One of my favorite books about stress was written by Robert Sapolsky and is called \u201cWhy Zebras Don\u2019t Get Ulcers.\u201d Sapolsky makes the point that when a zebra\u2019s stressor has passed\u2014for example, once the lion that was chasing it has been left behind\u2014it stops thinking about that stressor. People, on the other hand, worry about upcoming bills, relationship struggles, aches and pains, and maybe there really are lions out there! We can always find something potentially dangerous to worry about and our body responds as though we are being threatened even when we\u2019re perfectly safe.<\/p>\n
In fact, we can start a stress response in our body by picturing something that didn\u2019t actually hurt us, like a close call on a recent drive or a medical test that showed nothing was wrong. Noticing our tendency to anticipate the worst, Mark Twain remarked, \u201cI\u2019ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
When you find yourself experiencing stress, consider what\u2019s causing it. Is it something that requires an immediate response? Is it thinking about something that happened years ago or a possible event that hasn\u2019t happened yet (and may never happen)? If so, what if you closed your eyes, took some deep breaths, and noticed you were safe?<\/p>\n
Looking for ways to lower your stress response and perhaps relieve unnecessary tension? Consider taking a few minutes with Licensed Acupuncturist Stephanie Gregory from the VA Portland Health Care System in this acupressure self-care for headaches video.<\/p>\n