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May 10 2008

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Kill Your Stress ... Before Your Stress Kills You!

stress managementJust about every illness is either directly caused, or made worse, by stress. That includes heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, along with:
  • Back pain and headaches
  • Stomach and digestive problems
  • Tooth grinding
  • Sleep loss and fatigue
  • Skin problems
  • Weight gain or loss
  • Depression
  • Confusion, irritability, forgetfulness and more
Since stress is something that you encounter every day, you simply must have tools to deal with it if you want to be happy and healthy. One of my personal favorites, as many of you may know, is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which involves simple tapping with your fingertips to input kinetic energy onto specific meridians on your head and chest while you think about your specific problem and voice positive affirmations.

But there are many others out there and, really, the more stress management tools you learn, and use regularly, the better of you’ll be.

The following tips from Lifehack will help you develop practices and a mindset that dissipate and reduce the inevitable stress of life itself.

1. Make quiet time: Whether you meditate daily or just spend an hour a night with a book, you need to create a space where you can clear your mind.

2. Eat better: A good diet can help your body better deal with the effects of stress.

3. Make family time: Try to eat at least one meal a day with your family (or with friends if you’re single).

4. Talk it out: Bottling up your frustrations, even the little ones, leads to stress.

5. Prioritize: Figure out what in your life actually needs attention and what doesn’t.

6. Accept interruptions gracefully: Leave enough wiggle room so you can adapt to changes in your day.

7. Pay attention to yourself: Notice when you feel stressed, and determine the cause.

8. Love: Build relationships. Share yourself. Feel human warmth.

9. Learn How to Relax and Center: Try this free download created by Dr. Neil Fiore that will guide you through proven breathing and relaxation exercises.

Sources:

  Lifehack.org April 11, 2008


Related Links:

  Five Simple Strategies to Reduce Stress and Eliminate Exhaustion

  Stress Management May Help Heart Disease Patients

  Optimism Can Ward Off Stress




Comment on This Article
Comment on This Article Community Comments (24)
 
 
Posted On May 10, 2008

Laugh daily!  Deep belly laughs are good medicine and health to the bones!  Count it all JOY.  Show random acts of kindness.  Help others in need.  Count your blessings.  Trust God.

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Posted On May 10, 2008

When I was in nursing school my first lecture by my psychiatric nursing professor was:

Count your blessings.

I have never forgotten it-it truly is the best stress-buster!

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Posted On Apr 17, 2008
Shouldn't #6 say Don't become so rigid? If not, no wonder we're stressed! Other than that, good advice!

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Posted On Apr 18, 2008
yes, and in the actual article it does say "don't". :-)

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Posted On Apr 18, 2008
Ooooops - typo!!

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Posted On Apr 18, 2008
My favorite de-stressors:



  • rubbing dog bellies

  • walking on the beach with my honey

  • an hour of yoga

  • massage (10 minutes, 15 minutes, an hour - I'll take it any time I could get)

  • a bubblebath & a good book

  • singing at church or with the radio in the car

  • getting adjusted

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Posted On May 12, 2008

rubbing doggie bellies is one of my favorites...  also making funny noises to watch them make funny faces and move their ears in response is always found by me to be quite entertaining and makes you laugh no matter what.. cheers for furry friends!!

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Posted On May 10, 2008

We have discovered the JOYS of being grandparents.  When asked to watch the kids we throw ourselves into interacting with them:  go on walks, play games, build puzzles, crafts, general household chores, even disiplining them!  The list is endless.  Those kids make us forget any other stessors and we end our time together with lowered blood pressure, better able to take on what faces us as we walk out the door.

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Posted On Apr 18, 2008
Best form of defence is a good offence..

Kill it before it kills you.......

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