June 16, 2011

Men’s Health Week Ambassador Wade Jackson gives expert advice on real world ways to de-stress NOW

Brain research shows that women have a much bigger worry wart centre than men, however men don’t manage stress as well as women. This is reflected in the dire suicide statistics for Kiwi males. Men often don’t have the support networks women do, such as a go-to friend when things are getting on top of them.

While society says it’s okay for men to need help and to ask for it, there can often be a lag between saying something is acceptable and tangible change in social behaviour. A man can often still feel a failure for needing help. We have been taught to be silent. But being silent won’t help us. Men need to acknowledge when we aren’t coping and we need to reach out.

While stress isn’t a problem in and of itself, the way we deal with it can be. Stress can be a precursor to many greater problems. If you are experiencing any of the following, you are probably stressed: Poor sleep; irritation; stuck thinking; outbursts of high emotion whether it be tears or anger. These are all signs of stress.

Here are a few tips you can put into action immediately if you are feeling stressed.

1. Breathe.
This will give you some immediate relief to stress. Our mind-body connection is very strong and stress will create shallow breathing, the toxins will stay in our bodies and that will cloud our thinking. So, take some slow deep breaths, breathing deeply and diaphragmatically into your stomach. This will calm your mind and your nervous system.

2. Move.
Raise your sternum up.
If you’re sitting at the computer, change your state physiologically and this will change the quality of your thoughts. Do some gentle exercise like taking a walk. The greater the stress, the more vigorous the exercise could be.

3. Be grateful
Look at your situation. What is there that you can show gratitude for? Really feel that you are grateful in your body.

4. Reframe
Check the quality of your thoughts. What is the story you’re telling yourself about what’s happening? How can you change that story? What is the good meaning here?

Relieving yourself of stress is not about being a Pollyanna and never having negative thoughts. It’s about gaining control of the situation and managing your thoughts, emotions and behaviour more effectively.

FACT SHEET

• NZ Men live on average 4 years less than women, and yet still remain much less likely to talk to a GP about their health
• Latest statistics available tell us that two New Zealand men die every hour of a preventable illness; with death rates for Maori men double that of non-Maori (Statistics NZ)
• In New Zealand the suicide rate for men is 3 times that of women. Ministry of Health figures show that an alarmingly high number of suicide victims are men. Seventy seven percent of the 483 people who killed themselves in 2007 were men.
• 6 out of 10 New Zealand males are overweight
• Nearly a quarter of New Zealand men smoke
• 27% of men have potentially hazardous drinking patterns
• Men have fewer years free from disability and poor health (Health and Independence Report 2005, MOH).
• Latest research shows that men are at greater risk of stroke than women, with stroke being the second biggest single cause of death and the largest cause of disability in adults in New Zealand. We've got to get more men taking the simple steps to prevent early death and disability.

www.menshealthweek.co.nz

ENDS

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