Stress
StressHealthy Computer Use: How to Avoid Body Strain
How Stressed Out are Americans
Massage Therapy for Pain and Stress Relief
Sleep Better Tonight for a Better Day Tomorrow
Take a Break (Give yourself a relaxation break right now with this beautiful four minute long pictoral presentation set to music.)
Relaxation Exercises (Several different recordings of breathing, relaxation and mindfulness exercises that you can listen to and practice from your computer)
Yoga at Your Desk (Three short videos demonstrating yoga postures that can be done at your desk. Great for study or work breaks.)
Stress: Coping with Everyday Problems
Coping
with Stress Checklist
How to Cope with the Stress of Life (This article "How
Stress Affects the Body" from the Women's Complete Healthbook
is provided on this website of the American Medical Women's Association. The
contents include: What the Hypothalamus Does, Why Women are So Vulnerable, How
to Cope with Stress, How to Change Your Behavior, How to Turn off the Physical
Symptoms of Stress, Listen to your Body, and The Physical Signs of Stress.)
Free Tai Chi Easy (TM) sessions
Overwhelmed by things stressing you out in your life? Some stress can be good when it energizes you to get things done and you feel good. But too much stress can be harmful to your emotional and physical health.
Here are some tips on how to deal with too much stress and restore a healthy balance in your life:
SOOTHING TOUCH
By Lynn Mucha, MSW, CICSW
Imagine this: It's been a terrible week, you're overwhelmed, stressed and worried about a project due next week. You feel panicked, your muscles tense and before you know it you have a raging tension headache. But wait, there's relief available! Now imagine that you are in a comfortable room with low lights and soft relaxing music, you close your eyes and drift away as a massage therapist works the stress and tensions from the aching muscles in your neck, back and shoulders……Ahhhhhhh, relief! It's closer than you think. In fact, it's right on the corner of Prairie and Starin where University Health and Counseling Services is now offering a new Massage Therapy service.
HOW CAN MASSAGE HELP?
If you're feeling stressed or anxious, overwhelmed, have sore muscles, tension
headaches, or sports related muscle aches, then perhaps you could benefit from
the art of massage therapy. In fact, massage has been proven to release muscle
tension, promote relaxation and enhance emotional and physical well being. Here's
how it works, When we experience a stressful incident our body has a "fight
or flight" or "stress response". Massage helps to bring the body
back to a relaxation response thus, helping the body return to normal and elevating
the symptoms caused by stress such as muscle tension. By the way, massage is
also beneficial for healthy skin, blood circulation, joint mobility, muscle
flexibility and speeds recovery from strenuous physical exertion commonly experience
by athletes.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I GET A MASSAGE?
One of the first things that will occur is the massage therapist asking
you "What benefit do you hope to get from you massage today?" The
therapist will want to know if stress relief is your primary goal, if you have
areas that are tense, if you have athletic or other muscle soreness. Feel free
to be specific and let the therapist know exactly the benefit you're looking
for. This will help the therapist focus techniques on the areas that will provide
the MOST benefit to YOU.
At the University Health and Counseling Services two forms of massage available
both utilizing a classic Swedish massage technique that contains long fluid
strokes and kneading movements.
A 15 minute chair massage
- Person is fully clothed
- Person is seated in a special massage chair
- No oil or lotion is used
- Focus is on the upper body- head, arms, neck, back, shoulders
A 25-minute or 50 minute body massage
- Person is partial or fully unclothed and a sheet is draped over them to
cover their body. The sheet if then moved to expose only the area the therapist
is working on. The genital areas and buttock is never exposed.
NOTE: In all cases your comfort is of utmost importance. Remain fully clothed
is always an option and your decision. Do not hesitate to tell the therapist
what feels right for YOU!
- The massage occurs on a special massage table
- Oil or lotion is usually used.
Give yourself permission to RELAX, meditate, daydream breath deeply and let go of the worries of the day!
To make an appointment for a massage at the UHCS just call 472-1305. Each massage therapist at UHCS is Licensed by the State of Wisconsin and certified by a bodywork association. The cost for a 15-minute chair massage is $ 10.00, and the cost for a 25 or 50 minute massage is $15.00 and $30.00 respectively. Gift certificates make great presents and can be purchased at UHCS. 2005
Sleep Better Tonight for a Better
Day Tomorrow
By Marilyn J. Kile, LCSW
Yes, what you’ve been told your whole life is true. You need 8 hours of
sleep at night to function at your optimum (about 1% of us can get by with 6
hours and another 1% need 10 hours).
Before the invention of the light bulb, most people got 9 ½ hours of sleep per night. Now it is closer to 7 hours. Add TV, 24 hour convenience stores and computers and we are becoming a sleep deprived nation.
Not getting enough sleep can make you more than tired and cranky. The Exxon Valdez oil spill, the chemical disaster at Bhopal and the nuclear incidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island all happened between midnight and 4 am, which are the best hours (darkest night) for human beings to sleep. OK, maybe you don’t have that level of responsibility but do you drive a car?
Think about what you want. Do you want to have energy for sports, parties and friends? Want to feel well enough to travel, participate in student organizations and service learning? Want to be able to concentrate and remember well enough to get good grades and graduate in 4 years? Well, the truth is you need an adequate amount of good quality sleep to do that.
Just having your head on the pillow for 8 hours does not mean you are getting enough sleep. If your sleep is frequently interrupted you won’t get adequate time in all 5 sleep phases and you could wake up exhausted not rested.
Here are some tips for getting enough sleep.
First of all, if you can nap, only nap in the early to middle hours of the afternoon, a time when most people feel drowsy. Nap for at least 15 minutes but no more than 2 hours. Then you should still be able to get a full night’s sleep.
Don’t smoke, consume caffeine, drink alcohol or exercise 4 or 5 hours before your bedtime. Do exercise early in the day.
Sleep in a comfortable bed with a good mattress, Make sure your sleeping space is quiet, dark and a comfortable temperature. Invest in ear plugs and an eye mask if you have to.
Develop a “getting ready to sleep routine” of grooming and undressing. Practice a form of relaxation such as deep breathing, meditation or imagery when you crawl into bed. Don’t watch TV or read exciting literature in bed.
Finally, give yourself permission to forget your problems until morning and drift off to sleep. Sweet dreams. 2006
How Stressed Out are Americans
Heathy U, Issue 2, Sept. 2005
• Forty-three percent of adults
suffer adverse health effects from stress.
• Two-thirds of all office visits to family physicians are due to stress-related
symptoms.
• Sixty-four percent of American say they are taking steps to reduce stress
in their lives.
• Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death—heart disease,
cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. Source:
“Mind/Body Health: Did You Know?” American Psychological Association,
www.apahelpcenter.org.
There are CD’s DVD’s, tape and brochures on relaxation practices available in the Wellness Resource Center in the Ambrose Health Center lobby. They can be checked out by students, staff and faculty for 2 weeks for no change. Click here for a complete list of materials Resource Center
Healthy Computer
Use: How to Avoid Body Strain
Healthy U, Issue 3, Sept. 2005
Do you sit still for long periods
of time working at a computer? Our bodies were not designed for this. As a result,
computing can lead to body strain and aching.
The American Physical Therapy Association suggests these tips to help relieve
the strain of computing:
• Stand up every 20-30 minutes and do some gentle stretching.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor. Use a footrest if necessary.
• Avoid “hovering” or excessive tension in your arms and hands
when you are using your keyboard.
• Keep your mouse at the same level as your keyboard and close to your
body.
• Watch for lighting glare.
• Follow the 20-20-20 rule—blink 20 times and stare 20 feet away
from your computer screen every 20 minutes.
• Avoid frequent neck turning and awkward neck positions.
• Keep your posture erect.
• Keep your trunk muscles strong.
Source: “Healthy Computer Use: Tips from Physical Therapists,” American
Physical Therapy Association, www.apta.org.
Massage Therapy
for Pain and Stress Relief
Healthy U, Issue 3, Sept. 2005
Looking for an alternative to drugs for pain or stress relief? More Americans are turning to massage therapy to reduce pain. Massage therapy is also growing in popularity for stress-related tension relief and relaxation.
According to the Associated Bodywork
and Massage Professionals (ABMP) organization, massage therapy has many healthful
benefits, such as:
• Increasing circulation
• Stimulating the lymph system to help the body fight toxic invaders
• Relaxing and softening injured and sore muscles
• Reducing spasms and cramping
• Reducing recovery time and pain for athletes following strenuous workouts
• Increasing joint flexibility
• Releasing endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller
• Improving range of motion and decreasing discomfort for individuals
with low-back pain
• Relieving pain for migraine suffers
• Providing exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles
In addition to the physical benefits, massage provides much needed caring touch
that is often absent in today’s world. Safe and caring touch provides
a human connection that promotes relaxation and emotional well-being.
Licensed massage therapists offer services in the Ambrose Health Center on Wednesdays
2:30 - 6:30pm and Fridays, 9:30am - 4:30pm. Call 472-1305 for an appointment.
For more information on the benefits of massage go to www.massagetherapy.com
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This site is not meant to replace the advice of a health care or counseling professional. You should not rely on any information on these pages, or information generated for you by this site, to replace consultations with qualified professionals regarding your own specific situation.
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For health care questions, do not email, please call 262-472-1300 menu option 4
Updated: 09/04/2008
University Health & Counseling Services
For Comments: brueggek@uww.edu