Bleeding Out is Bad; Bleeding Stress is Good

In the article, “Stress Can Kill: 7 Stress Avoidance Techniques for Police Officers,” we discussed things an officer can do to minimize the stress they take in. Whether the stress is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, we all ingest it in some way during the course of doing our job. That article dealt with ways to avoid building up stress. This article is going to look at some ways to bleed off the stress before it can do you harm.

It’s almost ironic that in medieval times doctors would literally bleed patients believing that they were removing poisoned, tainted or otherwise “evil” blood so the body could make new, fresh, clean blood thereby making the patient healthier. Understand that while I’m talking about “bleeding out stress,” I’m NOT talking about opening a vein. I’m talking about the activities we can undertake that will help reduce our stored up stress. Let’s take a look at some.

Get Moving.

For a long time we’ve known that exercise is a way to reduce stored stress. Unfortunately, many people see the word “exercise” and they automatically think about the gym, personal trainers, running, biking etc. - things that cost money or develop a heavy sweat. Realistically what we mean is simply move. “Exercise” can be anything that causes you to burn energy from taking a walk to doing yoga to dancing to rowing to… well, you get the idea. Just move. Sitting on the sofa watching television doesn’t burn stress. It may serve you a minor escape from it by distracting you temporarily, but it doesn’t reduce stress. Move.

Meditate.

There are multiple different disciplines of meditation and what you choose really doesn’t matter as long as it works for you. Meditation focuses your mind on a given thing, whether it’s a mantra, thought, place, sound, whatever. By focusing your mind and (mostly) relaxing your body for a period of time (15-30 minutes is good), you help to calm your mind and body and reduce the stress impact on your system. Find a meditation technique that works for you and try it out.

Journal.

Talking about what’s causing you stress if one of the best ways to help alleviate it, but many of us aren’t comfortable talking to someone. We either have trust issues or we feel like they simply can’t relate. So, what do you do? Talk to yourself through journaling. Write out how your day went from how well you slept the night before to any aches and pains, to challenges, how you surmounted them, etc. What went good? What went bad? What do you anticipate managing in the coming days and do you have a plan for it? Is there something particular troubling you in some way? Keeping a journal can be a resource for reference in your future and an immediate method of helping unload some of what’s weighing on you today. You don’t need a fancy journal. I used to use surplus essay books my kids always had left at the end of a school year, or that the local store sold for about $0.50 each on clearance the week before school started. Or, you can get a unique and special journal. Some folks I know even have a special pen they use. Whatever helps make your journaling experience more open and flowing and helps you unload stress is good.

Listen to Music.

Now we all know that some music amps us up and other music calms us down. Obviously, if you’re bleeding off stress NOT exercising, you want the type that calms you down. If you’re exercising then you may want some music that is energetic and motivational. A lot of what you can do to bleed off stress can be done with music as a background sound. Music can be on in the background while you mediate, while you walk, while you journal… just pick appropriate music for your activity and energy level.

Work a Puzzle.

I know it may sound odd and puzzles aren’t for everyone, but the focus and time required along with the satisfaction of completing the puzzle - not on a computer or an iPad but actual cardboard pieces on a tabletop - helps to reduce stress. It forces you to focus on finding the pieces, recognizing the colors, identifying the shapes and keeping your brain away from topics that cause you stress.

Get a Massage.

They aren’t (usually) free, but they are very relaxing both physically and mentally. Most massage therapists will play music of your choosing (at least the genre) so you can relax mentally, let them relax your muscles (so you’re relaxing physically), and for roughly an hour you can detach yourself from whatever has caused you stress.

Engage in a Hobby.

I know a former Sheriff who would disappear into his woodworking shop for an hour or so on the evenings when he had a particularly trying day. He would focus on the project at hand and give his full time and attention to it. Many hobbies can accomplish the same thing. Paint. Write. Craft (do you know how many people do needlepoint or crochet and swear by the stress relieving benefits of it?). I know people who make knives and holsters as well as a guy who uses deer hides (from his hunts) to make wallets, belts, purses, moccasins, etc. Those folks have turned their hobby into a part time job and that’s fantastic - as long as you don’t make time-limiting / deadline promises that make your “hobby work” into a stressful activity.

Read a Book.

Every one of us has a different “flavor” of book we enjoy, but by sitting down (or reclining) and reading a book, you can distract yourself from reality, albeit temporarily. So obviously we’re not talking about a reference book or anything that has to do with learning how to do your job better. We’re not talking about educational reading, although I believe you can learn something from reading anything. Spend a half hour relaxed and reading, and if you can do this before going to sleep, no matter what shift you work, it has the added benefit of helping you sleep better.

Doodle / Sketch.

Let’s face it: some of us are born with drawing talent and some of us aren’t. To be clear, it doesn’t matter when it comes to stress relief. Grab a pencil, or a chalk or whatever your choice of medium is. Get some paint and a canvas. Draw or paint whatever comes to mind and don’t be critical of your accuracy in presentation. The focus is on how the drawing/painting tool feels in your hand, planning each stroke on the paper or canvas and completing what you start no matter how good (or bad) it looks. Be creative. Distract your brain.

Take a Long Hot Bath.

I know - most men believe that taking a bath is a woman’s thing. Bubbles, candles, soft music, a glass of wine… all womanly, yes? Well, here’s reality: about 20% of law enforcement professionals today are female, and a long hot bath will benefit a man just as much as it will a woman. First off, most people tend to leave you alone when you’re in the bathroom, so take the isolation value if nothing else. Second, it’s the perfect place to enjoy that music we discussed above, while you read a book. Stay in there until the water starts to cool and understand that the hot bath also helps your muscles to release toxins. Why do you think people enjoy hot tubs so much?

In Conclusion.

All of the above are ways you can avoid having stress build up because you are releasing it regularly. Stress injuries are real and you can avoid them by managing your stress properly. “Properly” means regularly and not just when you feel overloaded. You need to bleed off the stress before it gets too much to manage. The above list includes multiple options to choose from, so pick the ones you like and keep yourself healthy.