Did you know that stress is a killer?

Stress is a major cause of heart attacks, often killing the person concerned, however there are a lot of things that we can do to reduce stress. I learnt many years ago that if could do nothing about a worry I had then it was no use worrying about it. I learnt to shelf those worries and get them out of my mind.

Unfortunately, there are many times in our lives when stress creeps in and causes great angst. Life is busy and work, kids, school and responsibilities can seem overwhelming at times. Do you feel stress getting you down? Here are some tips to help deal with stress and its after-effects.

Stress has become a major cause of anxiety and panic attacks. If not dealt with, it can have an incapacitating effect on your life. More often than not, most people with A-type personalities are prime candidates for stress induced symptoms. The perfectionism they seek in everything they do never quite measures up to their expectations. This is not a perfect world; and it’s time those who live in it realize they aren’t perfect either.

Most people deal with stress in different ways; either they ignore the initial problem which caused it; retreat within themselves, or fall apart. However, those who recognize the signs nip it in the bud before it completely takes over. Using simple exercises can relieve the onset of stress. For example: While sitting at your desk at work, breathing exercises can bring you back to a calm state. Going outside for some fresh air also helps.
Walking or running for 20 minutes can release endorphins which relieve stress. Listening to classical music lowers the blood pressure, and brings calm within.

Sometimes, however, stress reveals itself in other ways. Light-headedness, an inability to focus, feelings of pressure and palpitations are all symptoms of stress. Moreover, continued stress can produce anxiety, panic, and the fright or flight syndrome. Here is one such case of how stress can simply overwhelm and, in some cases, debilitate. A secretary was called into her administrator’s office, which was quite large and comfortable. As she was taking dictation, she suddenly found it hard to breathe; began to lose focus; and a queasy feeling in her stomach ensued. She could no longer concentrate on his voice, and ran out of the room.

Unbeknownst to her, she had just experienced an anxiety attack brought on by stress. However, while there was nothing stressful going on at the time, she later identified the cause. An unpleasant thought had entered her mind while she was taking dictation, causing fear to take over forcing her to flee the office.

Upon further examination, it was determined the stress in her home life simply became too much, and filtered its way in to her work day.

If stress is getting you down, examine the cause. Determine the origin, and discuss it with a professional or a loved one. Stress, if not acted upon, can cause serious health problems. Avoid it at all costs, if you can.

6 Ways to Deal with the Stress in Your Life

* Talk about the problems you are experiencing with friends, loved ones or a professional. Keeping everything bottled up will only create more problems later on. Join a support group with people experiencing similar problems.

* Exercise often. Go to the park and walk for 20-30 minutes either every day or every other day. Exercise relieves tension and produces a calming effect. Perhaps joining a gym with a friend would be more to your liking.

* Yoga exercises. Sit in a quiet room alone and begin breathing exercises. Choose a mantra which will help you to stay focused.

* Music does calm the savage beast. Listen to some classical or instrumental music. Ocean or nature sounds are a perfect way to release stress. This has always been a big plus for me, I use it often.

* Healthy meals can become an important factor in limiting your stress. Ensure you eat three meals a day, and make an effort to avoid too much caffeine and sugar.

* Sleep deprivation can cause stress. Go to bed early. Seven to eight hours sleep can make all the difference.

Coping with stress can be challenging. Every day you seem to be pulled in every direction, trying to accommodate others. The first priority is to take care of you. You are the thread which holds your family together. If you are stressed, you won’t be much good to anyone.

Give yourself a break every now and then. Buy a new outfit; go to a movie; do something you’ve always wanted to do. Your family can take care of themselves for one day. Alone time is just as important to you as it is for everyone else. Think of yourself as a gas tank; eventually you will run out of fuel.

Laughter is a wonderful release. You’ve probably noticed those times when you’ve laughed so hard, you cried. This is probably due to the fact you haven’t laughed in a while, and the tension released through laughter is the best cure-all method for dealing with stress-related issues.

Avoid stressful situations whenever possible. If you are a working mom, it’s probably not the job but the people who are causing you the most stress. Take everything in stride.
If you can’t finish a task, don’t worry about it. If dinner doesn’t turn out as you expected, improvise or order out.

Life is too short; and stress can reduce it further. Nothing is more important than your health or state of mind. Eleanor Roosevelt wisely said, “No one can make you a victim without your consent.” She was right; it is, after all, up to you.