Understanding and Coping with Stress

Karen Turner — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:16:29 +0000

They say life begins at forty; while this is also the peak life stress point. Home, career, relationships and even your self are all stress contributors. Some stress, especially when kept under reasonable control is positive and healthy and can help us perform gracefully under pressure. On the other hand, mishandled stress can pose several serious and even life threatening health threats.

Stress is an adrenaline-related response to the various events that we perceive as threats. The nervous system releases hormones that prepare us for fight or flight. Your muscles become tense, the heart starts pounding faster, and your breath starts to quicken. These are some of the physiologic responses to stressful agents.

Chronic stress can disrupt the important organ functions in the body. It may cause sleep disorders, widespread pain, obesity, skin problems, digestive problems and an unsound mind. It can go as far as contributing to heart diseases, lowered immune system responses, early signs of aging, and serious problems related to anxiety and depression. Stress can also exacerbate present health problems. The need for a healthy way of managing stress is imperative to prevent these dreaded diseases before they materialize.

Be aware of the ill-effects of stress. It is very important to realize that mismanaged stress is a silent assassin that can easily cripple a happy and healthy life. Once you have an understanding of the bad effects of stress, it convinces you to exert a conscious effort in controlling these stressors in your life.

Identify your stressors and know how you respond to each. As the saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer; and uncontrolled stress is the enemy. Create a journal that lists the things, people and events that make you feel uncomfortable, and make another list of your responses to various stressors. The goal is to get a clear picture of which stressors you handle well, and which ones are problematic. There’s no such thing as zero stress. Write down even the littlest detail as it can also be a rewarding experience to know that there are stress agents that you can handle smoothly.

Once you have reviewed your list, you may want to concentrate on the ones that you’re having a hard time dealing with. Sort out those situations or people that bring out the monster in you, and follow these simple steps to properly managing them.

Avoid unnecessary stress, and adapt to the ones which cannot be altered. Unnecessary stressors are the ones that can be easily avoided by saying “no”. It just takes the proper heart and attitude to learn to be self protective. Say you know your job skills well, and your boss asks you to do a task you know you can’t handle. Don’t push yourself. Politely decline your employer stating that the project might turn out more successful if another skilled colleague handles it. Adapting to the stressor is a heroic and fulfilling act. Learning to accept and adjusting to the things you can’t change can add more years to your life.

Learn proper time management. It is a wise idea to keep a planner. It gives you an idea of how a busy day in your life goes, and you get to evaluate which events are important, and weed out activities which are stressfully unproductive.

Live a healthy lifestyle. Avoid cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. Engage in regular exercise and a balanced diet. Get enough rest and ample amounts of fluid.

Relax, relax, relax!!! Indulge in periods of refreshing moments with family and friends at least once a week! Doing something you enjoy adds to your sense of well-being. You will build stronger relationships and brighten your life outlook

The post Understanding and Coping with Stress appeared first on Dr. KarenTurnerPhD.

BIG DEALS FOR SMALL HEALTHY HABITS

Karen Turner — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 06:08:20 +0000

Planning regular trips to the gym, eating a balanced diet, steering clear from smoking, drugs and excessive alcohol intake… these are impressive ways to get your life running on the racetracks of good health. Sadly though in this millennium, an unhealthy lifestyle is being blatantly and surreptitiously promoted. Some of unhealthy culprits are computer activities, network gaming, no-diet/exercise weight loss programs, and the over growth of nightclubs and coffee shops.

These things distract us from living healthily. They are the hurdles in the racetracks that are unavoidable; and are hurdles that need to be overcome. Luckily it isn’t difficult to spring from a hurdle as there are small healthy habits that oftentimes overlooked, nonetheless are actually big steps to better health.

Drink eight glasses of water a day. Water is a very important element for the processes of our vital organs. It regulates body temperature, serves as a lubricant, and regulates metabolism. Proper hydration results in clearer skin, a refreshed feeling, an energetic aura. BIG DEAL: Ample amounts of water in a day can actually suppress your food cravings; and in turn can help you steer clear from grabbing junk food.

Wash your hands properly. Correct hand care is the simplest solution in preventing communicable diseases. Proper hand washing involves cleaning the hands, nails, wrists, forearm and elbows. In fifteen seconds, you have the power to arm yourself against foreign microorganisms that may enter the body through dirty hands. BIG DEAL!!? YES. As several common diseases can easily be avoided. You can arm yourself against the flu, the common cold, gastrointestinal disorders, sore throats and many others simply by properly washing your hands.

Use sunscreen. The ozone layer’s got a big hole in it, and harmful UV rays of the sun are stronger than ever. A sunscreen with at least SPF 15 shields you from the ill-effects of UV-ray damage such as early signs of aging, sunburns and unhealthy tans. It is best if you can don wide-brimmed hats or use umbrellas in conjunction with your sunscreen. BIG DEAL:!!? YES. You lessen the risk of having skin cancer through this precautionary life habit.

Learn to relax. Reward yourself by relaxing! Try to give yourself a break for a job well done. Weekly time-offs are good stress-busters and can make you more optimistic in life. Know which activities relax you and treat yourself to a day off. BIG DEAL:!!? YES. This can be a very rewarding experience. This small habit is like a pat on the back for working extra hard. Result is, you become revved up and motivated for the following working days.

Eat Breakfast. Running late for work is the best excuse to miss out on breakfast. Never, ever do this. Manage your time properly so that you can eat breakfast on the table (and not while driving or walking). Make sure you get to gobble up from all the major food groups. BIG DEAL:!!? YES. Breakfast meals rev up your metabolism. Missing the most important meal of the day makes one sluggish and unfocused.

Wear comfortable shoes. You may not realize it, but your footwear plays a vital role in your life. It carries you! You walk with it, run with it, and it is important that you are comfortable with the pair you are wearing. It makes you stand while moving around your home and workplace without having to worry about ankle and foot pain or blisters. BIG DEAL:!!? YES. Wrong pairs of shoes can cause low back pain, the leading medical condition that makes most people miss work.

It is important to acknowledge these unsung habits because our smallest efforts to be healthy make us more driven to support a better lifestyle. Knowing these littlest things allows us to be aware that it is possible to be healthy in an unhealthy environment; that it is through the littlest habits that we make giant leaps to overcome the hurdles.

Want more simple and healthy tips or have some of your own you want to share? Come share them with others at Boomer Yearbook and become an advocate of healthy living!

www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

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Stress reduction Archives - Dr. KarenTurnerPhD

Understanding and Coping with Stress

BIG DEALS FOR SMALL HEALTHY HABITS