Stress And Anxiety

Stress and anxiety put people in the hospital every day. It may not be common to go to the doctor to say "I think I have stress," but the National Institutes of Health say that 80% of illnesses are caused by stress, directly or indirectly.

Powerful hormones, including adrenalin, are released into your blood when you're stressed and anxious. They cause a rise in blood pressure, a faster heart and breathing rate, and faster conversion of glycogen into glucose. These are all good things if you need to escape a charging grizzly bear. Unfortunately, when these effects are prolonged, as they often are in modern life, the immune system is depressed, and the body suffers other negative changes.

Some of the common negative effects of prolonged stress include fatigue, pain in the muscles and joints, depression, anxiety, headache, mental confusion, and irritability. These stress reactions cause your body to use too much energy, which can eventuaLLY result in physical and mental weakness.

Stress And Anxiety Relief

At Stanford University, an analysis of 146 meditation studies was done. The conclusion was that meditation was not only beneficial at the time of practice, but that it significantly reduced anxiety as a character trait. Most of the studies focused on transcendental meditation, but it's probable most methods have similar results. (Reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychology 45: 957­974, 1989.)

In other words, meditation really can help you defend yourself against stress and anxiety. Deeper meditation probably has the most beneficial effects, but what if you're short on time, or uncertain about learning to meditate? No worries. There are two simple techniques you can learn in a few minutes, and start using today.<


First, there is a breathing meditation. It starts with just closing your eyes, and letting the tension drain from your muscles. Then let go of your thoughts, as much as you can, and breath deeply through your nose, paying attention to your breath. When thoughts and sensations arise, acknowledge them and return your attention to your breath as it goes in and out. That's it. Just do this for five or ten minutes.

The second technique is a mindfulness meditation. When you are feeeling stress and anxiety, stop whatever you're doing, and take three deep breaths. Then watch your mind until you identify what is bothering you. Maybe you're worried about something? There could be a letter you need to write, or your neck could be sore. Try to identify every little irritation.

Then do something with these stressors. Make a call that's on your mind, take an aspirin, put things on tomorrow's list. Maybe the best you can do is recognise that there's nothing you can do right now - so do that. Take care of each irritation, so you can let it go. Your anxiety will diminish immediately.

Practice, and you'll get better at finding what's just below the surface of consciousness, bothering you. Once you address these things, close your eyes, take three deep breaths, and you'll feel more relaxed and able to think clearly. Try it now. It's a powerful way to reduce your stress and anxiety.

10 Ways to Reduce Commuting Stress

Do you get out of your car with a queasy stomach, a headache and your blood pressure registering through the roof? If you do, that energy vulture called stress may have sent your pulse skyrocketing. In a study conducted at the University of California at Irvine, researchers found that the stress of commuting takes a major toll on health. According to the study, it has direct physiological effects of raising blood pressure and releasing stress hormones into the body. Not only that, long commutes (more than 18 miles one way) may also increase the likelihood of having a heart attack due to exposure to high levels of air pollutants, which appears to be a risk factor for heart disease.

Although there is no antidote to stressful commuting, there are lots of ways to shoo off the energy vulture. Here's how to thrive while you drive.


1. Prepare in advance

One of the best ways to lessen the strain of road rage is to prepare everything the night before. Clothes, documents, attache cases, and even packed lunches should be set the day before to avoid the morning rush. With everything champing at the bit, you'd save plenty of time to do your morning routines, devour a good breakfast and enjoy special moments with the family. Best of all, you can dash out the highway free of traffic congestion.

2. Sleep well and wake up early

A good night's sleep rejuvenates the body. Make it a habit to have enough sleep and to rise early. If you are already stressed out the day before, an incomplete repose takes over cumulative stress effects into your life at work and at home. Your frustration levels at work eventually rises, your brainpower falters, and your mood at home sours. You have no energy left for enjoying life.

3. Juggle your work hours

Why pack the freeways with all the other "9-to-5"ers when you can try a ten-to-six or an eight-to-four shift? Depending on your company's work policy, try to check out other shifts that fit your lifestyle. Choose one that would help you get rid of energy-depleting stress and allow you to lighten your highway woes.

4. Share your ride

It may be a hassle to coordinate your arrival and departure with another person or two, but carpooling is worth it. Studies show that ridesharing lowers commuter stress significantly. With carpooling, there is less air and noise pollution, less traffic congestion, and you can relax more while someone else does the driving.

5. "Cocoon" in your car

Instead of getting worked up when traffic is at a standstill, utilize your time wisely. Listen to the radio or pop in some music tapes to take your mind off the stop-and-go driving and traffic tie-ups. If you like to read but just can't have time to flip pages of a book, check out books on cassette. Many libraries have full-length books on tape as well as abridged versions. You can even learn a new language or do some car exercises like shoulder rolls, neck extensions and tummy tucks to help you stay awake and relax.

6. Pillow your back and squirm

When you're standing, the lumbar area of your spine (the lower portion) normally curves inward, toward your abdomen. However, when you're sitting, it tends to slump outward squeezing your spinal disks and putting stress on them. According to back expert Malcolm Pope, Ph.D.,director of the Iowa Spine Research Center at the University of Iowa, it helps to support your back by tucking a rolled towel or a pillow in that lumbar section. In cases of longer drives, since sitting in one position for longer than 15 minutes gradually stiffens you even with a back pillow, make necessary adjustments for a comfy ride. For instance, you can try putting most of your weight on one buttock and then the other. Then, shift the position of your seat or your buttocks slightly. You may even try sliding down in your seat and sit up again for fun.

7. Work out after work

Since the evening rush is worse than the morning rush because of the compounded fatigue from the workday, it is best to wait out the traffic. Work out at a gym near your office or take meditation classes to relieve your stress. If you plan to go to dinner, see a movie or go shopping, try to do these things near work, delaying your departure enough to miss the maddening rush.

8. Give yourself a break

It may be a good idea to give yourself some day off from work. Many companies today offer compressed working hours or longer working days to give way to work-free days for you to unwind.

9. Move your office

If your job is a long drive ahead everyday, inquire at work if the company would allow you to work at home some days of the week or if you can work near your place. An alternative work schedule would make you feel less tense and in control thereby reducing stress.

10. Occasionaly change your routine

An occasional change of commuting habits may be advisable too. Try walking or bicycling sometimes for a change. There's nothing like a good walk to ease tension especially when it means you don't have to get in your car and fight rush hour traffic.

By lessening the stress of getting to work, you are conserving enormous amounts of energy that may be lost over stressful commuting. It doesn't only leave you a lot more energy to do your job and become more productive but it also makes you feel good and gives you a good reason to always start your day right.

Article source: www.readbud.com

Stress Management: Medical Risks Of Stress

What is Stress?

Stress may be defined as the three-way relationship between demands on people, our feelings about those demands and our ability to cope with them. Stress is most likely to occur in situations where:

1. Demands are high.
2. The amount of control we have is low.
3. There is limited support or help available for us.

Who is Affected Most by Stress?

Virtually all people experience stressful events or situations that overwhelm our natural coping mechanisms. And although some people are biologically prone to stress, many outside factors influence susceptibility as well.

Studies indicate that some people are more vulnerable to the effects of stress than others. Older adults; women in general, especially working mothers and pregnant women; less-educated people; divorced or widowed people; people experiencing financial strains such as long-term unemployment; people who are the targets of discrimination; uninsured and underinsured people; and people who simply live in cities all seem to be particularly susceptible to health-related stress problems.

People who are less emotionally stable or have high anxiety levels tend to experience certain events as more stressful than healthy people do. And the lack of an established network of family and friends predisposes us to stress-related health problems such as heart disease and infections. Caregivers, children and medical professionals are also frequently found to be at higher risk for stress-related disorders.

Job-related stress is particularly likely to be chronic because it is such a large part of life. Stress reduces a worker's effectiveness by impairing concentration, causing sleeplessness and increasing the risk of illness, back problems, accidents and lost time. At its worst extremes, stress that places a burden on our hearts and circulation can often be fatal. The Japanese have a word for sudden death due to overwork: karoushi.

Medical Affects of Chronic Stress

The stress response of the body is like an airplane readying for take-off. Virtually all systems, such as the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs, and the brain are modified to meet the perceived danger.

A stress-filled life really seems to raise the odds of heart disease and stroke down the road. Researchers have found that after middle-age, those who report chronic stress face a somewhat higher risk of fatal or non-fatal heart disease or stroke over the years. It is now believed that constant stress takes its toll on our arteries, causing chronically high levels of stress hormones and pushing people to maintain unhealthy habits like smoking.

Stressed-out men are twice as likely as their peers to die of a stroke. There are weaker such findings among women, which is likely due to the fairly low number of heart disease and stroke cases among women, rather than a resistance to the health effects of chronic stress. Women seem slightly more susceptible to the effects of stress than men.

Simply put, too much stress puts you at dire risk for health problems. Whether it comes from one event or the buildup of many small events, stress causes major physical alterations that often lead to health problems. Here is a list of some of these changes:

• Our heart rates increase, to move blood to our muscles and brains.
• Our blood pressures go up.
• Our breathing rates increase.
• Our digestion slows down.
• Our perspiration increases.
• We feel a rush of strength at first, but over time stress makes us feel weak.

These reactions helped our ancestors survive threats by preparing for either "fight or flight." Today, our bodies still react the same way, but the events that cause stress do not require this ancient mechanism.

Stress can also greatly raise our risk of:

• Ulcers and digestive disorders
• Headaches
• Migraine headaches
• Backaches
• Depression
• Suicide
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Alcohol and drug dependencies
• Allergies and skin diseases
• Cancer
• Asthma
• Depressed immune system
• More colds and infections

We have to learn ways to relieve stress, because when it goes on for very long or happens too often, it obviously can cause many serious health problems.

Article source: www.readbud.com

If you are Stressed - Learn to Relax

In modern society it is becoming far more impossible to avoid stressful situations. Too much stress can be unhealthy which is why learning to relax is so important. We all cope with stress when we go to sleep at night. While we are sleeping, our bodies become very relaxed and our heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and body temperature decrease. This allows our bodies and minds a chance to recharge allowing us to face the next day with renewed energy.

In theory, relaxation does the opposite of what stress does. It gives the body a break and helps cancel out many problems that stress may cause. Relaxation can also reduce muscle tension. Learning to relax is like learning a new skill. It takes practise to become good at it. Here are a few ideas to help you achieve it.

Breathing.
Most of us take breathing for granted, in stressful situations our breathing can go off sync and we don't even notice. This can lead to muscle tension, headaches and anxiety. Performing deep breathing exercises on a daily basis can help relieve stressful feelings.

Relax your Muscles.
Our muscles tense when we are stressed. Learn to recognise muscle tension and then learn to relieve it.

Use Imagery.
We were all great at this when we were children, imagining things all the time. Learn to use your imagination again to relieve stress. For example, imagine you're sitting on the beach and can hear the waves crashing while feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin.

Exercise.
Exercise can have a calming effect that makes you feel, think and perform better. Yoga is an excellent relaxer. But even just going for a brisk walk can make you feel so much better.

Ways to reduce your stress.
Firstly, take stock of your life and what may cause you stress. Look to find a way you can eliminate or reduce some of the stress in your life. By reducing the problems you can reduce the symptoms of stress.

Take a look at your diet, certain things we eat can all contribute to stress. Caffeine, alcohol and sugar can cause stress, whereas fruit and vegetables can help reduce it.

Quit smoking. Nicotine increases nervous irritability. While quitting maybe a stressful process, in the long run you'll feel better once you've quit.

Make time for recreation and enjoy yourself. Take up some new hobbies and make sure you allow enough time for these each week.

Keep a positive attitude. Try and focus on the positive side of each situation. Looking on the bright side lightens your load. You might not like certain things in your life, but instead of letting them frustrate you, try to accept them and find a way of working around them.

Have a massage once in a while. A massage will allow your body and mind to be intouch again. In stressful situatiuations our mind and body loose touch with one another. This contact needs to be re-established again. If you cant leave the house for whatever reason or don't have a partner to give you a massage at home try relaxing by yourself in the bedroom. Climaxing is extremly relaxing. If you are alone or single, sex toys can help you along with this.

Learn to laugh. Laughing can lower your stress levels and exercises your heart and cardiovascular system. By brightening your mood you can improve your well-being.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. Read a book or even see a counsellor to find out ways of making your life more manageable.

Stress can be a result of allowing daily irritations and frustrations to take control of your life. It doesn't have to be like that. You can anticipate difficulties, plan your time carefully, and be aware of how you react to problems. By attending to a particular problem you can create ways that put you in the driver's seat where you belong.

Article From: www.readbud.com