The Stress Test

Are you sick of stress-relief advice? Tired of being told to relax in a warm bath and dab yourself with aromatherapy oils? Stress affects different personalities in different ways, so one person’s sure-fire solution may leave you feeling more wound-up than ever.
If your doctor has prescribed an exercise stress test to monitor how your heart performs during activity, there are a few things you should do before the test:
• For at least 3 hours prior to the stress test, don’t eat or smoke. And don’t drink anything that contains alcohol or caffeine.
• Do not use Viagra within 24 hours of the test. Nitro-glycerine (sometimes given during a stress test) may interact with Viagra, resulting in a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
• Unless your doctor has instructed otherwise, take all of your other medications as you normally would.
• You’ll be exercising during the test, so wear appropriate clothing, including comfortable shoes or sneakers and loose workout clothes
• For the test itself, electrodes that monitor your heart’s activity will be applied to your chest, and you will pedal, walk or run on a machine while your heart rate is monitored

The best way for me to check if you are suffering from stress (you will find more detailed information on http://www.manage-anxiety.com) is simply by acknowledging if you notice some of the following signs and symptoms:
 Feeling sweaty or shivery
 Pounding heart or palpitations
 Needing to go to the toilet a lot more than normal
 Feeling sick in the stomach (Having butterflies)
 Dry mouth
 Exhaustion
 Old aches and pains
 Smoking or drinking more
 Working to exhaustion
 Headaches
 No time for hobbies any more
 Being irritable at everything
 Thinking “I can’t cope with this anymore”
 Loss of appetite for food, fun or sex
 Eating too much or too little
 Loss of sense of humour
 Loss of interest in personal appearance
 Loss of interest in other people
 A feeling that everything is pointless
 Tearfulness
 Forgetfulness
 Feeling tired and having no energy
 Difficulty in sleeping, disturbed sleep and waking up unusually early

In prehistoric times, this bodily reaction to stress was exactly what was needed. This is attributed to physiological changes that occurred to the body when danger appeared. Chemicals, especially adrenalin, were released into body and prepared it for fight or flight. The heart beat faster; blood supply was transferred from the non-essential to the essential; from the skin and digestive organs to the muscles and the head.
The resulted both in clearer, swifter thinking and faster, stronger muscular responses.
The lungs took in more oxygen, breathing became more rapid, and the body anticipated keeping cool by increasing perspiration. Once the danger had passed or fighting or fleeing had occurred (successfully!), the bodily functions reverted to normal.
In prehistoric times, these bodily responses were vital for survival. Then the energy generated by stress was utilized in physical action.
Today, however, the problems and stresses that we experience have changed radically and can rarely be resolved with physical action. We are not designed to operate effectively in this hi-tech world. Hunting for food is now replaced by jostling with our trolleys in supermarkets!
Psychological stresses lead to the same bodily state of arousal as does fight and flight, but mostly without any accompanying physical activity to use up the adrenalin and energy made available. When this stress is prolonged, physical and mental damage will occur, sometimes resulting in serious disease.
The reason why you need to be educated as much as possible about it and have the right “tools” to use to defend yourself from it or eliminate it.
By using the Anxiety Management manual from http://www.manage-anxiety.com, you will indeed be prepared and take action accordingly to the situations that will arise on a daily basis.
Remember, this is all in your head and only YOU can deal with it. No pills, no oils, will ever eliminate it.