Stress Relief Info

Stress and Money

March 2, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 11:18 pm

Who hasn’t stressed over money? Some will reply “those with a lot of it”. That’s an easy
conclusion to draw when you are wondering how to make mortgage payment. But the fact is that many people with large amounts often worry about it more.

The bottom line is that money issues are often stressful for just about everyone. But this is not inevitable. Many people, perhaps more in the past than the present, led very happy lives with almost next to nothing in the bank. And even most of the very poor today in the U.S. live infinitely better than kings of 300 years ago.

Stress over money issues is no more inevitable than is stress over any other fact. Being concerned and being stressed are not the same thing. Stress results when a person believes there is no way out of dilemma they simply “must” solve. But neither side of that dilemma is cast in stone.

Those general comments apply to stress over money as much or more than any other issue. Millions get into situations of excessive debt every year. Credit cards and other temptations of “easy money” are ubiquitous in today’s society. But millions get out of debt too.

Family arguments over money are one of the most common causes of stress. When two people disagree over how to spend limited funds, conflict is inevitable. But, that conflict need not lead to stress. Realism, long-term planning, a willingness to compromise and respects for another’s point of view can go a long way toward minimizing stress.

What Is Stress Relief?

February 25, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 3:09 am

Stress relief is the process by which various techniques are used to help person combat situations which are highly stressful. In this case, stress refers to the physiological response that a person will give to any outside source which triggers the “flight or flight” response. Hans Selye and Walter Cannon are often given credit for conducting some of the first studies on stress. They spent a great deal of time studying various animals, and they studied the responses that the animals gave to various external stimuli, and this includes cold, heat, or surgical procedures. The purpose of doing this was to eventually figure out the factor of stress within humans.

A number of studies over the years have shown that stress is caused by various stressors that can be measured. While a moderate amount of stress is good for humans, too much stress can lead to a variety of health problems, some of which are very serious. There are a large number of ways in which a person can get stress relief. Many of these involve things such as exercising, techniques that bring relaxation, and even meditation. Time management is closely related to stress management, and over the years, a number of techniques have been used to help people cope with stress.

One interesting thing that I should mention is that stress can be measured. One of the scales that is used to do this is the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. Stress can be measured based on the amount of blood pressure that is measured, and the skin temperature can also be used to measure the amount of stress that a person is under. Stress has become a prominent issue in the fast paced world that we live in today. While people, particularly in industrialized nations, enjoy a higher standard of living, they are also under much more stress as compared to their ancestors.

Stress and Anxiety

February 18, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 6:50 am

Most of us will become stressful from any event or thought which causes us to feel anxious, upset, or frustrated. However, it should be noted that what may be stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to someone else. Anxiety is defined as the feeling of fear. The source of your anxiety may not always be easily recognizable, and this can only make the situation worse. However, one thing that I would like to point out is that stress is not always a bad thing. In fact, in very small amounts, stress can actually be good. For example, if you have an upcoming exam at school, and you want to do well on it, a small amount of stress can actually cause you to study harder.

Despite this, when the term “stress” is used today, it is most often used to refer to its negative aspects. In large amounts, stress is not a good thing. In fact, stress and anxiety in large amounts have been associated with depression, heart problems, and a number of other ailments. If a person is constantly under a large amount of stress, they may resort to activities which are not healthy, and an example of this could be drugs or alcohol. If someone is suffering from a large amount of anxiety, there are a number of physical signs that they may give off. Some of these include sweating, a dry mouth, pain in the abdomen, or trembling.

People who are under stress may also exhibit sexual problems, a lower level of concentration, fatigue, and a heart rate which is irregular. There are a large number of things which can lead to both anxiety and stress. One of the most prominent is a bad diet. If you are not getting large amounts of vitamin B12 in your diet, you will have a lot of stress. Many people also become stressful due to anxieties regarding performance. These could include taking tests or giving public presentations. Various types of drugs lead to large amounts of stress, and some of these include cocaine, diet pills, nicotine, and alcohol.

What Causes Stress at Work?

February 10, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 7:23 pm

There are a hundred immediate possible causes for job-related stress. Employees and managers alike are often given unrealistic deadlines to make impossible goals. Competitive fast-paced business environment can be fun. But when the intermediate goals don’t serve valid business ends- improving sales, optimizing work flow, enhancing communication- they are generally resented.

To make matters worse, unreasonable boss or uncooperative co-worker in large or small company may usually create stress at work. They are the people in charge who are disrespectful and poorly qualified to lead others. They are generally more interested in flattering their manager than improving productivity and getting the job done.

Those two factors-misdirected goals and unfair managers-explain the response that most people give when asked if they experience work-related stress and why.

The single most-often cited reason for stress in the workplace boils down to that-demands, but without resources to meet them. When an individual is placed in the irresolvable conflict between “I must” and “I can’t”, stress is the inevitable result.

Many individuals have well-developed problem solving skills. Women in the workplace who are also mothers know very well how to manage time, multi-task demands at work and at home. Men, too, have enough experience in prioritizing resource expenditures, responding to complaints and deciding when to push and when to compromise

Stress and Exercise

February 3, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 4:21 am

We all know that exercise helps relieve stress. Exercise causes the brain to produce biochemical known as “endorphin” which helps reduce pain. In extreme cases it leads to a sense of euphoria which makes us feel happy.

Stress often produces excessively tense muscles, particularly in the neck, shoulders and calves. Exercise can help loosen those up, both as part of a general warm-up period and during the main workout. At the same time, those muscles are getting strengthened and infused with fresh, highly oxygenated blood. Lowering “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood helps improve the circulatory system, too.

Regular exercise will improve overall health and fitness which helps produce self-confidence. When you look good, you will feel good. This will help you feeling happier and less stress in your life.

If you do not have time for a good workout at a gym, just getting out of the house or away from work for a vigorous walk can do wonders. However, a good workout of at least half and hour for three to five times a week is recommended. You will find your stress levels will be lowered and your overall mood will elevate so quickly. So what keeps you waiting? Let’s exercise now.

Stress And Alcohol

January 28, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 4:00 am

Moderate alcohol intake can have beneficial effects to the body. Research suggests that small amounts can even improve mental functioning and increase performance in problem solving while stressed. But consuming large quantities for long periods will actually worsens stress.

Large alcohol consumption stimulates the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands. One result is an increase in the amount of cortisol produced within the body. Another is an increase in adrenaline. Both those, while they don’t alone cause stress, play a large role in the symptoms.

Exercise is known to help relieve the symptoms of stress. Unfortunately, one of the additional results of excessive alcohol consumption is decreased exercise.

Similarly, high alcohol intake suppresses appetite. Thus, at the same time alcoholic drinks pour in the calories, they decrease the incentive to maintain a healthy diet.

In all these cases there is a vicious cycle established. Stress encourages heavy drinking, which makes it more difficult to deal with the internal and external factors that led to stress in the first place.

The key to breaking this vicious cycle is to seek alternative methods for dealing with stress. Proper exercise and diet is a good beginning. A realistic attitude about life’s inherent challenges can go a long way, as well. But as with any psychological problem, admitting it exists is the first necessary step.

Stress and Diet

January 25, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 5:46 pm

Regular exercise is a great way to deal with stress. Combining a proper diet with that makes for a terrific, positive addition. A balanced diet, with adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables, and some proteins is an aid to reducing stress.

Supplements can be helpful if your diet doesn’t contain a large amount of nutrition that helps reduce stress. For example, a diet that contains Serotonin will help the body in combating stress. A late afternoon snack like potato chips will be useful because it helps stimulate Serotonin production to the body.

Stress is related to diet in other ways. Some people take to eating excessive amounts of high fat foods in order to compensate for the symptoms of stress. However, that high fat food tends to slow down or inhibit serotonin levels.

Moderation eating is wise for other reasons too. If you eat too much food, you will get fat and body image can suffer. This leads to a downward spiral in self-image. The result is increased stress and often depression.

Eating at regular time is helpful. When people are stressed, they will often skip meals because of the depressive effect stress has on appetite. Therefore, you need to make a commitment to yourself for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet.

During meals, focus on positive things in your life and environment. Make a conscious decision to set aside whatever internal or external factors are contributing to stress. Give yourself a freedom from “stress jail” to enjoy a healthy meal.

Stress and Your Health

January 19, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 4:35 pm

Do you know that some health problems are strongly influenced by stress? Headaches, excessive muscle tension, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, interrupted digestion are often recognized. However, there are longer-term, and more serious, potential consequences from chronic stress.

Several researches indicate that stress has an effect on the immune system. Interestingly, the effect is sometimes positive, sometimes negative.

Stress can have a positive effect because it triggers the release of biochemical that can help heal infections from bites, punctures or other damage. Stress will trigger the body to tailor the immune system to deal with these problems.

However, when that response persists over a long period of time, the effects can be harmful. When a person is stressed for long-periods, they will likely develop a compromised circulatory system like high blood pressure.

High blood pressure increases physical tension on the walls of blood vessels. As the blood vessel narrow, the heart may be unable to deliver sufficient blood and oxygen to the body. This may cause heart attack because the heart needs to work harder in order to supply sufficient blood flow to the body.

Practicing techniques to lower stress would be a good idea for everyone. The less stress you have, the healthier and happier life you are.

What Causes Stress?

January 18, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 5:45 am

The causes of stress can be anything and can differ from person to person. Losing a job, ending a close relationship, discovering a health problem may be the causes of stress in the modern world.

Losing a job can be an occasion for stress. A person may get stress because he or she doesn’t know where the next paycheck is going to come from.

Similarly, ending a close relationship- whether with friend, a romantic partner, a valued family member- can be stressful. However, people will have a chance to find a new love or establish a relationship again quickly depended on their experiences. Reactions vary because individuals are unique.

Nearly everyone will be stressed if they are confronted by a dangerous criminal. Severe health problems-radical cancer, debilitating arthritis or even a major operation will rarely be met with calm acceptance, at least initially.

The underlying causes of stress often have less to do with the external circumstances than an individual’s expectations for the future and their evaluation of their own capacity to meet them.

If someone discovers the need to have a tumor removed, they may feel some stress. But, it can be less than another would feel if they believe their general health is good and they will come through well. Someone who loses a job may be concerned, but their confidence in their ability to obtain another job quickly and easily can result in less stress.

Remembering that you will  have less stress if you have positive thinking about yourself and the world around you.

How Much Do You Know About Stress ?

January 13, 2008 Stress Relief | Comments (0) Admin @ 5:16 am

What is Stress? Stress is the way you react physically, mentally, and emotionally to various conditions, changes, and demands in your life.

Stress is part and parcel of common life events, both large and small. It comes with all of life’s daily hassles as well as with crises and life-changing events. Unless you can regularly release the tension that comes with stress, your risk for physical and mental illness may increase.

What stress does to the body? At the first sign of alarm, chemicals released by the pituitary and adrenal glands and the nerve endings automatically trigger these physical reactions to stress. These include:

• Your heart rate increases to move blood to your muscles and brain.
• Your blood pressure goes up.
• You start to breathe more rapidly.
• Your digestion slows down.
• You start to perspire more heavily.
• Your pupils dilate.
• You feel a rush of strength

Your body is tense, alert, and ready for action and will stay this way until you feel that the danger has passed. Then your brain signals an “all clear” to your body, and your body stops producing the chemicals that caused the physical reaction and gradually returns to normal.

Problems with stress occur when your brain fails to give the “all clear” signal. If the alarm state lasts too long, you begin to suffer from the consequences of chronic stress.

By changing the way you respond to stressful situations and finding ways to regularly relieve the tension caused by stress, you can decrease your risk for stress-related health problem.

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    • Stress and Money
    • What Is Stress Relief?
    • Stress and Anxiety
    • What Causes Stress at Work?
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