Beating Depression/Week 2c of 3

We're all the same, according to Richard A. Swenson, M.D., author of the books "Margin" and "The Overload Syndrome".

"...we all have limits. No one is infinite. We all need to sleep, to eat, to exercise, and to rest. The extent to which we need to do these things varies tremendously. Yet we all hit our personal limits at some point."

Even a quick review of "The Overload Syndrome" and you realize that Dr. Swenson has a handle on this subject. He identifies contemporary overloads that tend to push us toward stress and depression--if we don't choose to change the way we live. In this very practical book, Dr. Swenson not only gives us insights into the overloads that plague us, he gives specific actions we can take to reduce or eliminate the stress caused by them.

Here are a couple of examples:

• Activity & Commitment (the busyness syndrome)--Reestablish control of your life and schedule; prioritize activities and commitments; practice saying no to good things; consider doing less, not more; protect your open spaces; periodically prune activities.
• Change & Stress (too much change too fast syndrome)--Slow the rate of change; move less often; don't overvalue newness; put more control in your life; develop a network of caring friends; spread goodwill; learn to laugh.
• Choice & Decision (too many choices and decisions syndrome)--Simplify your decision making; simplify meal choices; develop enjoyable routines; make decisions and stick with them; value traditions; be wary of advertisements; ignore marketing gimmicks.

Dr. Swenson pretty much pegs our world today and how it tends to overload us. His suggestions for countering the effects sound simplistic. But how many of us are doing positive things to combat the stress in our lives?

My suggestion (my goal) is to select a handful of changes that will reduce stress where you need stress reduced and try them on. (Afterall, if you tackle too many at once, won't it cause stress?)

Lest you think I have a handle on this in my own life, this series is my way to refresh on the subject. I tend to cycle in this arena of life. Just about the time I get on top of things, it seems life throws me a couple of curves and I'm back in the overload mode.

Keep working on it. It's one of those lifelong challenges. But an important one to stay on top of. Next week, the lies we tend to tell ourselves when we hit rock bottom.

Beating Depression/Week 2b of 3

"You give life to whatever you give energy to. Do you have energy to give?"--Dr. Jack Groppel

I heard Dr. Groppel speak during a leadership conference several years ago. A board certified nutritionist, an adjunct professor of management at Northwestern, and a former research associate to the US Olympic Training Center, he spoke a very straightforward message about performance.

If you want to perform in life, you need to be on top of your game with maximum energy. In order to have maximum energy, you need to constantly be in training and you need to replenish what you use. He suggested basic principles to take care of yourself:

• Because your energy systems need replenishing, they need to turn off for about 8 hours out of every 24 in the form of sleep (sound familiar?).
• You must eat every 3-4 hours at a minimum to sustain blood glucose levels.
• Energy systems work best when water is consumed every 30 minutes to an hour.
• The physical capacity of the energy system is deepened by turning the system fully on high (high intensity interval exercise) and fully off (sleep) every 24 hours.

The good doctor has been reading his Bible. In terms of exercise, he recommends two strength or resistance training sessions and two cardiovascular interval workouts per week. And he's a big believer in interval training, like combining walking and running or mixing fast and slow cycling.

During the day, Dr. Groppel recommends working on an interval schedule as well--90 minutes with full energy on individual tasks (no multi-tasking), followed by a 15-minute break. Here are some recovery techniques he recommends:

• Two-minute Techniques--Stretch, hydrate with water, meditate, pray, stand up, moisturize hands, squeeze a stress ball, look at family pictures, listen to a song, laugh.
• Five-minute Techniques--Take a walk, call a friend, eat a snack, look at a magazine, talk with a co-worker, walk up and down stairs, check out a web site, send flowers.
• 15-minute Techniques--Take a brisk walk, converse with a friend, organize your desk or files, do a mini-workout, write a to-do list, plan an outing or vacation.

You can find out more from Dr. Groppel on his company's web site, http://www.fullengagement.com/.

I also recommend a book by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper entitled "Regaining the Power of Youth". Although his book is targeted to those just reaching their fifties, he covers the physical and mental changes that happen as we age and recommends strategies to counter those trends. The younger you start on those counter measures, the better off you'll be.

It's more about an attitude change than anything else. That is, to understand that life can take it out of you and that it's up to you to fill'er back up again. Then learn some techniques and practice them.

Oh, look at the time. I've got to go to bed. See you Friday.

Beating Depression/Week 2a of 3

"Fatigue makes cowards of us all."--Vince Lombardi
Elijah was certainly there after Mount Carmel (I Kings 18-19). Threatened by the Queen Jezebel, he hid himself in the desert where he told God, "I have had enough, Lord. Take my life..."

A classic case of burnout and depression, Elijah was in the advanced stages. We can learn a lot about what not to do by examining Elijah's life. But we can also learn some of the prevention and recovery principles by observing how God responded to Elijah in this time of need.

It's telling to me that God responded to Elijah in a physical way. Elijah experienced more of the supernatural workings of God than just about any character in the Bible. The fact that God supported Elijah through physical means speaks to the fact that we ARE human.

God created these bodies. He knows what they can take. He also knows what they need. Look at what God does for Elijah:

• verse 19:5--Sleep. Elijah was exhausted. More than anything else, when we are fatigued, we need rest. That especially means deep sleep. (Notice that Elijah slept twice during this recharge session--verses 5 & 6.)
• verse 19:6--Nutrition. Elijah needed to replenish his body after the extreme exertion he experienced on and immediately after Mount Carmel. I don't know what was in the "cake" that God provided, but it must have been some type of extreme energy bar. (Note that the angel fed Elijah twice--verses 6 & 8.)
• verse 19:6--Hydration. God's angel provided a "jar of water" along with the food for Elijah. Why not wine? Afterall, God can do what he wants? Interestingly, there is nothing better to replenish the body after a major workout than water. (Note that water was provided twice as well.)
• verse 19:8--Regular exercise. Strengthened by the sleep, food and water, the scriptural account says Elijah traveled for 40 days and nights until he reached the "mountain of God" for a counseling session. The mental and physical aspects of our being are connected. Physical exercise not only relieves stress, it sharpens our mind. (The distance from Beersheba to Mount Horeb is about 200 miles. That's about 5 miles a day over a 40-day period.)

I can't help but interpret this passage as God's basics for either preventing or recovering from a case of burnout and depression. Certainly, many experts today recommend a similar regimen to stay healthy.

Wednesday, we'll look at some basics for staying on top of these four areas in your life. Friday, I want to examine some very practical advice for good life choices from a respected expert in the overload field. See you then!