Believe it or not, not all stress is bad. Occasional bouts of stress can actually motivate us to meet deadlines or tackle projects, but chronic stress is a different story. When we feel stressed, our cortisol levels soar. Cortisol is the hormone that triggers our fight-or-flight response, preparing us physically for the challenge ahead. Cortisol also helps regulate the body's metabolism and immune function and affects heart function and blood pressure. When chronic stress elevates cortisol for extended periods of time, however, it can wreak havoc with our physical well-being, causing headaches, erratic menstruation and fertility problems, and weakening our immune systems. Chronic stress also contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
Try these tips and tricks to minimize stress:
- Practice relaxation daily. Delegating downtime to the weekends is not really enough to minimize tension, according to Pamela Peeke, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She recommends finding "daily pockets of peace" through exercise, self-massage or other activities that reduce stress.
- Turn off the technology -- everything from cell phones to television to computers. The proliferation of beepers, e-mail, instant messaging, etc., have blurred the line between work and home and overloaded our senses. Carve out some quiet, private time each day.
- Self-massage, breathing exercises, meditation and prayer are all excellent ways to combat stress. Try each method, and find one that works for you.
- Whether it is reading, knitting, stretching, singing or something else, find activities that help you to relax. Then make sure you do them on a regular basis, even if it's only for 15 minutes before bed.
- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole
grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products while curtailing your
intake of refined sugars, caffeine and alcohol.
- Simplify. Reduce the clutter in your home and office. Eliminate activities from your schedule. Scale back your life on several levels, and you'll find your stress levels scale back, as well.
- Change your outlook. Much of our
stress is self-induced. We fret about being late. We worry about
everything from work deadlines to our children's social lives. Practice
asking yourself: Will the world end if I am 10 minutes late; if I ask
my boss for an extension a project or for some help to meet the
deadline; if my child isn't invited to a classmate's party?
Chances are your life will go on without incident. So take a deep breath and relax.
- Get enough sleep. Fatigue only adds to our tension and irritability. Most individuals need seven to nine hours' sleep each night. Research indicates that adequate sleep helps everything from immunity to weight loss.
- Exercise. When it comes to stress, the consensus among experts is unanimous. You simply can't beat exercise for relaxing the mind and body. Make fitness a priority, even during the busy holiday season, and you'll feel great.
Judi Sheppard Missett is CEO of Jazzercise Inc.
© 2003, Jazzercise Inc. Distributed by the Tribune Media Services International
