Don’t Stress
We all have events and episodes in our lives that cause stress. In the average metropolitan area, even the daily commute can be highly stressful. I’m often stressed while sitting in traffic, either thinking about the tasks on my to-do list at work, or about what awaits me at home. And I haven’t even started my workday yet! While stress can be beneficial in some circumstances, chronic stress affects our bodies in a number of negative ways. Some symptoms of stress are internally noticeable, but others are silently doing your body harm. Research has shown that stress can:
- Shrink the brain
- Lead to depression
- Increase risk of chronic diseases
- Raise the risk of strokes
- Raise the risk of heart attacks
- Affect the immune system
The potential for these deleterious effects mean that it’s critical for you to control and manage the stresses and stressors in your life. Fortunately, research has shown that there are things you can do to effectively deal with stress and minimize its effects on your body:
- Identify triggers and avoid them if possible.
- If you can’t avoid triggers entirely, focus on ways to resolve them.
- If you cannot resolve them yourself, talk to a friend or seek professional help.
- Take a break. Whether it’s a 15-30 minute break, a day off or a 1-2 week vacation, removing yourself from the stress trigger will help alleviate the situation.
- Exercise! It releases endorphins – the body’s feel good neurotransmitters, and can improve both mood and sleep.
- Get plenty of sleep. When you’re tired, patience is diminished and you’re more likely to feel agitated.
- Consume a healthy diet. Junk food and refined sugars inevitably leave you feeling tired and sluggish.
Remember, everyone deals with stress at some point. However, it can be managed!
By John A. Morris
