The Epidemic of the Eighties is Still Here

Introduction

Time magazine called stress the "The Epidemic of the Eighties". Stress is America's #1 health problem. The reasons for about 90% of visits to doctors there are stress-related. What is stress, and what are its causes? Why does it lead to doctor visits, and what can you do to reduce it? This article seeks to answer these questions briefly.

What is Stress and How Does it Affect You?

Stress is your reactions a threat or challenge. These reactions may cause changes in your body, in your mind or action.

Changes in your body would include increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, muscle tension, dry mouth, dilated pupils and increased blood sugar levels.

Concentration problems, forgetfulness, indecision, nervousness, anger and irritability are some of the changes in your mind as a result of stress.

Examples of changes in action include tremors, difficulty in sleeping, shaky voice, loss of appetite, jumpiness and accident proneness.

Sources of Stress

Stress has a number of causes. There are large issues like retirement, divorce, moving, and the death of a loved one. Some relatively minor sources of stress are sitting in a traffic jam while you are late for an appointment, unpaid bills, and an uncooperative neighbour. Our jobs are also a fertile source of stress.

Children, teenagers, college students the elderly are all experience stress for various reasons.

Stress-related Ailments

There is good stress and there is bad stress (distress). Bad stress is the one usually meant when the word is mentioned. Bad stress causes trouble hence it leads to doctor visits.

Health problems commonly associated with stress are fatigue, sweating, dry mouth or difficulty in swallowing, insomnia or interrupted sleep cycles, relationship or sexual problems, trembling, dizziness, rapid breathing or irregular heart rate and so on.

Some people turn to hard drugs and alcohol and others take out their frustration on the people they care about the most. But there more acceptable ways of dealing with stress. What are these?

How to Handle Stress

(1) Breathe deeply. Relax your muscles, expanding your stomach and chest. Repeat several times.

(2)Exercise regularly. Neck and shoulder exercises are useful for the desk-bound arthritis sufferers.

(3) Eat healthy foods. Don't skip meals. Take time out for lunch no matter how busy you are.

(4) Don't let others get you down. Choose positive friends and avoid worriers. Communicate clearly with your co-workers. When instructions are not clear, seek clarification.

(5) Plan ahead and prevent problems before they occur.

(6) Retreat to recharge your spirit. Schedule private time every day. You deserve it.

(7) Savour life's little delights. Enjoy a movie, watch a sports event, read a book.

(8) Don't be filled with gloom. Replace negative self-talk with affirmations.

(9) Be optimistic. Count your blessings when everything seems to go wrong.

(10) Plan your time wisely. And realistically. Leave room for unanticipated events. Do one thing at a time.

(11) Get enough sleep.

(12) Strive for your dreams. Plan ahead to meet your most cherished

goals in life.

You have these twelve keys to stress reduction. Use them and enjoy stress-free living.

Webmasters and Ezine publishers may publish this article provided that they include the resource box and leave the article unaltered.

Copyright Matthew Eigbe 2005

Matthew Eigbe
matthew@mattlinks.com
Matthew Eigbe is the publisher of Clear Health Guide, a weekly newsletter that seeks to improve your quality of life by making available to you health information in an easy-to-read manner. Suscribe by sending a mail to matbet@GetResponse.com.

---

Empowerment for Highly Sensitive People: Part 1

Are you a person who has a keen imagination, a... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: How to Handle Change

Q. I have just recently come to recognize that I... Read More

Do You Have Your Foot On The Pedal? Are You Overwhelmed At Work?

Is your in-tray or inbox full? I don't normally check... Read More

Easy Elimination Of Worry & Stress!

It is very true that, unfortunately, many people look to... Read More

The Power of Five

Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting... Read More

Moving Through Breakdowns with Transformation

Success in recovery, or rather, staying in recovery, is dependent... Read More

Beating Middle of the Night Stress

What do you do when you wake up in the... Read More

Bite-Size Chunks! The Power Of Daily Actions

There may be so much you want to change in... Read More

Stress Management - Overcoming Adversity

Adversity is an unavoidable part of life. Death of a... Read More

Stress Relief ? A Backyard Hot Tub Is Your Answer

We all know what it's like coming home from a... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: 3 Powerful Tools to Beat Stress

Q: We recently had someone come to our company to... Read More

Coping as a Tool of Enchantment

Many of my readers write to me about the tensions... Read More

How to Recognize Stress Before it Turns Into Anger

After a stressful day as a computer programmer, Jim pulled... Read More

Stress Relief

Traffic jams. Toddler tantrums. Deadlines at work. Money troubles. Too... Read More

Squeeze To Relax!

This heading may seem like a contradiction in terms. How... Read More

Stress Management: Declare Your Freedom From...

1)Excessive worryNo, I'm not saying "don't worry, be happy."Well-used worry... Read More

Stress Management--Getting the Better of the Daily Grind

There are many kinds of daily grinds. In the U.S.... Read More

Is it a Crime to be a White Guy in A Tan Car?

I had the unpleasant experience of being pulled over the... Read More

How To Stress Less and Smile More-The Six Fundamental Steps To Improved Health

More than two-thirds of visits to doctors' surgeries are for... Read More

Stress & Performance: How Much is Just Right?

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYSExperts in the stress management field have... Read More

Training Your Mind For Better Business and Leisure

Training Your Mind For Better Business and LeisureModern life moves... Read More

Stress Management Shouldnt Create More Stress. 10 Ways To Reduce Unreasonable Stress and Boost Perf

We all know that stress levels in the workplace are... Read More

Stress And Anxiety - Take Charge Of It!

Have you ever noticed what occurs when you are suddenly... Read More

FEAR: How to Defeat the Monster

What is the greatest fear of man? Is it death?... Read More

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Do You Worry All The Time?

Do you worry all the time?Do the following symptoms bother... Read More

Life Happens

Shit happens. I know this to be a fact, because... Read More

Strategies for Eliminating and Managing Stress

To combat modern day stressors, you need to realize that... Read More

Stress Managment and Mastery: 7 Ways to Take Yourself Off Restriction

Q. So many times in my life, I seem to... Read More

Sshhh... Listen to Your Own Voice

It was a self-exploration that made me understand myself. It... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: How to Learn from Mistakes

Q. I've been told that I need to learn from... Read More

Stress Management

The fast pace of life is taking toll on every... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: 3 Steps to Loving What You Do

My first real job (schedule, time clock, paycheck, boss) was... Read More

Stress Management: 12 Stress Busters for Speedy Stress Reduction

Are You Too Stressed?Is your stomach all tied up in... Read More