| Conquer Holiday Stress
Tri-City Voice, December 12, 2007
Emotional Stress Can
Lead to Physical Symptoms If
Left Unchecked
Last minute shopping trips. Visits to
relatives. Traveling with young
children. A house full of guests.
Pressure from work.
The holiday season can be a stressful
time that we tend to write off as par
for the course. What we may not realize
until we’re in the doctor’s office is
that the added stress the holidays bring
can erode both physical and mental
well-being if it’s not addressed,
according to Dr. Hoang Trinh, Washington
Township Medical Group family practice
physician and medical director of
Nakamura Clinic, Union City.
Stress can take a toll on
health
"Stress can be the underlying force
of many physical illnesses,” Dr. Trinh
says. "Oftentimes, people feel tired or
fatigued from increasing demands at
work. Additionally, they may have
over-committed themselves between going
to work, shopping, worrying about the
kids and dealing with other pressures.
They begin going to sleep later, and if
they aren’t getting the appropriate
rest, it may suppress their immune
system. When you’re not eating well, not
exercising, not sleeping well, it will
make you more susceptible. It’s very
difficult to balance the demands of
travel, houseguests, shopping, cooking
and various other holiday issues without
feeling overwhelmed. And oftentimes, you
don’t realize those are the underlying
forces of what is bothering you.”
During the holiday season, Dr. Trinh
says he often sees an influx of patients
complaining of ailments such as
headaches, upper neck and back pain,
insomnia, anxiety and depression. Many
patients don’t immediately recognize
that their symptoms may be
stress-related.
Additionally, stress combined with
unhealthy eating habits during the
holidays can negatively impact
pre-existing conditions, such as high
blood pressure, diabetes and
cholesterol, according to Dr. Trinh.
While feelings of stress and
heightened anxiety during the holidays
can be expected, Dr. Trinh notes, he
emphasizes that how people choose to
deal with the stress is important.
Patients will oftentimes address the
physical symptoms of stress without
seeking out its root cause.
"If patients come in complaining of
headaches or feeling tired, they can
take something for the headache, but in
the end if they are not managing their
stress level, they’re going to continue
having headaches and feeling run down,”
he warns.
How to combat stress
naturally
Many patients can find relief from
stress-related aches and pains by making
some simple lifestyle adjustments or by
not letting themselves fall into bad
habits during the holidays.
Making healthy dietary choices can be
a good place to start, Dr. Trinh says.
He recommends people cut back on
caffeine, increase their fluid intake,
eat more fiber, consume less sodium,
choose foods lower in fats, and eat
fewer sugary items. Substances like
sugar and caffeine, he says can trigger
highs and lows in most people’s moods,
but making healthy food choices can
maximize how they feel.
In addition to good food choices, Dr.
Trinh encourages people to get at least
30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise,
such as walking or biking, a day. As the
days continue to shorten, he says many
people begin skipping their afternoon
walks or shun the gym when it’s dark and
cold. But regular exercise can serve as
another natural mood booster.
Other types of exercise, including
stretching and meditative activities
such as tai chi and yoga, can help
relieve tense muscles and induce
feelings of relaxation to counteract the
effects of holiday stress as well.
For people feeling particularly
vulnerable to stress, Dr. Trinh
recommends taking action to relax.
"If someone is complaining about
significant neck, back or shoulder pain,
I suggest massages and stretching
exercises,” he says. "For patients who
are visibly nervous, I suggest deep
breathing exercise or anything else that
relaxes them going in a dark room and
listening to relaxing music, burning
candles, spending time with a certain
person, counseling or even taking up a
hobby that they find that takes their
mind off of stressful issues.”
Getting to the root of the
problem
Over the long-term, stress can
adversely affect a person’s sleep-wake
cycle, leading to a variety of issues.
According to Dr. Trinh, when people are
not able to sleep well, the
psychological effects can include
anything from difficulty concentrating
at work to a nervous breakdown.
Treatments vary depending on the
individual, but in all cases, Dr. Trinh
says it’s important to tackle the
underlying issues causing the stress to
achieve results.
"There are certain anti-anxiety
medications that are very effective in
treating anxiety symptoms, but again,
you have to look at the root of the
problem,” he says. "Additionally, sleep
aids can help get the sleep-wake cycle
back in rhythm. Depending on the
symptoms, other treatments might include
physical therapy, stretching, muscle
relaxants and exercises. For someone who
is experiencing worsening depressive
symptoms after trying conservative
measures, I would recommend them seeking
professional psychiatric help. Depending
upon the individual case, if they are
experiencing signs of depression and
have ongoing problems, I will in some
cases treat them with antidepressants.”
Patients who might benefit from the
short-term immediate relief provided by
anti-anxiety medications are ones
experiencing symptoms such as
restlessness, palpitations, sweating and
chronic nervousness, but Dr. Trinh
stresses that unless they treat the
underlying cause of the anxiety, the
symptoms will return.
Overall, he says he usually tries to
remind patients during the holidays to
focus on the positive things in their
life rather than the negative.
"I tell them to try being more
positive and grateful for things they
have and try not to worry about things
that are out of their control,” says
Trinh. "Try to get enough rest. Stay
active and exercise. Eat well.”
Washington Hospital offers a number
of community seminars, health classes,
support groups and other resources. To
learn more, visit
www.whhs.comm, select "The
Community,” and click on "Community
Seminars & Health Classes.”
To find a physician in the community,
visit
www.whhs.com and click "Find a
Physician.” |
