StressTech Basics: Stress Sources & Coping

Let's continue to unpack the basics of the StressTech Model, and in particular that part which examines 4 sources of stress and 5 means of coping, aka the 5 Pillars of Health. We have found these a useful frame for developing a StressTech portfolio.

4 Stress Sources

The 4 stress sources we talk about in our course are mental/emotional, physical, social, and environmental.

1. mental/emotional, which involve stress caused by unskillful responses to our thoughts and feelings
2. physical, which involves overload on undertoned bodies and underload from overly sedentary lifestyles that lack healthy levels of movement
3. social, which involves a lack of skill in relating to one's self and others, especially about intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict, and
4. environmental, which involves the effect of pollutants or the lack of healthy levels of light, fresh air (free of allergens), and exposure to nature.

5 Stress Copings

The 5 coping means are sleep, diet, movement, relaxation, and relationships.

1. sleep, where healthy sleep of 7 hours nightly minimum is recommended
2. diet, where moderate caloric intake of a plant-based, low-processed diet is preferred
3. movement, where 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly is recommended
4. relaxation, where the use of breathing, movement, and rest along with exposure to nature, resets our bodies and nervous systems and allows us to regulate our emotions, and
5. relationships, which are skillful, soothing, and accountable, in support of our mental health.

It is important to understand that these areas of source and coping work synergistically and none of them stand on their own. These sources synergistically work to tone us up (eustress) or tear us down (distress). The copings, when used skillfully, synergistically support our eustress and protect us from distress.

When we assess which areas of stress are most affecting us, we can then better select how we can leverage each area of coping to recover. When we recover well we experience eustress or the good stress that keeps us toned and healthy. When we do not recover, we experience distress which manifests as atrophy and illness.

Now in this post, I am not going to talk about tech in detail for brevity-sake. Right in our hands, on our wrists, or in our homes, are digital technologies by which we can educate, practice, gain social support, and measure to improve our practice in identifying stress sources and coping with the same. Some of you know StressTech I use like: a) Insight Timer & NatureDose for movement and relaxation, b) FitBit & GoogleFit for movement, sleep, relaxation, and sometimes diet, c) YouTube for education and practice for all the 5 Health Pillars, d) Zoom, Facebook & LinkedIn for relationship maintenance & practice, etc. In future postings, I will go deeper into unpacking my use of these StressTech tools.

In the meantime, stay well, check out my course, StressTech Literacy, and reach out to me if you are interested in bringing this program to a one-on-one or group coaching session or organization near you.