Balance & Restore: Stress
STRESS
Stress-induced emotions are exhausting and consume huge amounts of energy. Talking with a friend or a relative, joining a support group, or seeing a psychotherapist can help diffuse the toxic effects of stress. Relaxation therapies like meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and tai chi—even taking a walk—are effective tools for reducing stress.
We’re all tired of hearing about stress. We’re sick of stress … and the stress of current events is driving us all crazy. Unfortunately, when we are stressed, our body floods us with hormones that shift us into survival mode. Our body is designed to release adrenaline to help drive blood to our heart and muscles to give us the burst of energy that we need to escape a raptor or a dinosaur, but the problem is that these same hormones deplete our body’s energy resources until we finally crumple.
Sustained stress also affects our brain, which interferes with our memory, focus, and concentration. Stress makes us unhappy and makes it difficult for us to feel good about ourselves or the future. Unhappiness not only negatively affects our health, but unhappy people are twice as likely to develop heart disease and cancer. It is our choice to determine how we will react to life’s challenges—we can be either choose to be happy or to be negative, but for certain is that positive people live longer healthier lives.
NEW HABITS FOR LESS STRESS
We all know that what we eat matters, but did you know that the way we eat matters as well? Eating on the run, whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner; can ruin our sense of calm. We need to eat in a quiet, tranquil atmosphere in which we take note of the taste and texture of every bite and savor our meal. When we eat in a relaxed environment, enzymes in our mouth and stomach increase the absorption of nutrients. Further, the intense emotions that are generated when we are rushed and try to gulp our food down in a hurry or eat when we are anxious or upset interfere with our digestion.
We need to surround ourselves with things that bring us joy. Simple pick-me-ups include chatting with positive people that we love, wearing colors that we like, listening to cheery music, enjoying our pet animals, or indulging ourselves with beautiful scents, growing plants, or flowers… we just have to figure out what makes us happy… and then just do it!
There is no way to escape the importance of exercise for physical and emotional health. Exercise raises the levels of hormones like endorphins and DHEA that lengthen our life while lowering stress hormones that could shorten it. Squats and leg presses can increase our natural production of DHEA, also known as the youth hormone. Increased DHEA translates to elevated mood and mental alertness, increased muscle mass, and a decrease in fat deposits. Walking, weight training, knee bends, push-ups, whatever floats our boat will work … we’ve just got to commit to doing it!
We can manage stress by setting boundaries and figuring out how to say, “no.” We can use our new freed-up time constructively by taking a walk or a bike ride, learning how to meditate, practice tai chi, or even curling up with a good book. Figuring out how to pace ourselves is key to decreasing stress, unleashing our natural vibrant energy, and living a long, happy life.
What factors are affecting your level of stress?
What areas are you going to work on this week?