Stress Information

Article Navigation

Click Here for more articles

Tips for Reducing Stress

by: Trevor Dumbleton

Copyright 2005 Trevor Dumbleton

With the hectic life that most people lead in today's world, reducing stress has become a vital skill. With work stress, school stress, family stress, teen stress, parent stress, and a whole host of other kinds of stress continually knocking on the door, it has become vital to manage stress in order to keep up with everything needs to be done. Though reducing stress is difficult, it can be done with a little effort and a little dedication to improving yourself.

The first thing to do when reducing stress is to get enough sleep at night. Yes, there is always something that needs to be done and there are projects that need to be taken care of and there is always something that should get done before you go to bed and there is still one more television show to watch, but that is exactly the problem. By spending too much of the evening worrying about everything that needs doing and trying too hard to get it all done right now, you are not helping yourself. Rather, you are increasing your stress to an alarming level. If you need to get things done, then do yourself a favor and just get them out of the way before you sit down in front of the television. When they are done, then you can relax and not worry about everything that needs to get done after the show is over.

The next things you need to do are to eat right and exercise. No, it doesn't seem like taking care of physical needs with help with a mental issue such as reducing stress, but there is a connection. After all, the brain is part of the body and when the body is working right, the brain will be more effective. By putting the right nutrients into your body, you will be feeding the brain as well as the muscles and you will be able to think clearly and concentrate more effectively. As well, when you are getting all your fruits and vegetables and whole grains, you will have more energy and be less susceptible to fatigue. After all, fatigue clouds the mind and a cloudy mind is a mind that tends to wander. And, when you mind wanders, you will not be getting things done. Thus, projects and tasks will pile up, giving you even more to be stressed about.

Additionally, exercising routinely will help you keep stress at bay. When you exercise routinely, you are more aware when you are awake and you sleep better at night, both of which are very good for reducing stress. This is because exercise helps you release hormones into your body that make you feel better, both mentally and physically. And this effect is not limited to the time when you are exercising. In fact, these hormones stay in your body even after you are done exercising, so that you will feel better all day. If you can, try to work out in the morning to get that hormonal burst before you begin your day. Or, if you cannot work out in the morning, at least exercise in the early evening so that you will at least have a body that will be ready for a good night's sleep and ready for the following day.

Another great technique for reducing stress is through proper time management. Let's face it, most people spend most of their day spinning their wheels as they move from one project or task to another, making them incapable of focusing on what they are doing. However, with a time management system in place, your day can be mapped out in the morning so that you are able to complete tasks one at a time. Then, with each little success, you will be able to feel the relief of knowing that there is one less thing to worry about.

Finally, you can help lower your stress levels by taking regular vacations. The best advice is to take one week off every year so that you can recharge your batteries and face the world again. By getting away and traveling, you can feel the relief of simply leaving it all behind. Getting out of the house, the city, or even the country is an excellent way of reducing stress and, when you get back, you will come back refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to get back to the tasks of daily life.

By reducing stress, you can feel better, work better, be more sociable, and improve your health. Stress is very hard on the body and the mind, so managing it should be a priority. Thus, with a little effort, a little time, and the dedication to do the right things for yourself, you can keep your mind clear and keep yourself moving forward. Then, once you have mastered the art of reducing stress, you will also have the pleasure of not having to worry about stress.

About the author:
LowerYourStress.com: for everything to do with stress. Get a free ebook to help with your stress levels:

Circulated by Article Emporium

Read Articles:

Set Yourself Stress-Free

What is a Body Massage?

Beating the Freshman 15

5 Tips To Boost Your Spirits

The 7 Myths Of Relaxation

CUT STRESS THROUGH EFFICIENCIES

5 Top Tips To Boost Your Spirits

Discover the Hidden Power of Self Motivation

10 Ways to Reduce Commuting Stress

Quiet Time

How To Stress Less and Smile More

10 Unusual Ways to Reduce Stress

A Simple Tip For When You're Stressed

A Guide to Female Hair Loss -

The Social Web of Stress - Simple Solutions

Discover Yoga's Healing Power

Stress, Anxiety and Depression - What is the d...

4 Steps for You to Help Yourself During Chemoth...

Food for Thought

Myth Busting: What Causes Mental Breakdown?

Plan To Succeed!

The Curse of Work

Rio Light Mask Photic Stimulation Therapy For M...

Alternative Therapies for Acid Reflux Disease

T'ai Chi in the Information Age � Ancient Cure ...

How to Increase Your Energy Naturally

Plantar Faschitis And Heel Bone Spurs Causes

Even Dogs Get the Holiday Blues: Meditation Can...

The Benefits of a Memory Foam Mattress

Adult Acne Solved!

Skin Care Secrets � You can have Beautiful Skin

The Cause of Hair Loss -

WONDER PILLOW Memory Foam Pillow For Orthopaedi...

Treadmill vs elliptical: A never ending argument

Understanding Depression

Causes of Canker Sores

Environment - Anxiety & Panic

Conquering Your Acne - A Few Helpful Tips

Press Release "Is Spike in pain?" ...

Suffering From Constant Headaches - 3 Proven & ...

The Truth About Acne

Acne and Skin Problem Myths Debunked

Don�t Let a Headache Keep You Down

The Modern Steam Bath -- A Healing Remedy for S...

Top 10 Causes Of Acne

Acne Myths, Finally Some Facts

Viagra Is Good for the Heart

"Your assigned character in life"

Breathing And Relaxation Techniques To Sleep Be...

Research Confirms Drinking Relieves Stress

A Cure For Erectile Dysfunction And Impotence -...

Hypnosis: Benefits You Can�t Live Without

Menopause and Weight Loss

Gearing Up for Flu Season

Fit for What?

Seven Easy Ways To Do Aromatherapy Skin Care At...

The Benefits of Taking a Daily Multivitamin

9 Tips to Stop Food Cravings and Help You With ...

Do Cellulite Creams Actually Work?

Busting Acne Myths Requires Individualized Trea...

More Article Pages 1 - 2 - 3

Mom's Job Stress May Spread to Kids
by: Rita Jenkins

Low job satisfaction in working mothers increases the stress levels of their children, but allowing them to spend more time in childcare can help overcome these effects, according to new research published in Developmental Psychobiology.

Children whose mothers found their jobs emotionally exhausting or otherwise less rewarding had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than children whose mothers reported more enjoyment from their jobs, researchers found in a study involving more than 50 nursery school children.

Levels of cortisol in the evening were more than double in the children whose mothers experienced less job satisfaction. Placing those children in childcare would help to significantly reduce their stress, the research suggests.

The researchers also found that children from families that were either highly expressive or very reserved exhibited higher than average cortisol levels.

Greater support is needed for working mothers to help improve their job satisfaction and increase the availability of affordable childcare options, says the report.

More Time in Childcare

Dr. Julie Turner-Cobb, a health psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Bath, Dr. Christina Chryssanthopoulou from the University of Kent and Dr. David Jessop, a neuroimmunologist at the University of Bristol collaborated on the study.

To measure cortisol levels, they took saliva samples in the morning and evening from 56 children aged three to four years old. They also surveyed mothers about their workplace conditions and home life over a six month period.

"Spending more time in childcare makes a big difference to the stress levels in children whose mothers have low job satisfaction," says Dr. Turner-Cobb.

"It can help protect children from the effects of their mother's low job quality and emotional exhaustion. Ensuring that mothers of young children have good support in the workplace is essential for supporting both mothers and their children," she adds.

"Improving the job satisfaction of working mothers means that they are less stressed themselves," says Dr. Jessop, "and extending the availability of affordable and adequate childcare may not only improve the quality of life for the mothers but, in doing so, may improve the long term health of their children."

Healthy Adaptation to Stress

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates blood pressure and cardiovascular function and immune function. It also controls the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Cortisol secretion increases in response to stress, whether physical -- such as illness, trauma, surgery or temperature extremes -- or psychological. It is a normal and essential response without which we would not be able to function in everyday life.

When these levels remain high or become disrupted in some way over a prolonged period of time, however, they may have consequences for health. It is important to promote healthy adaptation to stress in children, and good quality childcare is one way of doing this, say the authors.

This Static Spot is open for sponsor

This Static Spot is open for sponsor