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Archive for: Stress

Hobbies Can Fight Stress and Anxiety

Posted by gesund on Thursday, November 18th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Life and work can become stressful. Everyone needs a way to unwind and take their mind off of things. How about trying a hobby or two?

Stress can be good or bad. It is our reaction to stimuli around us. Some stress can spur us on to perform at a higher level. Other types of situations can cause us to take up bad habits to compensate.

We are talking about the bad kinds of stress here. When there is no outlet for stressful feelings like on the job or at home, the result can be poor health and ruined relationships.

The Benefits of Hobbies

Many people discount hobbies as a waste of time, but maybe they have never tried them. A hobby can be categorized as any activity that brings a reward beyond monetary, enriches your life, provides mental stimulation and, most of all, relieves stress. It gives you time away from ordinary activities that you have to do and frees you up to do something that you want to do.

A hobby occupies the mind in new ways. Television is not considered a hobby because there is no occupation of the mind. You are entertained through visual stimulus but that doesn’t create new pathways in the brain. The mind could still be brooding over a problem at work even though the eyes are trained on the screen.

Finding a Hobby

Choosing a hobby may not be as easy as you think. It takes some research and planning to find just the one that suits your needs. Here are some suggestions.

  • Choose something that interests you – Family and friends may make suggestions based on what they like, but your tastes may be different. Try their suggestions but don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t work out. Take an inventory of your likes and dislikes to get you started.
  • Discover your passions – If you have a desire to create, look into the arts. You may not be great at drawing, but your imagination may lead you to creative writing or building things. A long-time passion can be turned into a hobby with the right plan.
  • Check the finances – A hobby shouldn’t break the bank but should be relaxing. You might like sports, but something like learning how to fly may cost more than you can afford right now. Opt for a challenging sport closer to the ground that can be done for a fraction of the cost. Remember, you don’t want your hobby to create a new set of worries in your life.
  • Find time to engage in it – Set aside time for your hobby. This can be weekly or daily if the situations in your life call for it. Don’t neglect other responsibilities to participate. You want to have a time that is not used for anything else to freely indulge your hobby.

Hobbies can enhance your life. Choose well so that you can reap many years of joy from it.

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Categories : At Home, Stress
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How to Keep Stress from Becoming Distress

Posted by gesund on Thursday, September 30th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Stress is a fact of life. Learning how to deal with it can make all the difference between meeting and overcoming challenges or being pounded by them. Here are some ways that you can fight back against stress.

Have you ever heard of “eustress”? The prefix “-eu” means “good.” Stress can have an upside. Seeing someone else who is performing better than you are can cause you to step up your game and sharpen your skills. This works well in sports competitions. It is motivation for getting the most out of life.

Stress in general refers to our reaction to stimuli in our lives. When stress levels are high they elicit the “fight or flight” response. The body prepares to go to battle if it has to. Adrenaline is released into the bloodstream. Muscles tense to prepare to stay and fight or run. Pupils dilate to take in the entire surroundings.

When we learn to handle stress, this response is not exhibited all the time. The body only reverts back to this instinctual path during times of real danger. On the other hand, when stress is out of control, you may experience this heightened state more often than you need to.

How do you know if you are overstressed?

These levels of stress take their toll on the body. You may begin to notice these signs and symptoms:

  • Dizziness
  • Sleeplessness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Loss of appetite
  • Decreased sex drive

Fighting Back

You can combat these symptoms with a few easy tips. They are designed to help you deal with stressors in your life and change their effect on you for good.

  • Make a plan – Many times, stress occurs because we don’t take the time to add order to our lives. If you are always in traffic in the morning, it might be because you are running late. Work on getting to bed earlier so you can rise on time and avoid the traffic.
  • Take time for yourself – Even the busiest person needs a timeout. If your evenings are booked, decide to get up early in the morning to spend a peaceful thirty minutes alone. Use that time to read, meditate, listen to music or something entirely different. The purpose is to calm the mind and the body.
  • Visualization – This technique helps because you actively see yourself overcoming the stressors in your life. Go through the motions of how you would deal with the stress and then actually do it.
  • Exercise – A stress-relieving exercise is yoga. Yoga combines stretches that help to tone muscles and also promote relaxation. The mind-body connection is cultivated.

Stress can be good and bad. Use it to motivate you instead of making you sick. Use the suggestions above to begin to dial back the stressors in your life and get a handle on things.

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Categories : Stress
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Stress-Busting Tactics for the Workplace

Posted by gesund on Thursday, June 10th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Everyone needs a job. Hopefully you have a job that you enjoy. But, even if you do, stress can become a factor in your life.

We can control our reaction to situations but not anyone else’s. Often, in the workplace, it is this wildcard response that can help to add stress to our normally productive lives.

Stress-Busting Tips

  • Begin your work day at home – Each day is different. Thinking about yesterday’s disaster at work can add unneeded stress to your as yet not begun workday today. Decide to begin each new work day by blocking out what has happened the day before and looking forward to a new experience with an upbeat attitude.
  • Avoid office politics – It can be all too easy to get caught up in someone else’s issues at work. If a co-worker comes to you and asks for advice, offer to listen to them but leave it at that. Going to the boss on their behalf can lead to a tarnished relationship for you with management.
  • Know your job description and what is expected of you – Many times it is hard to say no when someone asks you to take on extra work. If it is outside of your job description, don’t feel bad if you have to refuse the assignment. While everyone wants to grow at their job, right now may not be the best time for you to try to tackle more – especially if you already have a full load. This can take the pressure off of you to say yes when you know that you are not required to do so.
  • Add humor to your day – Instead of buying into the bad mood or sour attitude of others, stay upbeat. Tell yourself a joke. If you work on a computer, subscribe to a joke-a-day website so that you get daily injections of humor to lighten the mood and alleviate pressure.
  • Organize your desk – If you are in a hurry, it is nice to be able to place your hand on exactly what you need. Even if a messy desk is the sign of an organized mind, it can still place added pressure on you that is not necessary. If you are naturally disorganized, try using labels to keep up with important documents.
  • Get exercise – You can take a short walk at lunchtime or use a stepper to keep your feet moving as you work. Increasing your oxygen levels improves cardiovascular fitness and boosts clarity, immunity and problem-solving skills.
  • Listen to music – It can calm not only your mind but also your soul. Listen at work and at home to reduce stress levels by the time you see your family.

Even the best jobs can be stressful at times. Keep your stress level to a minimum with these handy tips.

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Categories : Stress, Workplace
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Symptoms of Stress in Children

Posted by gesund on Friday, April 30th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Children are not immune to feeling the effects of stress. We often overlook the signs because we don’t expect to see it. If you suspect that something is wrong with your child, here are some of the symptoms.

It is not a myth that kids suffer from stress. Think of all that they have to deal with: classwork, school activities, friends and growing up. Going through the changes that occur with each age level can bring about enough anxiety to lead to stress in children.

Remember back to your childhood. What did you worry about? Many of the issues you dealt with may not have even involved books but friends, self-image and the opposite sex.

Here are some ways to recognize stress in kids.

Symptoms of Stress

  • Irritability – When kids have a hard time figuring things out it can lead to frustration. This may show itself in the simplest of tasks at home. After only one try, they may throw their toy or project aside and storm off.
  • Sleeplessness – Your child may wake up early in the morning or come to the breakfast table with dark circles around their eyes. This is more than likely not because they are staying up to play video games, but because stress is leading to insomnia. Another symptom of sleeplessness could be an increased incidence of nightmares.
  • Change in appetite – Kids love to eat. If your child is showing less than their usual interest in meals or they skip meals due to a stomach ache it could be stress related.
  • Withdrawal – Stress can lead to a withdrawal from friends or pleasurable activities. Kids rarely stay inside if they have a good reason to be outside.
  • Dropping grades – This is almost a sure sign that something has changed especially if your child is used to gaining high marks. Talking to a teacher may shed some light on the cause. Also, check their book bag for hidden test papers with low grades that they may have been keeping from you.
  • Whining – Kids may do some of that but as they assert their independence, less and less is exhibited. A child who seems needier than normal could have a stress issue.
  • Mood swings – Kids experience these too. A generally happy child may become angry or manic for no reason. If the change continues to occur, they may be overwhelmed in some area of their lives.

Children are people pleasers. They do not want to disappoint parents or their teachers. Trying to live up to expectations placed on them can be a catalyst for stress. Talk to your child. Assure them that you want to help them avoid stress as much as possible.

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Categories : School Age, Stress
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