has a very nice selection of worksheets on stress
ranging from stress effects, signals of distress, time management, relaxation techniques,
massage techniques, and more.
Peer Health Educator Programs
Peer Health Educators are students trained in facilitating such programs as massage, stress management, as well as empathy belly, organ donation, fatal vision, and condom sense. Call the Wellness Lab at 273-6119 to schedule a program for your house at UNI. Please call 2 weeks in advance.