Ways to Manage Stress in Your Senior Years

We all feel stress at some time. It might be due to the loss of a loved one, too many tasks to accomplish in a small amount of time or facing the loss of independence. No matter the cause, it affects everyone differently. However, the common thread is the impact on mental and physical health. This article looks at what stress is and some useful ways to manage it.

What is stress?

Stress is how your body reacts to an event that is out of your range of ‘normal’. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘fight or flight’ response and is described as a state of tension caused by a situation out of our control.

Everyone feels stress at some time, some to a higher degree than others. Excessive or extended feelings of stress can affect our physical and mental well-being, especially in seniors because there are more stressors as you age. The loss of a loved one, the loss of our previous physical capabilities and changes in our environment can bring on unsurmountable attacks of stress.

Therefore, it's crucial to identify the triggers that bring on stress so that it can be managed, whether professionally or personally.

Are you experiencing stress?

Some symptoms of stress are readily apparent and easily diagnosed, some are harder to identify as they may be caused by a physical problem.

Some of the more apparent symptoms of stress include:

• A change in sleep patterns – unable to fall asleep at your ‘normal’ bedtime, or difficulty in waking up in the morning.
• Becoming withdrawn – if you normally enjoy socializing, but are suddenly overwhelmed by the idea.
• Frequent headaches – a dull headache that seems to hang on or materializes when you are contemplating something worrying.
• Heart palpitations – the feeling of dread that makes your heart beat faster or irregularly.
• Frequent indigestion – if you find yourself searching for the antacids even though you’ve not eaten anything that warrants indigestion or an upset stomach.
• Teeth grinding – leads to soreness in your jaw and headaches.

Experiencing any of these symptoms for an extended period of time can lead to serious health problems including heart disease, gastrointestinal issues, asthma and depression. It has also been shown to progress Alzheimer’s Disease.

By learning to identify the symptoms you can control your reactions and lessen the negative effects on your body.

Techniques for managing stress

Once you have recognized that you are stressed and have hopefully identified the cause, there are several ways to reduce stress without taking medication so that you can start to live your life to your full potential. Here are some proven techniques you might want to try:

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of living in the moment. Start by identifying a quiet place that you can call your own. Only fill that place with things that bring you joy. When you are feeling stressed, go to ‘your place’.

Connect with friends or family

Visit with someone that understands you. With mobile phones and the internet, geographic borders are almost non-existent. It helps when you can talk freely about what is bothering you without fear of judgment. These conversations might even turn into laughter or tears, but either way you are releasing the pent up emotions causing your stress.

Take up a hobby

Pick up an old hobby that you didn’t have time for or find something new that interests you. Your focus will be on creating something unique and you will feel such a sense of accomplishment when it’s finished. You can work on your hobby alone or, even better, find a group of like-minded people to work with. The task will keep your mind working which will ward off dementia.

Enjoy nature

Take a walk, go to the park or just sit outside in your garden. Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells that are all free for the taking.

Declutter and organize

When you look around your home, do you see a well organized space where everything is in it’s proper place? Or do you see a lot of items that are not being used or enjoyed? A great way to reduce stress is to reduce the clutter. Pass on unwanted items to charity shops. You will find that by decluttering your physical space, you have also decluttered your mind.

Adopt healthy eating habits

Especially if you live alone, it’s easy to just grab a quick snack instead of preparing a meal. Sometimes you might ‘forget’ to eat altogether. Your body needs fuel to keep internal organs working and blood pumping. Cook larger portions of healthy meals and freeze some for days when you don’t feel like cooking. And stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid urinary tract infections.

It’s especially important for seniors to recognize and manage stress to promote healthy mental and physical wellness. By following the above techniques and pursuing professional help if needed, your senior years will be your golden years.