Have you found yourself feeling stressed out at home, at work, in your car, or just when you’re out and about? If so, you may have been encouraged by friends, family, colleagues, and/or co-workers to just “chill out,” “calm down,” “take it easy,” “slow down,” “don’t sweat the small stuff,” or “relax.”

When properly and consistently put into practice, such clichés may eventually prove useful in alleviating stressors. However, most likely, no one has provided you with any detailed or concrete information on how to actually transform these words into action.

The concept of stress has generally been defined in a number of ways: a response to a demand that is placed upon you, a hormonal response to pressure and/or a distressing task, a normal occurrence that often arises when you perceive a situation as threatening, or when you are dealing with an unusually large number of everyday responsibilities.

In conceptualizing stress, it is important to keep in mind that not all stress is bad. In fact, low levels of stress, or positive stressors, are often instrumental in providing a much-needed surge of adrenaline and to help facilitate day-to-day tasks.

If, however, stress levels are inadequately managed or (worse yet) not monitored at all, relaxation may become increasingly difficult to achieve. In such instances, a negative stress response may occur, often manifested by both physical and physiological symptoms, such as increased and/or rapid heart rate, headaches, high blood pressure, sleep disturbance, muscle tension and upset stomach.

Mental and emotional symptoms, such as anxiety, anger/short-temper, depression, worry/over-concern, concentration difficulties, etc., may result as well. Simply put, if not addressed properly, negative stress can have long-term effects on your health and wellness, including the worsening of pre-existing illnesses or medical conditions, your interpersonal relationships, and your overall ability to get the job done.

Allow the Mental Health Clinic Staff to help raise your awareness and conscious control of your automatic responses, bodily functions and physical processes by joining us for our relaxation class.

The class will include four sessions, teaching four practical methods of behavior relaxation. These include progressive muscle relaxation, passive muscle relaxation, controlled breathing and guided imagery.

Each class will teach members how to use the particular behavioral relaxation intervention, illustrate how it reduces the stress response through the use of biofeedback, and allow group members to practice and improve these skills.

Classes begin Feb. 17 and continue every Wednesday, 1 p.m., in the Mental Health Clinic Conference Room. Classes are structured as an open group (come and leave as needed) and is open to active duty, dependents and retirees.

Call the Mental Health Clinic at 953-5430 with any questions or to reserve a space!