Stress Guide 101

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Stress, More or Less? You Can Choose What to Do

Stress is something that affects each person in a different way. Lots of people often think that stress is something that no one can do anything about. In fact, lots of people often succumb to stress because they believe that they can't change it. However, that is not the case. It is up to you to figure out how stress is going to affect you.

When you are dealing with stress, you are going to be the one who is charge of how it affects you. Whether you are going to have lots of stress, or little stress, you need to be sure that you understand what is going on with it, so that you can decide how much you are going to let it affect you.

The first thing that you need to do when you start to be able to decide how stress is going to affect you is realize that the more you let stress effect you, the more that it will. This sounds like something simple, but stress is an odd thing. It is a physical and mental reaction to certain situations, and it is a reaction that your body and mind might make whether you want to or not. The key to your reactions is going to be your mental state, and the ability to control these stress symptoms.

The first thing that you need to do when you are learning how to cope with stress is learn how to relax. Learning how to relax is something that most people need to be able to do, because it allows them to deal with stress in a way that they never knew or understood before. Relaxing is actually one of the best keys to being able to control stress. There are several types of relaxation exercises that you should be doing, and it is up to you whether or not you use them. However, if you are able to use them, you will be able to control your stress.

There are two types of relaxation that you can do in order to control your stress, and have less of it. The first should be a very short relaxation technique that you can do in order to calm yourself down as you start to feel stressed out. The second is a longer relaxation technique that you should be doing in the evenings or every few days, in order to keep yourself less stressed.

The next thing that you want to do is remember that there are several other things that you can do to make sure that you have less stress. First of all, you should try to be as organized as possible. Being organized is a way that you can make sure you have less stress. If you aren't organized, you might find that you have more stress because lack of organization leads to more situations in your life that are stressful. Also, if you have too much to you will find that you have more stress, so if you can cut back on some of the things that you are doing, you will find that you experience less stress in your life.

Phil Ruebens - About the Author:
Why be stressed when Phil Ruebens can help you in less than 7 minutes. Visit http://www.investinyourstress.com right now.

Copyright (c) 2008 Konstantin Koss

Stress in the workplace has gained very much unpleasant popularity among people around the world. Stress has even earned the title of being "The 20th Century Disease" as coined by the United Nations in 1992 and referred to as a "World Wide Epidemic" by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The reason for its increasing popularity is the increasing number of stress-related health problems such as irritation, depression, headaches, migraines and even life-threatening chronic diseases like heart attacks. More and more people are suffering from these stress-related health problems, sometimes without even realizing that they are caused by the stress they get from work or from personal problems around the house.

Some people find ways to de-stress by going to the gym and working out; some go dancing or clubbing every Friday after a week of long hard work; some attend yoga classes; some still try to switch to less stressful jobs. While stress has become synonymous with jobs and people think that there is no job that does not entail stress, there are still jobs out there that cause low or no stress at all if you are really very good at it. To give you an idea here's a list of low stress jobs and why are they considered to be such.

-Dog Walker

I guess the number one low stress job out there is the dog walker. In every busy city, there are a lot of dog owners that do not have time to spend enough time with their dogs and give the necessary walking exercise once in a while. So more and more dog owners hire dog walkers to give their dogs the time that they can not give.

This job is low stress because all you have to do is walk dogs at the park. How hard could walking and playing with dogs be? In fact, it could even help you de-stress from your own cares at home. Scientific studies prove that taking care of pets, or even just caressing the furry friends, relax and soothe the tired mind.

-Pastry Chef

Second in my list of low stress jobs is being a pastry chef. Baking and designing pastries is indeed an art. Creating artwork also has a soothing effect to the one working on it. Although pastry making entails a lot of hard work and sometimes even odd working hours, it brings satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment for the chefs. That is if you are artistic and creative and you love the arts.

If you love what you are doing, there is very little room for frustration and irritation, hence less stress. Besides, who could get stressed in a workplace smelling of sugar, butter and cinnamon?

-Video clerk

Another top low stress and even fun job is the video clerk, where you can watch movies while doing your job. You also get to talk and give customers piece of advice or suggestions about which movies are good and which are not. In this business, customers turn to you as an expert of movies hence employers allow their staffs to watch movies while working. It would ensure customer loyalty if the video clerk serving them knows a lot about movies and get to interact with them meaningfully.

What more, since store hours do not begin until 10 am, you can extend sleep without having to worry about beating the morning rush as most people are already in their workplaces at this time. You get to hang around cool people discussing movies and music.

-Massage or Physical Therapist

Since this job is centered on making people relaxed and calm, the therapist is trained well on the art of relaxation. As an expert therapist, you can apply the exercises you advise to other people to yourself as well. Of course, you have to practice what you teach.

Besides how can giving back rubs to patients or clients be stressing? Sure, giving a really good massage can strain your muscles, but did you notice that you usually feel more relaxed after a workout? The same principle applies here, you just have to learn how to keep your back straight during the massage.

Also, these sessions are usually done in a relaxing room where the lights are dim and with soothing and relaxing background music.

These are but a few of the many low stress jobs out there. You just have to be not too picky. After all, high-profile careers are usually the ones that are most stressful.

Konstantin Koss - About the Author:
Konstantin Koss runs the popular website RealRelaxation.net. Want to learn more about low stress jobs and stress in the workplace in general? Visit his website to find out more at RealRelaxation.net

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'She drove me to drink' used to be a popular phrase. Its essential meaning is that stress induces people to consume alcohol. While it's true that stress can be an incentive to drink, it's equally true that heavy alcohol consumption causes stress.
Moderate alcohol intake, to be sure, can have beneficial effects. Research suggests that small amounts can even improve mental functioning and increase performance in problem solving while stressed. But, there are also studies that demonstrate that large quantities, particularly when consumed for long periods, actually worsens stress.
Large alcohol consumption stimulates the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands. One result is an increase in the amount of cortisol produced within the body. Another is an increase in adrenaline. Both those, while they don't alone cause stress, play a large role in the symptoms.
Extreme stress makes it more difficult to concentrate. One of the obvious effects of high alcohol intake is to produce that exact effect. Thus, heavy drinkers get a double whammy just at the moment they need mental clarity most.
Other studies suggest that chronic drinkers have symptoms similar to those seen in children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Children of those drinkers, this research concludes, have a higher incidence of actual ADHD.
So, it may also be true that as much as the stress of parenting may lead to drinking, adult drinking may encourage the circumstances that entice the parent to drink. It may be a factor in producing children's symptoms that lead to adult stress.
Exercise is known to help relieve the symptoms of stress. Unfortunately, one of the additional results of excessive alcohol consumption is decreased exercise. Few inebriated people want to go a few rounds on the weight machine.
Similarly, high alcohol intake suppresses appetite. Thus, at the same time alcoholic drinks pour in the calories, they decrease the incentive to maintain a healthy diet. Once again the drinker experiences a doubly negative reinforcing effect.
Those who drink excessively to escape stress motivated by money concerns find it more difficult to cope with the problem that caused the stress in the first place. Even simple tasks like balancing a checkbook are clearly more difficult when drunk. But beyond such minor details, the cognitive functions needed to develop long term strategies are impaired. Drinkers literally can't think their way out of the problems causing the stress.
In all these cases there is a vicious cycle established. Stress encourages heavy drinking, which makes it more difficult to deal with the internal and external factors that led to stress in the first place. Though the specific numbers will vary from person to person, when the average individual drinks more than the equivalent of two or three shots of whiskey per day, the results are inevitably bad.
The key to breaking this vicious cycle is to seek alternative methods for dealing with stress. Both the symptoms and the underlying motivators are subject to change in almost all cases. Proper exercise and diet is a good beginning. A realistic attitude about life's inherent challenges can go a long way, as well. But, as with any psychological problem, admitting it exists is the first necessary step.

John Spencer Ellis - About the Author:
Dr. John Spencer Ellis

Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation.

He created Adventure Boot Camp, the largest fitness boot camp system in the world. His TriActive America signature series of outdoor exercise equipment is used worldwide. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. He is the fitness and lifestyle expert on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Orange County and Daybreak OC (KDOC news). John is the producer of the documentary The Compass (Jan. 2009).

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/stress-management-articles/stress-and-alcohol-509126.html#ixzz0mscnEsGn
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The one thing that virtually all people have in common is the stress of living in this modern age. So much has changed in the last 25 years. Yet all generations had to grow up and take on the responsibilities of raising a family, making a living and figuring out their place in this complicated world.

Stress comes from several sources. Obviously, the first place most people think is work. We think of work as a source of stress because it is a place where making a living is important to our well-being. There are daily demands, deadlines and schedules to be met. In addition, most of us have to deal with at least one difficult person during our workdays, which only compound the stress.

Stress doesn't end when we walk out of our workplace. Traffic itself can be stressful. Then the joys of raising children and marriage can also bring some trials with them as well. It is common to come home from a difficult day only to face problems at home. The stress and anxiety just keep mounting up.

There is good stress that adds value to our lives. This type of stress motivates us to move forward in a direction that we want to create for ourselves. Our intention is one of self-care, even if it is challenging in the beginning.

When we speak of stress, we usually mean the difficult issues. Too much stress can lead to serious medical and mental problems if we don't develop some coping techniques to deal with it.

Some good small, but effective coping mechanisms that you may find helpful to defray the stress in your life include:

Get away from it.

To put the cares of the world in perspective, we have to get away from them for awhile. If nothing else, just soaking in a hot bathtub with a good magazine and some happy music can wash away the cares of the world and let them swirl down the drain with the bubbles. Look for chances to relax and put those worries aside for a little bit. It will help you calm your mind, rest your system and be ready to deal with those issues without so much anxiety, which doesn't help you at all.

Collaborate with your family.

Your family doesn't want to see you stressed out. They don't always understand how much they add to your problems when they throw the problems of the day at you as soon as you walk through the door. Remember that they are stressed with school or issues of work and relationships too. So partner together to create a little time to just be a family and 'love away' that tension together. Everybody will be better for it.

Take time for health.

It's strange but our diet and rest are the things we need the most to cope with stress and yet those are the areas of life that are most damaged if we let stress wear us down. So go back to basics and make sure you get good meals, good rest and take care of yourself. It will make you a better worker and stronger for your family as well.

Stress can be a serious concern to your well-being. You are responsible for taking care of yourself...no one else. If you take action to keep stress from dominating your life, you are doing something good for yourself, which will only help you deal with problems and solve them with creativity and intelligence.

Pat Brill - About the Author:
Pat Brill is co-author of "9 Steps to Starting a Women's Group". To download your Free copy of this e-book, go to http://www.Womens-Group.net .

The first year of parenthood is a memorable time. You're getting to know your baby and becoming acclimated to your role as a parent. You learn how to feed your baby, how to clothe him or her, and even how to medicate your baby. Every few weeks, you check with your pediatrician's office to chart your baby's growth. It is, in fact, an incredible period of growth for both you and your baby.

However, there is also a great deal of stress associated with new parenthood. You often have to toss aside your pre-conceived notions as you actually experience motherhood or fatherhood.

You may be stressed out by the endless diapers and mounting piles of laundry by the constant feedings and by your newborn's continual crying. At times, you may even wonder whether you're really cut out for parenthood.

The important thing to remember is that every new parent feels stress. It is, in fact, part of the job. And the stress will continue once your child is in school, once your child becomes a teenager, and once your child starts college. In essence, the moment your baby is born begins a lifetime of stress for you and your mate.

How can you best combat new baby-stress? Recognizing the amount of stress you're under is an important first step. Many new parents become frustrated and irritable, never realizing that they are simply reacting to stress. Given the fact that new parents often get little sleep, the stress can be easily compounded.

Once you recognize your stress, it is important to engage in some stress relief. For many parents, this will mean calling Grandma and Grandpa to take over during the rough times.

Just a few hours away from your baby can help you to re-charge your batteries, enabling you to improve your coping skills. It can be particularly helpful if you and your mate arrange a date night while your baby is with the grandparents. This couple time can be extremely relaxing and beneficial for your relationship.

A simple technique you can use is to play lullabies not just for your baby, but for yourself as well. There is something so soothing about a pleasant lullaby it can take a great deal of the tension away.

Singing with your baby can also help to cement the bond between you and can help to eliminate stress. You might even try dancing with your baby the best dances include both parents! Taking the time to relax with your baby can help to reduce the tension you feel.

Books can be another helpful resource. There are a number of books on the market that tell you what to expect during your baby's first year. For instance, many offer doctor's recommendations on when it is necessary to call the pediatrician, and when a home remedy will work just as well. Reading such baby how-to books can take a great deal of the stress out of first year parenting.

Arranging play dates for your baby can also be quite therapeutic. In some cases, you might be able to drop your baby off at a friend's house while you do your shopping, cleaning, or other chores.

In other cases, arranging a play date offers you the opportunity to get together with other mothers and fathers who share similar stresses. Just talking with other parents might help to ease your worries tremendously.

Another tried-and-true formula for dealing with new baby stress is to put the baby in a stroller and start walking. Just a short walk around the block can help to clear your head, helping you to better deal with the demands of new parenthood.

You might even enlist a friend to walk with you. Some mothers and fathers even buy special jogging strollers so that they can run while their babies roll along. Such exercise can be quite relaxing, especially after a hard day around the play pen.

Your new baby should be the light of your life. Therefore, you shouldn't let stress ruin your relationship. By employing some simple coping strategies, you can learn to love your new life despite all the stresses involved. You'll wake up each day refreshed, and ready to take on the day's challenges.

Paul Hata - About the Author:
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There are countless reasons people have emotional stress. Dealing with traumatic events and circumstances can cause a great strain. The good news is, you can live a more peaceful life if you know how to deal with symptoms and causes of stress.

What is causing your stress?

First, you need to clearly understand the source of your emotional stress. Some people know exactly why they are stressed other may have no idea. Sometimes there is a clear, marked event that serves as the catalyst while other times stress can be a result of a series of events built up over time.

If you're not sure why you feel emotionally stressed out, it's time to do some self-examination. What that could entail is a process where you really take the time to analyze certain events that have occurred in your life by tracing them back to their roots. Discovering important insights sometime requires sitting quietly and reflecting without distractions.

How is it affecting your life?

How emotional stress affects your life as well as those around you is an important factor worth discovering. People have different ways of coping with stress - some people keep everything bottled inside, while others lash out. Regardless of what your style is, holding on to stress or lashing out is having negative effects on your life. Recognizing the effects of emotional stress on your life can serve as a great motivator to help you seek recovery.

How can you heal?

The answer to how to heal from the effects of emotional stress is different for everyone. If you experienced a traumatic life event that has left you with emotional scarring, you may want to seek professional help. Working with a professional counselor can be very therapeutic and is an important step in the healing process. While it might be hard to admit professional help is needed, the emotional benefits associated with seeking counseling can be profound.

Other times, emotional stress is something you can tackle yourself by making necessary life changes and altering both your attitude and your lifestyle. One action you can take is to begin writing down a list of the stresses in your life. Separate the list into two columns. One column should contain things you have direct control over, and the other column should contain things you have no control over. This will help you to fix the things that you can and release those things from your mind that you can't change.

Making the decision to heal and to deal with your emotional stress is extremely important. Clearly, you can't continue living with enormous amounts of stress and lead a happy and productive life. Many people in all walks of life seek a professional for advice and help, so theres no shame in it. Actually it is taking this kind of action that will offer you the peace and freedom that you are desperately seeking.

Participate in helpful activities

Once you have decided on your path to healing it's important to build a lifestyle that will help support you in decreasing emotional stress. You might decide to incorporate the practice yoga or Pilates into your life. Other people find it helpful to get in the habit of regularly meditating. Still other people like to surround themselves with friends and family to help manage their emotional stress. Only you can know the life changes you need to make in order to deal with emotional stress. The important thing is to act now before it gets the better of you.

Raymond Miller - About the Author:
Ray Miller is an Award winning stress management teacher and expert. To learn how to relieve stress and anxiety go to : http://www.stress-and-anxiety-help.com
http://stress-and-anxiety-help.com/awesome-benefits-of-stress-relief-massage/

Stress is an important factor that in long term can be the cause of a number of physical neurological and psychiatric disorders. It is important to manage stress by adopting a healthy attitude towards various aspects of life limiting the responsibility to what you can shoulder, limiting your liabilities to the extent that you can handle them and not over committing yourself to any task beyond what you can reasonably except to perform.

There is an accepted association between nutrition and stress. Stress can lead people to make poor nutritional choices which can affect overall health. Poor nutrition also can greatly affect a person's capability of reacting and coping with stress. And because of this, good nutrition is always part of effective stress management. Here are just some simple tips that would help people use good nutrition as a means to manage the stresses in life.

Stress raises our metabolism and decreases our nutritional status, depleting our body of water- soluble vitamins and minerals. Therefore we must increase intake of the water-soluble vitamins, B and C. A deficiency of B vitamins leaves you feeling tired and lethargic, yet more reactive to stress. Minerals, particularly potassium, magnesium and zinc are also depleted during stress. A basic multi-vitamin supplementation program is essential.

A healthy nutritious diet typically includes fresh fruit, whole grains, vegetables, lean meat and fish. Foods that contain high levels of fat, salt, sugar and alcohol should be taken in moderation. A healthy diet enhances the immune system and helps to maintain a reasonable energy level which is essential for dealing with stress.

Low fat dairy and yogurt are recommended because they are high in calcium and magnesium. Foods high in calcium and magnesium have been shown to reduce stress because these two nutrients relax muscle fibers.

Overall, when stressed, depending on what your activity level it can be a good idea to eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates. These help to release serotonin into the body and elevate mood. Some good food sources of complex carbohydrates include broccoli, potatoes, squash, and brown rice.

One thing that is important to know about stress is that it creates poor nutrition. For instance if you are in a rush and can not cook breakfast, what do you grab? Most likely a doughnut, Pop-Tart or something else similiar that can be eaten on the run. Green tea has a substantial amount of anti-oxidants in it that can protect the body during stressful times, and can even help promote weight loss by giving your body the tools to burn fat.

Nutrition and stress are more related than you could imagine. In fact, they are intertwining - one affecting other in a little circle. Your eating habits in relation to stress can become a negative vicious cycle until you understand what is happening and take charge of the nutrition you put into your body.

peterhutch - About the Author:
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