Stress & Your Health
Stress is an unfortunate yet simple fact of everyday modern life. Work, family, relationships, job hunting, our personal finances, bills, the economy, traffic, wars & rumors of wars; all these things tend to weigh heavily on most people.
Fortunate are those that seem to be Teflon-coated when it comes to dealing with stress. For the rest of us though, stress relief is something we have to actively work on to make life more enjoyable, and ourselves more bearable to others around us.
The so-called simple life of times past is something most of can only hear about or read about. But in our opinion, there is no time like the present. Technology and medicine have advanced to levels our predecessors simply could not have imagined.
Our life expectancy is higher than ever in world history, and the convenience and modern marvels of present day life simply cannot be overstated. The web, cell phones, digital cameras, iPods, international travel, constant and instant connectivity with our family and friends around the world are all awesome indeed awesome when you stop to think about it.
But our life has become increasingly stressful. Consider the following stats from the American Psychological Association (APA):
More than 30 percent of workers say they are under stress at work. Two thirds of Americans are likely to seek help for stress. Fifty four percent of American say that are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday lives. Forty eight percent of Americans feel their stress level has increased over the past 5 years. And three quarters of Americans list money and work as the leading cause of stress in their lives.
Talk about stressed out.
In times like these it’s more important than ever to work on stress relief. So here are some tips to find relaxation and peace amidst the constant pressures that surround us:
First and foremost is positive thinking. “This, too shall pass” it has been said. And most storms in life do always seem to run their course. We can learn from stress, becoming wiser in the ways of turning stressful situations into end results that work in our favor.
Prayer and/or meditation both have been proven to have calming and soothing influences on both our mental state as well as physical state. These practices allow us to clear our minds and often times allow us to see the bigger picture of our lives and what may be stressing us at the moment.
Laughter has been proven to be good medicine as well. Watching a good comedy movie or TV show, or simply laughing with friends and family can provide some of the best stress relief possible.
Sometimes we need time away from our everyday life, and this is where vacation and weekend getaways either alone or with loved ones can really help to reset and reboot our lives.
Physical fitness can help us to focus our energies on activities that strengthen, tone and shape our bodies. A good workout can help to ensure a good and restful night’s sleep. This is important as stress can often lead to insomnia.
And last but certainly not least, some would say that sex is the ultimate stress release. Great physical and emotional stress release can be achieved through sex that can perform wonders for our physical and emotional well-being.
