By Robin Rhee
The tentacles of stress creep silently throughout modern society. The effects can readily be documented _ fatigue, depression, high blood pressure, lowered fertility, lowered job productivity and in extreme circumstances suicide.
Stress pops up with regularity as a topic of conversation. It is not unusual to hear, ``I'm stressed to the max,’’ or ``I'm the first to arrive at work and the last to leave.’’ No matter how hard I work ``the further I try to get ahead, the more I fall behind.’’
My apartment has just been sold and fewer people are willing to rent out their apartments. With the rise in real estate prices I can't afford to buy a place right now. My son needs a tutor to prepare for his college entrance exams and my aging parents need both emotional and monetary support. At the end of the day I'm short on time, sleep and money.
Friends and co-workers may see a change in your personality. You seem to be down in the dumps, testy, argumentative, easily frustrated and operating on a short fuse. You are on the brink of losing your grip, ready to lose your cool, blow your top, flip your wig and throw in the towel. As a popular cartoon states, ``I'm down to my last nerve and you're standing on it!’’
The list is endless: mole hills become mountains, someone cuts you off in traffic; there's no seat left on the bus or subway; you are jostled on the sidewalk; you can't get a taxi and it's raining cats and dogs; your alarm clock malfunctions; or someone is occupying your reserved parking space. The sheer weight of it all is infinite.
Where does stress start? Childhood. Parents have high expectations for their children that are frequently unrealistic. They should be at the top of their class. They need before and after school ``hagwon’’ (cram school) classes.
They should learn to play a musical instrument and become fluent in English and at the end of the day there is homework, which will keep them studying late into the night. Their schedules don't allow enough time for the sleep they need and their childhood slips away. That's how it was for you and the cycle is repeating for your children.
There are so many suggestions for relieving stress: jogging, meditation, regular workouts at the gym, martial arts, mountain climbing, Yoga and laughing clubs. Can you imagine standing around incessantly guffawing with a bunch of strangers when life is no laughing matter?
And how do you schedule time for stress release activities when you have no time to spare?
An innovative group has come up with a product that may offer a solution. It is a portable nap pod, designed for 20-30 minute power naps in offices.
Preliminary tests by a number of companies and their employees have been completed and the initial results seem promising for both the companies and their employees.
Workers showed a drop in stress levels and companies reported a rise in worker productivity. It appears to be a win-win situation. If your company buys into the plan, there may be a nap on company time in your near future.
RRKORAM@aol.com
The writer is a former Korea Times columnist for ``Heart and Seoul,’’ and currently resides in Centerville, Ohio.