How Can We Cope With Increased Stress?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Regardless of what month it is, it always is a good time to check in with your mental health.

It is normal to feel stressed, frustrated, nervous or angry, especially following the pandemic. Over time, stress manifests as increased tension in our minds and bodies, and can disrupt our daily emotions, physical well-being and behaviors. However, healthy habits can minimize the impact of stress.

Physical Activity and Exercise

Multiple studies have shown a mix of aerobic and resistance activity is best for stress relief. When time is limited, any activity will do. Be creative and make the most of opportunities that arise throughout the day.

• Take the dog for a walk around the block.

• Use the stairs instead of the elevator at work.

• Do 30 minutes of parking-lot yoga, while waiting for a family member.

• Enjoy a stroll with your Saturday morning coffee.

These simple, exercise-based activities can have a large impact on stress reduction and your overall health. Another tip: embrace technology as part of your stress relief. Fitness podcasts, meditation apps or exercisecoaching software are great ways to help facilitate activity. Fitness trackers also are helpful for those who like to follow step counts and calories burned, and for encouraging reminders throughout the day.

Consistent Sleep

Sleep is an integral part of stress reduction. Getting an average of eight hours of consistent, meaningful sleep each night can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and improve quality of life. It allows the body to relax, recharge and rebuild, improving your energy and hormonal balance. It also has been shown to impact cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease.

To help make your sleep schedule consistent, determine if you are an early riser or a night owl. Find what works for you, then set your alarm to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day — including weekends.

Dr. Matthew Simmons is a fellowship-trained sports medicine physician with Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute Sports Medicine.

Abdominal Breathing

Practicing deep, slow breathing, even for just 1520 seconds once or twice daily, has been shown to reduce stress, increase oxygen to the brain and promote relaxation. The technique continues to be recommended throughout the medical community.

Try setting a time each day and work your way up to 20 minutes of deep breathing as a regular habit.

Dr. Spencer Lee is a fellowshiptrained pulmonary disease and critical care specialist with Cherokee Lung and Sleep Specialists.

With the demands of life ever-growing, a few minor changes in your daily activities may make an indelible impact on the repercussions that stress contributes to our everyday lives.

However, when lifestyle changes are not enough, don’t hesitate to look for help from a licensed mental health professional. Call or text 988 to access trained crisis counselors 24/7, or visit 988lifeline.org.

Olivia McKinley, a third-grade student at Boston Elementary, and the oldest daughter of Mark and Pat, always has been drawn to Formula One racing. She watches every race, as well as the post-race interviews, and is a big fan of British driver Lewis Hamilton. She dreams of becoming a Formula One driver one day and spends her spare time karting (go-kart racing) with her younger brother, in preparation. However, Olivia’s dreams have been temporarily sidelined by a rare diagnosis.

Last spring, Olivia began complaining of pain in her right hip area. “When the pain did not subside, I took her to the pediatrician, who took an X-ray and referred us to an orthopedic doctor. We were referred to physical therapy, but despite her constant pain, we were not getting answers,” Pat said. “Her pain was sometimes so severe that it would wake her from her sleep. She began falling behind in school and losing weight. I felt like no one was taking us seriously.”

Pat understands the importance of advocating for your health. “Due to the fact that I suffered for decades with a misdiagnosis — anxiety and panic disorder that resulted in POTS — I have learned firsthand that I must advocate for myself as well as my loved ones. I knew I must seek a second opinion for my daughter.”

“When school was out (last) summer, we had planned a trip to San Diego to visit family. During the trip, Olivia’s pain continued, so I drove her to Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego, with her medical records in hand. They took another X-ray, which now revealed a large round area in her femur bone, exactly where she had indicated all of these months,” Pat said.

Olivia immediately was admitted to the hospital, and surgery was performed the next day to remove the area in her leg for pathology. “My husband, who was home working, booked the first flight to California. It took several days for the pathology reports to come back. When the results came in, we were led into a room, but they didn’t have to say anything. The look in their eyes terrified me. They explained that her pathology reports revealed Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). We finally had our answer, but there were so many questions,” Pat said.

LCH is a rare, cancer-like disorder that occurs in approximately 1 in 200,000 children. It happens when too many immature Langerhans cells are produced, causing tumors, damage to tissues, bone and organs.

“The next step was a full body scan, to make sure no other tumors were present. Her body scan revealed a second tumor on her spine. There was no more time to waste. We flew home on July 12, and continued our journey at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where we met our new oncology team. Olivia immediately needed a port inserted to prepare for six months of chemotherapy and medications,” Pat said.

“Olivia has had to endure chemo for seven weeks, as well as steroids. After that, chemo is necessary every three weeks, with five days of steroids afterwards, as well as antibiotics on the weekend, to prevent illness. This has become our new normal.”

Mark and Pat have three children. Mark works two jobs as a firefighter for two counties, and Pat’s health issues prevent her from working outside the home. When we asked what their family needs, Pat humbly responded: “We have never been a family of means — we are happily modest. My husband works hard to provide, but something like this has been financially devastating for us. Considering the 20% of our insurance along with the spending increases in our daily life (gas, parking, food, wheelchair, child care, medication, etc.), we are struggling. But when your child is sick and suffering, these things never matter.”

Everyday Angels would love to encourage this sweet family as Olivia’s treatment continues. Let us rally behind them, and help them get through these health challenges and the financial consequences. We also ask for prayers for Olivia as she continues treatments.

We cannot wait to one day watch Olivia on Sundays in that Formula One race car.