Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Reduce Stress Quickly To Increase Longevity-Six Easy Tips
Stress can impact our lives in so many ways. It can shorten our life as well as make it less than it should be. Stress can raise your blood pressure, contribute to heart disease, cancer, depression, heartburn and many other ailments. These shorten longevity. So ways to reduce stress quickly also increase longevity. The two go together.
Stress can also rob you of your vitality leaving you tired and irritable. It contributes to weight gain that causes more stress, which leads to weight gain….
These tips are simple yet highly effective at reducing stress quickly. Try them!
1. Sleep- Research shows the importance of getting at least 7 hours per night. And you can’t make up for lost time. Depriving you body of the sleep it needs decrease your longevity and your ability to mange stress. Lack of sleep contributes to many health concerns including weight gain, high blood pressure, memory loss, type-2 diabetes.
2. Stop caffeine (or limit to one cup in the morning) and high sugar foods. Your body will let you know when have had too much. Increased feelings of anxiety, shakiness, insomnia, and irregular or rapid heartbeats. These warning signals (toxic or mild overdose symptoms) are telling you that the temporary energy boost you felt has now drained your body of energy and the long-term effects, from repeated exposure, are negative.
3. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables- This is one of the first things we forget about if we’re busy, in a rush and feeling stressed. It seems easier to stop by and grab a fast food lunch or dinner. But this stresses the body more and does not give it the nutrients needed for managing life. Eating a well balanced diet with plenty of fresh, whole foods is vital to energy levels, managing stress and anxiety through out the day.
4. Deep breathing –STOP at least every one to two hours and BREATH! Take deep slow breaths and feel your chest and abdomen move. If it helps, count to 5 while you inhale and 5 while you exhale. Close your eyes if possible. Feel your muscles relax. This also increase your oxygen level which gives you improved energy and less stress.
5. Exercise – This does not have to be a rigorous work out or marathon. Take a walk, do some stretching. Take a yoga class and then do it at home, too. Just get moving. Your body was designed to move on a regular, ongoing basis. Exercise connects you with the core source of energy and makes you feel fully alive. Exercise stimulates the release of natural substances that counteract the negative effects of stress hormones.
6. Laugh and play-These are proven fun ways to beat stress and improve your life, longevity and simply have a great time!
Of course there are many more ways to reduce stress and therefore increase longevity. The more you do the greater your results will feel. A longer, happier life can be yours. And one last thing—take care of yourself…first!…then you can also take care of others.
