| |
| |
|
Stress Management Information |
|
|
|
Stress Relief
Traffic jams. Toddler tantrums. Deadlines at work. Money troubles. Too much work. Not enough sleep. No time to eat right or even to think. Does this sound familiar? Stress is all around us. It's an inevitable and normal part of our daily lives. But over time, its effects can be quite taxing. Stress becomes a problem when you feel overwhelmed by its challenges. And though it may be difficult to define, that doesn't mean it's all in your head. Researchers have found that there are significant biological changes that take place in the body in times of stress. And extended periods of stress can cause destructive changes in the body such as depression and a suppressed immune system, which can lead to heart disease, cancer, and stroke. So if you are feeling stressed out, its time to get some relief. Learn about stress: how to identify it, and how to find relief. Why Do We Get Stressed? Stress is a normal physical reaction to an internal or external pressure that is placed on your system. People react to most stressful situations with the "fight or flight" response. The body is flooded with stress hormones, making the heart pump faster, the breathing rate increase, and the muscles tense up. This is the body's way of gearing up for imminent physical activity. For instance, if you are in a minor car accident, your may feel a surge of energy that allows you to escape the car and help others out as well. However, sometimes the stress is emotional rather than physical and the body is not allowed to release the physical tension created by stress hormones. If you're stuck in a traffic jam and late for a meeting, there is little that you can safely do to release the buildup of stress hormones in your body. Over time, stress can lead to back pain, headaches, raised blood pressure, indigestion, sweating, palpitations, irritability, and anxiety. It can also contribute to the development of such diseases as cold sores, ulcers, and heart disease. What Causes Our Stress? There are two types of stressors that may be causing you grief. External stressors such as traffic jams, a death in the family, or a financial hardship, are often out of our direct control. Internal stressors, on the other hand, develop through our own personality traits and emotions. It is our ability to handle these internal and external stressors that determines the amount of stress we feel we have. Chemical substances such as alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, sugar, additives, drugs, and environmental toxins, deplete the body of energy and are further sources of stress. How Can We Prevent Stress? Stress is an inevitable and normal part of life. So there is no way to prevent it completely. However, there are various stress management techniques that can reduce the effects that stress takes on your life. The most important thing you can do to prevent stress from negatively affecting you is to learn how to recognize stress and the triggers that set you off. Also, avoiding substances such as alcohol, drugs, and nicotine will help the body remain better prepared to handle stress. Am I Stressed Out? Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Are you a "control freak," insisting that everything be done your way? 2. Do you have difficulty sleeping at night, because you are going over the events of the day, or worrying about what will happen tomorrow? 3. Do you have a hard time showing your emotions? 4. Do you feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks that you need to accomplish on a daily basis? Being able to identify your personal physical and psychological responses to stress is critical to reducing its negative effects on your life. If you try to deny the existence of stress, or "tough it out" in hopes that it will go away, you will be more likely to intensify the effects of stress rather than relieve them. The physical symptoms of stress include dry mouth and throat; tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back; chronic neck and back problems; headaches; indigestion; tremors; muscle tics; insomnia; and fatigue. Emotional symptoms include difficulty in concentrating, feeling tense, irritability, impulsive behavior, difficulty in making a decision, poor judgment, difficulty relating to--and mistrusting--people, negative thinking, brooding, worrying, depression, anxiety, or feelings of worthless. Tobacco, alcohol, and drug use can also be signs of stress. Stress Relief Now that you can recognize the triggers that are making you stressed, you will be better prepared for dealing with these situations. Try these techniques for relieving stress before it becomes a problem. Get Physical: Physical exercise, whether its yoga, football, walking, or dance therapy, can help to relive the buildup of stress hormones in the body and promote a general relaxation of the nervous system. It's All In Your Mind: Use mental exercises such as meditation, guided imagery, art, and playing music, as a useful way to reduce stress and promote relaxation in your life. Get Connected: Sometimes, all it takes to relieve stress in your life is to talk about the stressor with a close friend or family member. Pet therapy has also been reported to relieve stress. Eat Up and Eat Well: Stress suppresses the immune system and can cause or aggravate such conditions as heart disease and ulcers. Dietary changes, such as reducing coffee and other caffeinated beverages can reduce the jitteriness, restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia that might magnify the effects of stress. Also whole grains promote production of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin for a greater sense of well being. For more information on Dr. Group, stress, depression and/or anxiety please visit our website at www.stress-anxiety-depression.org. Dr. Group, the founder/CEO and clinical director for the Global Healing Center, heads a research and development team producing advanced, new, natural health protocols and products. To learn more visit http://www.ghchealth.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Stress-Management - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Stress Management and Creating Balance The World Health Organization calls stress "the health epidemic of the 21st century." Stress resulting in illness is the causative factor underlying more than 70% of all visits to the family doctor, medical doctors suggest. The 3 Rs of Taking a Vacation Without Leaving Home This summer, get away, without going away. Take a mini vacation right in your own home. 3 Kinds of Workplace Stress Workers across America will tell you that stresslevels are increasing. The demand for anti-depressants is up. Make a Handbag - Discover Inner Peace and Stress Reduction Have you ever considered sewing a handbag as an act of meditation or as a way to get in touch with your self and reduce stress? Let's look at the process In order to see the connection to inner peace.To make a handbag, the sewer needs to focus on the immediate - you need to be precise and concentrate on what you are doing at the present moment. Control Stress or It Will Control Your Business When we think about stress in the workplace, we usually refer to ulcers or heart conditions, but stress has a much broader impact. It is known that stress is linked to cancer, lung ailments, cirrhosis of the liver, immunity to common illnesses, back problems, and many other medical problems. Stress Management: Are You a Diamond or a Lump of Coal? "Do you want to be a lump of coal or do you want to be a diamond?" That's the first question I ask to begin my stress management seminar called "A Diamond is Nothing More Than a Lump of Coal That Handled Stress Very Well."We seem to have some interesting misconceptions about the stress in our lives. Self Indulgence: It Isn't Just About Chocolate It's no secret that we women, by virtue of our genetic make-up I suppose, seem to feel it is necessary to be superwomen-simultaneously balancing the demands of managing a home, caring for children and aging parents, and usually working in a demanding profession. This syndrome, which was first labeled in the 1980s, continues 20-some years later despite zillions of articles and talk shows discussing it. Reduce The Stress! First, let's make a distinction between pressure and stress. We all have sources of pressure in our lives - sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Stress & Self Esteem: Raising One by Lowering the Other In our article about Exercise & Stress, we looked at the way these two factors form a self-reinforcing cycle that can work for us. With stress and self-esteem, however, the relationship is negative - both in the technical sense of the words (i. Why Stress Is Not Necessary We are not designed for long term stress.It causes us physical damage. FEAR: How to Defeat the Monster What is the greatest fear of man? Is it death? Pain? Poverty? Physical ailments? Loneliness? Surveys tell us that the number one fear among modern people is public speaking, of all things!What is fear? We all know what it feels like, but what exactly is it? The dictionary defines fear as "A painful emotion or passion excited by the expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger; apprehension; anxiety; solicitude; alarm; dread; to be anxious or solicitous for." That sounds rather ominous, and it is. Build Your Stress Tolerance While free-lancing for business magazines, I was assigned to write a story about a steel production company that supplied pipe to the energy industry. I was intrigued by the rigorous stress tests run on each piece of pipe. Extreme Self-care: Make Time for Yourself If you've recently experienced loss or are going through a time of high-stress or uncertainty, it's important that you make a special effort to look after yourself. Here are a few things you can do to care for yourself physically and emotionally:- Take time out. Stress Management and Mastery: Practicing Perspective Q. I wonder if you could help me with a problem that just seems to be getting worse. How to Say No and Let Go of Stress It was one of the first words you learned to say and you used it at every opportunity. Until someone convinced you that you couldn't, or shouldn't. Stress Elimination Learning methods of stress elimination is a vital skill in the modern world. After all, there is no way to get away from stress these days, thanks to work, life, family, the economy, the state of the world, global warming, and an overabundance of people who are reminding you constantly about all of these. Wholistics I have yet to see a scientist talk about the impact of time viewing in any article. It will ensure the continuing exponential growth in knowledge. Stress Management: Declare Your Freedom From... 1)Excessive worryNo, I'm not saying "don't worry, be happy."Well-used worry can alert us to areas in our lives that need attention and change. There is no Such Thing as Good Stress Q: What is Stress?A: Very basically it is the physical, emotional and spiritual tension that arises in a person when they are being pulled or pushed outside of their comfort zone by internal or external forces.Q: I've heard people talk about good and bad stress. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About How to Get a Life, But Didnt Know Whom to Ask Question 1"How do I get more time to play?"Answer: Schedule it in. Why? Because if you don't schedule it you will generally let other things have a higher priority and put yourself and a life further down the list.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |