Dealing with Stress

Destress by eating breakfast

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:50:48 -0400

LONDON: People skipping breakfast had better mend their ways, as a new study shows how the morning meal reduces stress and improves mental and physical performance throughout the day.

Volunteers who ate after waking up benefited from an 89 percent reduction in anxiety when faced with a challenging situation, the Daily Mail reported. They were typically able to deal with the dilemma seven percent quicker than on days when they went without it, the mental and physical tests have revealed.

Read Mind your breakfast for stress-free life!

Understanding Anxiety in Children

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:39:48 -0400

This is a hugely important issue. Kids are impacted by stress and anxiety just like adults. This article has some good tips for dealing with your child’s anxiety.

Children experience anxiety in much of the same way as adults do, however a more limited emotional vocabulary can make the experience extremely distressing for the child and frustrating for parents.

The anxious child may feel constantly “on edge” or seem to be on “high alert” becoming clingy, impulsive, exhibit trouble getting to sleep and/or staying asleep longer than usual, accelerated heart rate, rapid breathing and complain about physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches.

Fears are a normal experience of growing up, and most kids outgrow or replace one fear for another. Babies and toddlers experience separation anxiety, becoming emotionally distressed when one or both parents leave. Kids ages 4 through 6 have anxiety about things that aren’t based in reality, such as fears of monsters and ghosts. Kids ages 7 through 12 often have fears that reflect real circumstances that may happen to them, such as bodily injury and natural disasters.

Read Help kids cope with anxiety

http://www.oaoa.com/articles/experience-83738-anxiety-child.html

Simple ways to reduce stress and increase happiness

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:00:04 -0400

Good ideas for decreasing stress…

Break time

Disconnect

Work-free lunches

Connect with others

Great start

Take control

Get alll the details at Simple ways to reduce stress and increase happiness

30% of Americans on Anti-Anxiety Medication

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 23:15:05 -0400

A new documentary looks at the juxtaposition of DSM diagnostics, pharmaceutical companies and high paced culture creating a huge amount of anxiety and medication to treat it.

We live in a fast-paced culture where our hectic schedules, demanding careers and unhealthy eating habits lead us into a cycle of anxiety. And while there’s a pill for that, an increasing rate of diagnoses for the anxiety disorders indicate that North Americans are paying a heavy price for their high-stress lifestyles — one that may not be fixed by a cure-all caplet.

The CBC documentary The Age of Anxiety, produced by Emmy Award-winning Toronto-based film producer Ric Esther Bienstock, investigates the rapid increase in anxiety diagnoses, narrowing down the culprits to changing cultural values shaped by the media and pharmaceutical companies that are taking aim at medicating even the smallest of stresses.

“As we explored we kind of discovered that there is this perfect storm of pharmaceutical companies, the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and how all of this ties in within our crazy culture to kind of reinforce that maybe we should get treatment for it,” says Bienstock, who herself was once prescribed anti-anxiety medication by a physician without any tests or questions.

Read The Age of Anxiety: CBC doc explores the way we see (and treat) stress

Yoga and meditation decrease stress in caregivers

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:08:32 -0400

Not surprisingly, yoga and meditation help caregivers reducer their levels of stress.

But now, it turns out yoga doesn’t just help the person with the ailment — it could also help the person taking care of the person with the ailment.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles found that meditation from yoga can help lower depression in caregivers, and may also improve their cognitive functioning.

The researchers even found that the meditation was associated with a decrease in cellular aging from stress.

Read Yoga For Caregivers: Meditation May Lower Depression, Improve Brain Functioning In Dementia Caregivers

Is your job killing you?

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:38:05 -0400

Image: Human Resources MBA, via The Jane Dough

Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:29:05 -0400

Lower blood pressure the natural way…

Reduce salt intake

Lose weight

Relax with music

Laugh a lot

Read Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

A healthy office is a happy office

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:27:15 -0400

Every office should have a program like this…

Read A healthy office is a happy office: yoga teacher

Outsmart your stress...Breathe

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:41:48 -0400

Over the course of thousands and thousands of years our brains have become wired toward creating, fixing, solving, basically just doing. It’s been a great benefit; we have roofs over our heads, cars to drive, chairs to sit on and even this technology to connect around. But when it comes to our stress or uncomfortable emotions, the brain mistakenly uses the same approach and unknowingly make our stress and pain worse.

Outsmart Your Stress: The 1-Minute “Be” Practice

Stress Reduction In The Workplace: Save Your Bottom Line

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:18:03 -0400

Too much stress in the workplace results in a negative attitude or work environment, which can cause poor relations with coworkers, irritability, and eventually escalate to violence. Workers may become depressed or sleep deprived, which could result in substance abuse or over-eating, not to mention lack of focus and impaired judgement. All of this effects the quality of life of workers and the bottom line for employers.

When workers are constantly operating on high stress mode, it can have serious effects on cognitive function. Stressed out workers can experience memory problems, lack of concentration, and poor judgement. Stress can be blamed for approximately 60 – 80% of accidents on the job.

Recommended practices…

1. Make sure managers are leading by example.

2. Encourage early office arrival by offering bagels or other breakfast options.

3. Create a space dedicated to relaxation.

4. Encourage socializing and team building activities.

5. Allow pets at the office. (Like that one!)

Read Stress Reduction In The Workplace: Save Your Bottom Line

Goldie Hawn making happiness into worldwide crusade

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:07:43 -0400

This is a great project..

The foundation specialises in teaching social and emotional skills to enhance children’s academic performance. It uses a programme called MindUP that Hawn developed with neurologist Judy Willis using forms of meditation and “mindfulness”.

Read Goldie Hawn making happiness into worldwide crusade

Decision Making Under Stress

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:27:37 -0400

Interesting. I would have thought it would be the other way around.

If you’re trying to make an important decision while the baby is crying, the boss is shouting on the phone and the cat has chosen this moment to think outside the box, you might want to take a breather and wait. A new review shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the pros and cons, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative consequences of a decision.

Using the wrong had develops self control

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:00:04 -0400

Interesting research…

Two weeks of using your ‘wrong’ hand to stir your tea helps you control your anger: ‘Training’ yourself to use the ‘wrong’ hand seems to act as practice for other kinds of self control, such as being polite

Untitled

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:21:11 -0500

In a nationwide poll by the American Psychological Association, more than two-thirds of Americans listed work as a significant source of stress. A down economy has left many people with increased work demands and fewer resources to meet those demands. Even as the economy improves, the pressures at work don’t necessarily decrease.

That’s an appalling number…two-thirds find work to be a cause of stress. This article offers a good list of tips.

Read Quick Tips for Handling a Stressful Work Day

Warning Re: Magnetic Stress Relievers

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 19:59:47 -0500

I expect there are better alternatives and safer too, but if you use these magnetic stress relievers please be aware of their danger to children.

They are powerful pea-size magnets marketed as stress relievers for harried adults but called a safety risk for children by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The magnets are sold under the brand names Buckyballs and Nanospheres among others.

“We want parents to be aware of the danger associated with these innocent-looking magnets,” safety commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said in a November statement. “The potential for serious injury and death if multiple magnets are swallowed demands that parents and medical professionals be aware of this hidden hazard and know how to treat a child in distress.”

The Consumer Product Safety Commission then reported 22 incidents involving the magnets from 2009 through October. “Of the reported incidents, 17 involved magnet ingestion and 11 required surgical removal of the magnets. When a magnet has to be removed surgically, it often requires the repair of the child’s damaged stomach and intestines,” the commission statement said.

Read Magnetic stress relievers called health danger for kids

Can walking a labyrinth reduce stress?

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:13:08 -0500

When you’re looking for a quick solution to reduce stress, take a walk. If you want to re-center and find serenity, walk a labyrinth.

I’m sure you’ve heard about the benefits of walking to reduce stress, lower your blood pressure and help with weight reduction. What you might not be as aware of are the other advantages that walking has to quiet your mind and bring a sense of peacefulness. If you have never tried it, I strongly suggest you walk a labyrinth.

Read Reduce Stress Walk a Labyrinth

Marital stress is worse in the first year

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:35:30 -0500

New research New research from eHarmony shows that the first year of marriage creates the most marital stress.

Marital stress is worse in the first year

Medical students learning yoga for stress relief

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:34:54 -0500

Woo hoo!

Medical students are learning yoga, and they are also learning the neuroscience research behind it and why it works.

Given how many doctors are handing out an endless supply of pills that often don’t work, this is wonderful news.

Read Doctors Learning Stress Relief Techniques

Stress relief games are about fun and relaxation

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:55:25 -0500

Does TV quality?

Stress relief games are about fun and relaxation

Parental Stress in America and France

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:29:24 -0500

Great article comparing American parenting and the stress it causes with parenting in other countries, particularly in France.

It is being suggested here that parents should be less focused on achievement and more focused on happiness. Now there’s a thought!

Do you think it’s time to lighten up?

But this unending, merciless judging of other parents in the name of what’s “best,” this constant comparing of ourselves with parents in other countries, this gnawing fear that kids are falling behind and our nation is losing its superpower edge, point to a deep insecurity that is not only draining American parents but fostering insecurity in American children.

…“What we need to be parenting for,” Carter said, “is not achievement first, then happiness — but happiness first.”

To do that, she advises parents, when they can, to lose the self-sacrifice and take care of themselves; expect effort and enjoyment, not perfection; savor the present moment; and do simple things together such as have a family dinner. “When our children are happy, when their brains are filled with positive emotions like engagement, confidence and gratitude, we know from science that they are more likely to be successful and fulfill their potential,” Carter said. “It does not mean they will be above average if, in fact, they are average children.”

Read To stressed-out American mothers: Try being French