Stress this Mess
You know how everyone is always on the interwebs with their memes about being blessed, and letting go of the stress, etc? Well...that doesn't always work for me. I wanna let go the things that stress me--but I cannot seem to accomplish that.
And just look...this is me before and after the effects of stress...
Just kidding. But really, how do you deal with stress? I found an article from Dr. Glenn Mollette that discusses just that...
Mollette says that "according to Dr. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University, stress causes anxiousness, nervousness, distraction, excessive worry, internal pressure and changes in sleep patterns. These emotional states can then begin to affect a person's outward appearance. Someone who is stressed out may appear unusually anxious, distracted, self-absorbed, irritable or angry. If stress lasts a long time the results are excessive fatigue, depression, thoughts of suicide, headaches, nausea and vomiting, chest pain or pressure, heart racing, dizziness, restlessness, shortness of breath and more."
Waldinger also says that "If you are chronically stressed, exercise." Federal health officials recommend 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every day.
(Ugh...I just have so much trouble committing to that...)
Also, according to Mollette, daily prayer or meditation can make a big difference, as can breathing--slowly and from the abdomen can slow the stress response.
Some other suggestions from Mollette's article? Don't overdo alcohol, it will only disturb your sleep and will act as a depressant. And if money is your main stress factor, start looking for a "better paying job and be willing to prepare, train, educate and even relocate in order to move up in the financial pay scale."
His final bit of advice? "Be aggressive and don't let stress rob you of a quality life. "
Agreed. Guess I will go jump on the elliptical. :/
Blessings,
Audra Caine