Stress is Not Created Equal

Learn to Keep Stress in Check

"I'm so stressed out." Sound familiar? Stress is unavoidable but you don't have to be a slave to it. Read on for the steps you can take to keep stress in check.

Stress? What stress?
The source matters.

The degree of stress you feel is driven by the source of that stress. According to Dr. Waguih William IsHak, Medical Director of Cedars-Sinai's Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Services, scientists have developed ways to quantify the relative weight of different life events stressors. For example, the highest stress values are assigned to traumatic situations such as the death of a child or spouse, divorce, marital separation, and serious injury or illness. Lower-level stress stems from the stuff of everyday life - juggling roles as wife, mother and working professional, contending with snarled traffic and trying to make financial ends meet.

The symptoms of stress may include:

  • headaches
  • sleep disorders
  • difficulty concentrating
  • irritability
  • upset stomach
  • job dissatisfaction
  • anxiety
  • depression
Depression is of particular concern because, as Dr. IsHak points out, "Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men." According to the American Psychiatric Association, to be considered clinically depressed, a person must exhibit a persistent sad or depressed mood almost daily for at least a two-week period, causing significant distress or interfering with fuctioning at work or at home. Also, at least four of the following symptoms also must be present:
  • significant weight loss or weight gain
  • insomnia, hypersomnia (sleeping excessively), or early morning awakening
  • psychomotor agitation (pacing, hand wringing, tugging at clothes) or slowness
  • loss of energy or fatigue
  • feelings of guilt or worthlessness
  • difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering or making decisions
  • recurrent thoughts of death, suicide, a suicide attempt or a specific suicide plan
Doctors can consider medical conditions or the effects of medications or other substances that could cause depression. Medical conditions involved in depression often include decreased thyroid function, hormonal imbalance, and cardiovascular problems. Substances that could cause depression include alcohol and corticosteroids.

Keeping stress in check

While stress is a part of life, it can be managed. Since long-term stress can adversely affect your health, it is important to keep stress at a simmer. Rules of thumb include:

  • Manage your time - Don't overbook yourself. While you may wish otherwise, there are still only 24 hours in a day.
  • Exercise regularly - Regular exercise will help you slip into those summer shorts and boost your brain's output of chemicals that counteract the effects of stress hormones.
  • Get adequate sleep - Getting a good night's sleep brings a bounty of benefits: improved judgment; increased energy; reduced levels of stress hormones; and it's free!
  • Eat a healthy diet - Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Avoid the usual suspects - high-sugar, high-fat snacks. And if you're feeling cranky, cut the caffeine.
  • Be assertive - "Yes" is a lovely word, but "no" is much more useful for managing stress. When you've reached your physical or emotional tipping point - and the requests keep rolling in - just say "no."
  • Relax - Even if it's for only a few minutes a day, find some time to kick back - read a magazine, take a bath, gab with a girlfriend.
  • Live in the now - We can't change the past and can't predict the future, so don't try. Instead, focus on the present, particularly the positive.
Dr. IsHak also urges women to seek professional help if severe stress has prompted clinical depression. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments available - from relaxation training to psychotherapy and medications.

Resources at Cedars-Sinai

For more information on women's health matters, any of the programs and services listed, or a referral to a Cedars-Sinai physician or program, call 1-800-CEDARS-1 (1-800-233-2771)