Physical Effects of Stress

[iainb]

Hi folks

I normally manage to stay pretty relaxed about things but in recent weeks, for various reasons, I've been really stressed out. This has coincided with a drop in performance (such as it is!!) on the bike and a general lack of energy / motivation. Anyone suffered the same and how did you get over it - I'd rather not resort to medication if poss.

Regards

Iain

[Vorpal]

Cycling is one of my stress coping mechanisms. If I'm tired or not feeling physically fit, gentle rides still help. I also like photography, so sometimes I will set out with a goal to take certain types of photos (black & white pics of building, for example), which makes me think about my observations, stuff I want to photograph, etc. It also requires that I stop frequently, so performance doesn't have much bearing.

A walk in the woods and yoga classes are also things that help me.

The drop in performance may not be related to the stress; I guess that only dealing with one or the other will tell.

If the problem is only stress, working with someone (a counselor or therapist?) to develop coping mechanisms is more effective than medication, and also can be used to help or prevent future occurrences.

Have you been to a GP? Or is there another reason that leads to you think medication may be a solution?

[david7591]

If you're stressed, don't stress more about your performance on the bike. Just accept that you may be a little slower than when fully fit, and try and relax when out riding. Look at the view, and don't worry about how far, how fast, or how many feet you've ascended.

[Smudgerii]

The concentration required for Target Shooting is my 'go to' solution for stress.

Find something that requires your absolute focus, even just a few minutes away from what is stressing you can have a massive positive impact. One of the benefits of shooting is imagining the point of stress on the target being shot

[al_yrpal]

Clinical depression results in the same feelings. I had it once when it looked likely that my business was going to fold. After some weeks it gradually dawned on me that the only way to tackle it was to attack the problem. I did that successfully and the terrible paralysing depressed feeling went away. Pills and distracting activities dont solve problems, addressing and resolving the causes does.

Al

[Vorpal]

Clinical depression results in the same feelings. I had it once when it looked likely that my business was going to fold. After some weeks it gradually dawned on me that the only way to tackle it was to attack the problem. I did that successfully and the terrible paralysing depressed feeling went away. Pills and distracting activities dont solve problems, addressing and resolving the causes does.

Al

It's not always possible to resolve the things causing stress.

[Mick F]

When I'm stressed, my cycling speed and energy increases.
Also, my blood pressure, my heart rate, and my hunger ............. and my asthma.

Cycling usually is a stress reliever for me, but I'm generally a stressed-out sort of chap.
Mrs Mick F has retorted on many an occasion, "For God's sake, get out on your bike!"

Sitting quietly somewhere in silence helps me calm down. Also: eating well and regularly, getting to bed early, not drinking too much - though a little helps a lot - and getting up early and sitting outside in the quiet to watch the dawn.

Physical effects for me?
Raised BP and a touch of asthma.

What stresses me out?
Mainly in my head for multitudinous reasons, but I don't like noise, loud music and busy places, so I avoid them.

[bigjim]

but I don't like noise, loud music and busy places, so I avoid them

Sounds like me. Bit Aspergers I think.

[Edwards]

Stress is very tiring as you do not rest properly. It is not always possible to directly do anything about it (as in somebody close being very ill or worse).
It would be worth you seeing your gp for counseling or learning some relaxation exercises.

[Mick F]

but I don't like noise, loud music and busy places, so I avoid them

Sounds like me. Bit Aspergers I think.

There's loads of us about!
Most people have a touch of it, and some of us are a bit further down the road.

Read this:
http://theoraah.tumblr.com/post/1423002 ... e-spectrum
It's me to a T.

Excerpt from the link:

[ThePinkOne]

I am "officially" autistic. The high "anxiety" levels I get are from overload due to brain over-work from: mimicking normal behaviour, coping with a lot of people interactions, trying to communicate with neurotypical people their way, flickering lights I.e. most fluorescent ones, noise, work being constantly chaotic and reactive. End result- exhaustion.

Best analogy is over-clocked computer CPU used to run complex game will overheat.

I know when it is bad as I struggle to ride the bike & am utterly exhausted. I know when overload is decreasing as I can get on the bike again and the urge to hide under the desk or in a dark cupboard subsides....... At that stage, cycling really helps.

Not so much stress as brain overload. But physical symptoms similar so I avoid GPs, I know the solution- need downtime not symptom treatment. Normal people telling me to relax won't help, what I need when overloaded is support to reduce the overload whether that be from quieter place, more structured work schedule or allowing me to communicate in a way that works for me e.g. email rather than big meeting.

TPO

[tatanab]

There's loads of us about!
Most people have a touch of it, and some of us are a bit further down the road.

Probably me too. I have never liked noise, particularly "people" noise where the volume goes up and up as each conversation competes to be heard. I want to press the big red reset button. I am the one who prefers to sit at the end of the table in the pub or café, I am the one who will leave if it is too crowded for my comfort. As I get older (now mid sixties) I avoid these situations if I can.

Stress - I never found cycling performance dropping off, but then I never monitored it anyway, and most of my working life has been quite highly stressed (probably induced by my work ethic). I know that the nervous energy of being stressed is very tiring, so I can see there might be some correlation. Depression is something different. Due to lots of family crises coming together I had a short period on "happy pills" about 40 years ago. I knew what was going on and was determined to be clear of pills quickly. As noted above, knowledge of what was causing the problem helped, as did cycling friends who would phone and say "meet you in 30 minutes for a ride".

[Flinders]

I would try not to worry about my cycling performance until the stress had either gone or got more under control.

If I'm really stressed I don't bother with looking at my performance on the the bike computer, I just set off and take any road I felt like taking at whatever speed felt was easy, and stop wherever I felt like it for something to eat, and/or to look at the view. If I then felt better, I might work harder at it, but only so long as it felt good to do it, and definitely not to the point when I started to bother about my performance again. And like what seems to be most of us, I avoid places where there are lots of people. Or indeed, any people if it is really bad.

I find if I am under stress the most important thing bar none is to get that stress level down by tackling the source (if possible), and/or doing calming things. It isn't a selfish thing either, I'm no use to anyone if stress gets on top of me (and I don't know anyone that is). For me, cycling on a turbo doesn't help with stress. I think that is because if I'm out on the road on the bike, I have to pay attention to my surroundings, and I see things that take my mind off it all (like some fox cubs just playing in the road on a deserted lane- my favorite experience). I have PTSD, and even when I am walking I can still be dealing with flashbacks or recycling unwelcome thoughts, but when cycling, concentrating on the physical act of cycling and on the road blocks those sorts of thoughts out. At the worst times in the early days, it was the only activity that did. I think cycling was a major factor in saving my life back then.

[thirdcrank]

I think different definitions are being applied to the word stress.

In the mid-1980's I was sent on a residential course to learn about work-related stress which was becoming something employers were supposed to be aware of. There, the definition of stress (from memory) was when an individual felt the demands being made of them were not in balance with their perceived ability to cope. The point about balance being that too little to do - boredom - may be just as stressful as too much pressure.

For most people it's a shifting situation - the rough with the smooth. If it persists, that the risky time when an adjustment in the pressure is needed so things don't deteriorate. In this dog eats dog environment, I fancy more people feel they must soldier on, but the longer it's ignored, the more serious the outcome may be.

[Mick F]

I'm getting stressed just reading this thread.
My HR is up a bit, and I'm typing quickly. My brain is racing.

It's quiet here. Mrs Mick F has just gone off to work, I'm sitting down with a cuppa. It's beautiful outside and developing into a bright sunny day. I'm going to get out in it later.

My brother in law once asked me, "What have YOU got to be stressed about?"
I replied, "If you have to ask, you'll never understand."