Posts Tagged ‘stress’:


Does Daily Stress Affect Mental Health?

Published by in Health, Stress on April 8th, 2014

Is it true that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger? Many people believe daily stress builds strength and helps endure future obstacles; however, University of California, Irvine, psychological scientist Susan Charles suggests that daily stress may not build strength and actually negatively influences long-term mental health.

Charles’s study (released April 2, 2013) used data from two national surveys that focused on daily obstacles and the mental health impacts on participants after 10 years. Researchers discovered that mental health was affected similarly by small life experiences compared to major events. Small issues such as an argument at home influenced the future of participants’ mental health.

Those who properly manage daily stress lead happier and healthier lives. Managing stress takes practice as the pressures of life can be overwhelming at times. Incorporating daily stress management can benefit future mental health and decrease psychological distress. Use the following ideas and methods to help manage everyday stress:

  • Determine whether stress is internal or external. If you are constantly dwelling on the negative and worried about things beyond your control, this is internal (self-generated) stress. Recognizing the form of stress you have can help you control stress.
  • Engage your senses for immediate stress relief. Using sight, sound, scent, taste, and touch can decrease stress levels. While some individuals may relax to music, others may find the scent of a candle helps them unwind.
  • Stress relief takes practice, so if one management technique does not work for you, try something else.
  • Is stress keeping you awake at night? If so, using a white-noise machine may be beneficial and help you conquer stressful tasks the following day.
  • Maintain a network of friends who you can talk to about your stress. Surrounding yourself with positive friends can decrease anxiety and increase optimism during stressful events.

Posted By National Wellness Institute, Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Article by Kelli Oligney, Associate Editor

Reference:
Mikulak, A. (April 2, 2013). Negative emotions in response to daily stress take a toll on long-term mental health. Retrieved on April 2, 2013, from http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/negative-emotions-in-response-to-daily-stress-take-a-toll-on-long-term-mental-health.html

Segal, J., Smith, M., and Robinson, L. (March 2013). Quick Stress Relief. Help Guide. Retrieved on April 17, 2013, from http://www.helpguide.org/toolkit/quick_stress_relief.htm

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Turn Off the Stress

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Stress on January 24th, 2012

The Cave Woman Returns Home

Most heart experts consider the major risk factors of heart disease as age, heredity, obesity, smoking, inactivity, poor diet and high blood pressure. However, stress appears to pose a significant risk in some people. You have heard of the fight or flight response to a perceived threat to your safety, whereby chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline are increased in the body until the threat has passed. When the cave woman is running from the saber tooth tiger, she needs the alertness and speed that the chemicals provide. When she returns to the safety and warmth of her cave, she can relax and allow her bodily functions to return to a normal level.

Modern day women, however, often maintain a high stress level on a continuous basis as their return to the cave or home is met with the demands of running children to sports practice, helping with homework, preparing dinner, listening to their spouse’s work problems, and returning telephone calls and e-mails. When is the time to relax? How do you relax and alleviate stress? Even though we know stress can affect our attitude and cause us to overeat or drink, we need to be mindful that we are not helpless in this situation. Physical activity, yoga, meditation, quiet time, and close friends can assist us in relieving stress.

Our bodily systems are wonderfully connected and function according to set patterns. One example dealing with stress is the action of the “super gland”, the hypothalamus, which allows for the increase of adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol which adds more sugar to the blood and raises the heart rate in times of stress. If the stress level remains high, these chemicals can inhibit the production of estrogen, effecting bone growth and calcium reserves and drawing calcium away from the bones.

Rest and exercise act to reduce stress levels and among other benefits promote muscle and bone growth. Weight bearing exercises such as walking, resistance training and even yoga, which directs safe pressure to all your bones and joints, adds strength and flexibility for healthy living. Our cave woman doesn’t have to go to a gym to exercise as she is already walking, running, lifting, and reaching. She is both hunter and farmer. Without electricity there is no TV, computer or artificial lighting. When darkness comes she rests, and eats when hungry or when food is available, retaining fat for periods of famine and extreme cold. Our bodies today are regulated under the same functional systems as the cave woman. However we are probably not going to die of starvation, but we might from stress overload. Give yourself vital relaxation time and periodically step off life’s treadmill and enjoy your cave.

Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.

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