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In the December, 1997, issue of Tennessee
Trucking News, there appeared an article about dangerously aggressive driving,
commonly referred to as "road rage." The following sidebar accompanied the
article and included tips on handling stress.
Handle Your Stress Before It Handles You!
- Recognize stress. Learn what your body's responses
are to stress.
- Try to walk away from stressful situations.
- Avoid small annoyances. Try to eliminate small
stressful situations, such as driving in rush hour traffic.
- Don't make too many lifestyle changes at once.
If you are facing a big challenge (such as marriage or a new job) wait until you
have adjusted before taking on something else.
- Socialize and find a companion. Researchers find
that intimacy promotes health while isolation fosters stress, disease, and early death.
Participate and interact socially with people wherever and whenever you have the
opportunity.
- Eat well. Eat regularly and nutritiously.
Reduce the consumption of alcohol, sugar, and caffeine.
- Exercise regularly. Take time out to work out.
Physically fit people handle stress more easily.
- Stretch your body's muscles. Stretching is a
great way to loosen tight muscles, reduce body tension, and increase relaxation.
- Practice deep breathing. One of the body's
automatic reactions to stress is rapid, shallow breathing. Breathing slowly and
deeply is one of the ways you can turn off your stress reaction and turn on your
relaxation response.
- Get adequate rest. Take time outs. Don't
fill every minute with work and planned activities. When on the road, pull into a rest
stop and take a "mental break."
- Get enough sleep. Experts recommend six to eight
hours of sleep every night (or day).
- Maintain a sense of humor. Learn to laugh at the
situations that are creating your stress and at your reactions to them.
Reprinted courtesy of Leslie Bartholomew, Great West Casualty Company.
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