UPMC for Life HMO/PPO Plan Caring for Life Newsletter

CARING FOR LIFE • Issue One • 2022 6 Here are five important things to know about stress: 1. Everyone has their own stressors. Change is difficult, and we all react to new demands in different ways. A stressor could be short term—bad traffic keeping you from an appointment—or an ongoing situation, such as bad health or financial troubles. While some people quickly recover from stress, others aren’t able to do so as easily or effectively. 2. Stress is neither good nor bad. Stress itself is natural and based on what our brain sees as a threat. In some cases stress can help us survive! Stress is neutral. We only perceive it to be “bad” or “good” depending on how it impacts our lives. 3. Long-term stress is bad for your health. People react to stress in different ways. Some people may feel it in their stomach while others have headaches or sleeplessness or feel sad, angry, or irritable. When stress is ongoing, the body gets no clear signal to return to normal functioning. This continued strain may lead to dangerous health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and mental disorders, including anxiety and depression. 4. Professionals can help you. Feeling sad is one thing. Feeling hopeless is another. If you have suicidal thoughts, are overwhelmed, feel you cannot cope, or are using drugs or alcohol to make it through the day, seek professional help. If you don’t have a regular mental health specialist, your primary care provider might be able to provide a recommendation. 5. You don’t have to be a victim of stress. There are several effective strategies you can use to fight the impacts of stress, such as exercising regularly, eating healthy meals, doing something you enjoy, or journaling. As a UPMC for Life member, you have resources available to you at no cost. UPMC Health Plan health coaches are available for guidance and motivation. To speak with a health coach, call 1-855-395-8762 (TTY: 711) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You can also connect with a health coach through the RxWell app. RxWell is FREE and it’s easy to use anytime, right from your smartphone. Source: National Institute of Mental Health, “I’m So Stressed Out! Fact Sheet.” https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet Stress is part of most of our lives. We can feel it when we’re excited and happy or sad and depressed. The term “stress” is used, sometimes incorrectly, as a catchall for many different emotions or stimuli. Your body and brain may experience stress in response to any demand. You could feel stressed by work, school, exercise, traumatic events, or even happy life changes. Too much stress can harm your health, which is why you need to know when to seek support. Try this breathing technique the next time you’re feeling stressed! Paying attention to your breathing helps you control stress because you focus only on your breath and not on your worries. It also increases your awareness of your body. Here’s how to breathe from your belly: • Sit comfortably in a chair with your back straight. Uncross your legs. • Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. • Inhale through your nose and imagine that your belly is a big balloon and you are slowly filling it with air. The hand on your belly should rise; the hand on your chest should move very little. • Exhale through your mouth. Push out as much air as you can by using your abdominal muscles. Count slowly as you exhale. • Do this at least two to three more times, being sure to focus your attention on the rise and fall of your belly. Complete the Getting to Know You survey to help us better understand your health needs Your health is important to us at UPMC for Life. By completing the Getting to Know You survey each year, you can help us better understand your health needs. Here’s how it works: • Log in to My Health OnLine, our secure member website, at upmchealthplan.com/members to access the Getting to Know You survey. • Answer all the survey questions. It should take you only about 15 minutes to complete. • Based on your answers, we’ll create and send you a personalized wellness report. Your personal wellness report is like a snapshot of your health. It gives you a unique wellness score, a summary of what you’re doing well, and information on things you can do or use to improve your wellness. 15 minutes now may mean better health for you in the future After you complete the survey, someone from our care management team may contact you to assist you in developing goals for your health and well-being. This service is offered to you at no additional cost. You can also call your Health Care Concierge team at the phone number on your member ID card to complete your survey over the phone or have a hard copy survey mailed to you. 5 Five things you should know about stress Individual practicing breathing technique image.