Suggestions to get relief from stress

[VenusdeVelo]

Christina, I can certainly relate, new job in the last year as a Director in a large company, huge changes going on at our company, trying to learn how to race this year -- started the season out well but all the stress how wore me down by August. It kind of builds before you know it. And then you stop working out or training to reduce some stress, and then it's hard to get back into it. Vicious cycle.

I would probably agree that re-examining your job is a good idea, but if you are new, can't really make the change now, or just "can't" (ie, as in my situation where DH is in school, I am sole breadwinner at the moment), going to a less stress and less pay job is appealing but perhaps not readily realistic. It may take a good year or 2 just to get there. So the dilemma becomes what to do to try and balance things out for a while, even if it's not perfect but steadily improves your life. Some ideas:

1.) Training/Workout partner -- not a personal trainer, but a friend who has the same goals, concerns maybe even issues as you -- you can keep each other on track and motivated when one or the other isn't. I am new to the city I live in, I have not found this person yet ;-) I have a great netowrk of women on my cycling teams I belong to, but it does make a difference to have that 1 on 1 relationship with a buddy to get started back up. Even a great family support system would help.

2.) Start slow and escalate. Not sure I did the best thing by setting all these lofty racing goals, training goals etc. and when work came crashing on top of me, I felt like a failure in my cycling endeavors. And all those around you who have low stress or no jobs are doing great...hmmmm, that's not fun. Pick your workout goals to be reaslitic, and escalate them as you feel better or can incorporate more...someone said yoga, that's a great place to start I think...it's a great workout but it rejuvenates you in a different way that cycling does. So do more yoga, less of the other more demanding stuff and then start equalizing it. Hard to jump back in but easier once you're moving.

3.) Accept some limitations, at this moment. Won't be forever, but you need to accept you have contraints, like "the Boss", the job etc. and they are very stressful and so you can't be superwoman. So, I would suggest starting at the root cause...see if there are some things you can do at your current job to balance things a little more. I am still working on this one...the world doesn't like to wait for us do they?

4.) Get more sleep. I am terrible at this one. Plain and simple, busy weeks, 5 hours a night, I am a walking zombie. But it helps. And esp helps if you can get to bed earlier -- your stress hormones and all that stuff rejuvenate best around the hours of something like 11:30pm til 3am or something...supposedly that earlier to bed really helps your body rejuvenate over stress in particular. If you're like me, you go to sleep at midnite and wake up at 4am awake -- apparently this is esacalated cortisol, and a symptom of stress.

Without saying, eating well -- whole foods, not too much processed stuff, nix the high frustose corn syrup etc. --always a great thing, I like to eat that way so this one actually is not a problem! Hope your job allows you to eat OK, I know sometimes work and travel can get in the way.

Hope this helps....I personally am *still* working on all of these...let me know how you do !!

Renee