Posts Tagged ‘stress’

Reduce Stress
According to a 2009 poll by the American Pain Foundation, 56% of people who have suffered from back pain or muscle strains over the past year said that it was made worse by stress over the economy.  In another poll in the journal of the International Headache Society, those who suffer from migraines say that stress is the number 1 trigger for their head pain.  People typically react to stressors by tensing up the muscles in their shoulders, face, and neck, which can cause and worsen pain over time.  Also, the same parts of the brain that govern mood process pain as well.

Move More
Many Americans have sedentary desk jobs, and to make that even worse, terrible posture. This leads not only to muscle cramps, but long term damage to the spine.  The fluid that lubricates your joints needs to keep moving in order to perform best, so try to stretch or walk around a few minutes each hour to keep limber.  Follow these guidelines to better computer posture:  feet flat on the floor, elbows at a 90 degree angle, wrists and head straight forward.

Don’t Oversleep

A new study shows that chronic sleep loss can create a debt that simply cannot be made up.  This, paired with the fact that sleep deprivation can greatly impact chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia should be a serious wake up call.  Sleeping in on the weekends is no match for getting the proper amount of sleep on any given night, and staying in bed for longer than the recommended 7-8 hours can lead to all kinds of pains.  Movement is the key to keeping muscles and bones in healthy order, so if you are going to sleep in on Saturday make sure it’s no more than 2-3 hours later than you would normally get up during the week.

Cellular Breakdown
With all of today’s technology, it’s no wonder that this generation is more connected than any before it.  So much so that new medical terminology has to be created to keep up with the conditions people suffer from.  Doctors have officially labeled a condition in which the thumb tendons become painfully inflamed as “Texter’s Thumb”.  Not only the thumbs are affected by this, because typically when texting or talking on the phone you’re not using the best posture either.   Longer conversations will strain your neck and arm from holding the phone to your ear as well, so use a headset when talking.

Manage stress
If stress isn’t properly controlled or managed, it can lead to further physiological damage like high blood pressure.  This, in turn, will greatly exacerbate your chances of heart attack or stroke.  Try starting with simple relaxation techniques like controlled breathing and meditation.  Focus on each breath entering and exiting your lungs, and imagine your stress leaving you every time you exhale.

Exercise
It’s becoming ever more obvious that most of us aren’t getting the proper amount of exercise, especially this time of year.  With the busy schedules that most of us carry, it doesn’t often allow for that extra hour to hit the gym.  Studies have shown that even moderate amounts of aerobic, physical activity can help reduce the risk of heart disease.  Try incorporating things into your regular day that can help, like taking the stairs for example.

Quit smoking
Studies show that smokers have more than double the risk of heart disease than non smokers.  It’s easier said than done, but if you smoke, quit.  There are many aids available to help you along the way, and while they still contain nicotine, they are much safer than the alternative.  These range from patches and gums, to prescription medications, and even newer ideas like electronic cigarettes.






Oral health
It’s estimated that 35% of American adults suffer from some form of gum disease or periodontal disease.  You might think it an uncommon link, but recent studies have shown otherwise.  One theory is that damaged tissues in the mouth like gum pockets (areas where the gums have pulled away from the teeth) can allow harmful bacteria to enter the blood stream where they can begin to form plaque in the arteries.

As our lives become busier and faster paced, it’s hard to remember to take the time to “stop and smell the flowers” as they used to say. Stress can build up to enormous levels that will seem insurmountable to most, and lead to some serious health risks if not dealt with in a timely manner. Everyone is familiar with the feeling of being ground down by the daily events and unexpected emergencies that can arise in our day to day lives, but many people aren’t aware of the long term effects that can be left by it. Here are just a few of the lesser known conditions that can be caused or affected by stress:

• High cholesterol
  
• High blood pressure
  
• Insomnia
  
• Headaches
  
• Hair loss
  
• Weight Gain
  
• Acne
  
• Wrinkles
  
• Cancer

One way of combating stress that won’t cost you anything more than your time is meditation. Whether or not you have any of these kinds of conditions, you can feel the effects of meditation even if it’s just for five minutes a day. Just like with exercise though, the more you can do it, the better. There are many types of meditation, but whichever you choose, do it as often as possible. Whether it’s during the day, or when you lay down to go to sleep at night.

For a quick meditation, try these few steps:

1. Take a deep breath, hold it, and count to four, then release it. As you release it, feel the tension in your body begin to drain away.

2. Repeat the deep breath, but this time hold it until a count of eight and again feel the tension lift as you exhale. Try to allow your entire body to go limp.

3. Take a third deep breath, and hold it as long as you comfortably can this time. Feel your entire body relax as you let it out.

4. Concentrate on your breath. Try to imagine seeing the air going in and out of your mouth, expanding and relaxing your lungs.

5. Imagine the oxygen filling your lungs and entering your blood stream as fresh, new energy. Energy that will revitalize your whole body. Imagine the air you breath out to be all the stress and anxieties you may carry with you.

6. Repeat this whenever you can.