Stress related to crossing swords with an angry member on the golf course can trigger emotions similar to those one might experience when being chased by a bear, says one expert on managing workplace stress.
The difference between stress that comes with the threat of being devoured by a foul-tempered carnivorous beast and that which is caused by coming face to face with a bear is that, all joking aside, a bear encounter, for better or worse, typically comes to an abrupt end, while troubles on the golf course can nag all day. The inability to relieve this stress can have lasting negative health effects, said Cory Rosenberg of the Outpatient Behavioral Services department of the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, at the recent Northern California Golf Association Assistant Superintendent Bootcamp.Stress triggers an autonomic response known in the scientific community as Fight or Flight. Thrust into survival mode by some sort of acute stress, the brain sends a message to the adrenal gland that releases adrenaline into the system triggering a waterfall of physiological responses, such as dilated pupils, increased heart rate, faster breathing and muscles that are flush with blood as the body prepares to either fight the bear real or figurative or run from it. Learning how to manage that stress can be the difference between a life and career that are long and successful or those that end all too quickly, Rosenberg said. And the cure might be a lot easier than you think.
"Fight or Flight is good for short periods of time because it helps us get out of certain situations, so you can run away from the bear," Rosenberg said. "But what happens if the bear follows you onto the golf course and follows you around all day? That would be pretty stressful."
That lingering stress happens on the golf course all the time. Workers no-show, equipment breaks down as do irrigation lines as well as lines of communication, resulting in myriad problems with no easy fix. But just because the problems can follow assistant superintendents and others around a golf course all day, it doesn't mean the stress has to accompany it.
"You can't control when equipment breaks down. You can't control when someone on your staff is sick. And you can't control the drought. These are all things outside your control. That is the first component of stress," Rosenberg said. "The second component of stress is how we react to it."
Unresolved stress leads to a host of problems. For example, a rigid posture with locked knees impedes the flow of blood back out of the lower legs. And too much blood in the extremities for long periods of time translates to a shortage of blood in the brain, and that can compromise critical thinking. Glucose, which is released by the body to fuel short, quick bursts of energy during bear encounters and other crises, can cause long-term damage to blood vessels in those who make a habit of living with stress rather than managing it.
Turns out, the body has answers for that.
When Rosenberg asked bootcamp attendees how they managed stress, smoking and drinking were two common answers. Although both can produce the desired effects, there are better ways to take the edge off a rough day, she said."Smoking is convenient, and it's pretty effective she said. It's simultaneously relaxing and energizing, and it allows you to take a break," she said. "But it is bad for you."
Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress because physical activity also purges all those chemicals from the system, she said.
Alcohol consumption triggers the release of a chemical called GABA, which reduces neuron activity in the brain, producing a calming effect that comes when it's 5 o-clock somewhere. This also is the source for impaired thinking and motor skills that accompany alcohol consumption.
Too much GABA knocks the body out of equilibrium, resulting in the release of glutamate. That chemical counteracts GABA in an attempt to bring the body back to center. These forces working against each other, especially when the flow of alcohol has stopped, are responsible for feelings of agitation after a night of drinking has ended, Rosenberg said.
"Your body doesn't like that feeling that comes with the release of too much GABA," Rosenberg said.
"The two chemicals are opposite and work against each other because your body likes to be in balance."
Exercise, deep breathing through your mouth, proper diet, nurturing relationships with others and getting plenty of rest, she said, are much healthier solutions to beating stress.
"The No. 1 thing I tell people to do when they are stressed is to breath deeply," Rosenberg said. "People always say, Cory, you have to be kidding. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard,' " she said. "But it works."
And the results, she said, can last a lifetime.
"Stress takes a toll physically, and it is cumulative over years and wears down your body," she said.
"The key to stress management is being aware of what is going on in your body when the stress is happening. So often, what happens is you go into crisis mode when you have a problem to solve. You don't take time to notice what is going on with your body. You have to notice what is going on with your body in the moment."