Stress is the cause of around 99% of illness. If the negative effects of stress continue to be experienced over a prolonged period of time, the impact can be profound and damaging. All of us have a "crack of least resistance" or a way in which the negative effects of stress will find a way to manifest in the mind and/or the body. Society seems to be more comfortable dealing with physical manifestations in the body such as heart attacks, strokes, cancer and diabetes. But the "crack of least resistance" might be in the mental arena where a person has otherwise strong physical health. Both are potentially very dangerous and even life-threatening.
So if you want to enjoy good health in business and your personal life, it's crucially important to become aware of and learn how to relieve stress. We're all stress managers whether we realize it or not; it's just that some methods are healthier and more effective in the long term than others. Are you relieving stress in healthy or unhealthy ways?
Healthy ways of relieving stress which go to the heart of the causes include:-
Regular alkalising exercise
Meditation and mind/body relaxation
Proper hydration
Drinking Red Bush tea or fruit teas
Healthy eating, especially plenty of green leafy vegetables and omega 3 (fish oil)
Getting the right amount of good quality sleep regularly
Yoga, Tai Chi or Pilates
Diaphragmatic deep breathing
Rebounding using a trampoline
Spending time in nature
Talking through a problem with a friend
Healthy self talk and positive affirmations
Laughter with friends and family
Taking regular holidays or proper breaks from work
Listening to calm or relaxing music
Reading for pleasure
Completing what you've started and tying up loose ends
Less healthy ways of dealing with stress include:-
Consuming alcohol routinely
Smoking
Consuming caffeinated drinks in quantity
Overeating and eating unhealthily on a regular basis
Skipping breakfast and/or lunch
Eating at your desk or not taking a proper break at lunch
Watching TV routinely for several hours a day
Taking sleeping pills
Taking anti-depressants
Items on the second list tend to mask the symptoms of stress and may provide a short term distraction from stressors or things that cause stress in our lives. However, items on the first list tend to deal with the deeper underlying problem and are much more effective ways to relieve stress in the long term.
Andrew Bridgewater is a Chartered Psychologist and the author of "Fit For Business: How To Deal With Stress & Create A Healthy Work Life Balance". For full details of these and many tips to relieve stress, download the complete book now from http://www.FitForBusiness.tv/
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