Protecting yourself against the physical symptoms of stress
Try these ideas for boosting your immunity to stress.
Exercise (daily)– Regular exercise is well known for boosting energy and encouraging a sense of wellbeing. It’ll make you fitter and stronger too but will also increase your self esteem.
Nutrition– Healthy food, including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, will complement exercise in making you look and feel great.
Stop smoking – Smoking is a major cause of ill health in people suffering stress, anxiety and depression.
Drinking in Moderation – Alcohol is often turned to for short-term relief from stress but it is a depressant and can actually contribute to feelings of depression or anxiety and make stress harder to deal with.
Give yourself time out– Make sure you take a lunch break and try to leave work on time. Always take the holidays you are due and be good to yourself. Spending time with family and friends that make you feel happy is key.
Breathing Techniques and Yoga – Take conscious steps to look after yourself and boost your wellbeing. Try yoga or mediation and make time for the things you enjoy doing. Deep breaths and slowing your heart rate down to take away the stress and anxiety will help you feel more relaxed and comfortable in your own skin.
Symptoms of stress
In the short-term, increased heart rate and the sudden release of hormones can affect us physically:
Sweating, quick breathing or hyperventilating.
Nausea or dizziness.
Panic attack.
But prolonged periods of stress can have more serious health effects such as:
chest pain;
headaches;
skin conditions, such as psoriasis;
diarrhoea and constipation;
high blood pressure – leading to coronary heart disease;
indigestion;
loss of sleep;
loss of libido;
fatigue.
Mental wellbeing means feeling good – both about yourself and about the world around you. It means being able to get on with life in the way you want.
Evidence shows that there is a link between being physically active and good mental wellbeing.
Being active doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in the gym, if that doesn’t appeal to you. Find physical activities that you enjoy and think about how to fit more of them into your daily life.
Exercise to help your Health and well being.
Scientists think that physical activity helps maintain and improve wellbeing in a number of ways.
Physical activity can help people with mild depression. Evidence shows that it can also help protect people against anxiety. Physical activity is thought to cause chemical changes in the brain, which can help to positively change our mood.
Some scientists think that being active can improve wellbeing because it brings about a sense of greater self-esteem, self-control and the ability to rise to a challenge.
The benefits of exercise and staying healthy.
- It’s essential if you want to live a healthy and fulfilling life into old age.
- It’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:
- up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
- up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
- a 30% lower risk of early death
- up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
- up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
- a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
- up to a 30% lower risk of depression
- up to a 30% lower risk of dementia
Get Active and live the life you want to the fullest!
For more information on how you can stay healthier by adjusting your eating habits or increasing your exercise please visit:
http://www.dafydd-james.com
