Optimal stress: living in your best stress zone

Optimal Stress: Living in Your Best Stress Zone......Page 1
contents......Page 5
preface......Page 7
acknowledgments......Page 9
introduction......Page 11
part one: stop stressing about stress......Page 15
chapter 1: understanding stress and how it can work for you......Page 17
What Is Stress?......Page 20
Stress Isn’t Always the Enemy......Page 28
It’s Time to Get Beyond Stress......Page 30
chapter 2: measuring the risk: stress, health, and wellness......Page 32
The Stress Response in the Body......Page 35
Identifying the Symptoms......Page 39
The Medical Risks of Stress......Page 45
Women, Cardiovascular Disease, and Stress......Page 48
Stress and the Brain......Page 57
Stress and the Gastrointestinal System......Page 58
Stress and Diabetes......Page 60
Current Risk for Illness and Disease Due to Stress......Page 61
Summary......Page 64
chapter 3: women and stress: the unique impact of stress on women and how to reduce it......Page 66
An Epidemic......Page 68
Is It Really Tougher for Women?......Page 72
Does Your Job Cause You Stress?......Page 88
Final Thoughts......Page 97
Anxiety and Worry......Page 100
Take a Worry Break......Page 106
Specific Sources of Stress......Page 107
More about Coping......Page 127
Wrapup......Page 129
chapter 5: what’s really important in your life: defining your purpose, passions, and priorities......Page 130
What Is Your Purpose?......Page 134
What Are Your Passions?......Page 148
What Are Your Priorities?......Page 150
What’s Really Important?......Page 152
Questions to Reflect On......Page 153
chapter 6: what is in your way: change, emotions, and putting it all together......Page 155
The Stages of Change Model......Page 156
Are You Ready for Change?......Page 160
Resilience......Page 186
Last Words......Page 188
part two: optimal stress: living in your beststress zone......Page 189
chapter 7: discovering your best-stress zone and achieving the beststress balance......Page 191
Step 1: Understand the BestStress Process......Page 193
Step 2: Consider the Stressors and Triggers in Your Life......Page 195
Step 3: Clarify Your Perception of Stressors and Triggers......Page 198
Step 4: Sort and Categorize Your Stressors and Triggers......Page 199
Step 5: Determine Your Coping Style......Page 206
Step 6: Establish Your Zone Boundaries......Page 214
Wrapup......Page 217
chapter 8: living in the beststress zone: relationships, roles, and common pitfalls......Page 219
Decluttering the Zone......Page 220
Mindshifting......Page 221
Triggers and Stressors......Page 222
In Summary......Page 251
chapter 9: defending and nurturing your beststress zone: self-care strategies, relaxation, and the power pause......Page 253
Self Care Strategies......Page 254
Get Ready for Your Best Future!......Page 275
selected references......Page 279
index......Page 283