Stress Abounds, But There's Hope!

Chronic stress is rampant with national news teetering up and down daily, sometimes affecting us at home. Here are some surprising statistics that you might be unaware of.

85% of females say stress interferes with their normal sleeping habits. 73% people complain about not having enough time to finish crucial to-do lists. 71% of women claim stress-induced irritability, while 65% of them take their worries out on a family member, husband or partner. People, particularily the men, in their lives might attest to this or say the percentage is a little higher. 63% have constant stress about their job and 60% report stress-induced muscle and body aches; roughly half have head or stomach aches and/or memory lapses. Some Sound Advice Although there's no immediate fix-it-all solution for our daily challenges, there are certain things we can keep in mind and do to help ourselves become a little happier and possibly live better. The Arts Whenever possible, turn the radio on. Its been reported that listening to good music with a slower pace may help the body relax more, with the brain waves keeping time with the steady beat. The exact opposite may also be true, in that faster music such as techno, may do the opposite, stimulating your brain waves and heart beat to become faster, more intense and stressed. Slow down once in a while and give yourself a relaxing break from the fast. Read a good book. Temporarily removing yourself from reality and pouring your attention into a good story can lower your anxiety levels. That small escape may also give you the much needed motivation or push (not to mention a clearer head) to be more efficient and get more things done. Adversely, when you're stuck in the same slump over time, you can become overwhelmed thus thwarting your productivity to nearly nil. At the very least, give yourself something to look forward to at the end of the day. Communication is Key Talk more with friends. We all need a little ventilation at times. The release of pent-up frustration can surprisingly also lead to a variance in perspective you may not have had earlier. At the very least, it will allow some weight to be lifted from your shoulders and in tandem, you may also be helping a friend relieve his or her stress too. Misery loves company, so go have a cup of coffee with your best pal at least once a week. Eating and Sleeping Habits Sleep more. Its beenstatisically proven that people who allow themselves a consistant sleep routine with a minimum of 8 hours,are both happier and healthier, than those who do not. Its also been reported in some cases, that sleep routine is linked to weight loss. Pamper yourself with a decent night time schedule if possible. You'll be refreshed, be able to take more on with a brighteroutlook and look better doing it. If you are what you eat then sometimes being a little nutty can be a good thing. Almonds, pistachios and walnuts are among some of the listed foods said to be positive mood stimulators, along with lowfat yogurt, salmon, scallops and shrimp. There are also foods that can help stimulate your brain for better memory retention and help you sleep better. So don't just watch what you eat, but also be cognizant of when you eat it too. What Comes Natural Attitude is contagious, good or bad. Give someone a heartfelt compliment once in a while. It will probably go a long way. When talking to the afore-mentioned friend over coffee, thank them and tell them how much they mean to you. Good spirited-ness makes you feel better all around and gives your aura a real boost. What comes around, goes around, as they say, so why not let it be something positive for a change. Make your various to-do lists and sort them out, in order of importance. Checking your items off will not only allow you to get things done in batches butwriting them down can be cathartic and sometimes put things in perspectiveto help you think more productively. And lastly, don't forget to breathe... and laugh out loud once in a while for goodness sake. Out of all that one can suggest to relieve stress during the day, these two things are probably the simpliestand least thought of to do.They're the easiest 'tasks', but sometimes we mayforget to just take abreakand think.They're the best solution for almost anything that life can throw at us.

From all of us at Dr. Siegel's Office, have a wonderful 2009!

(We acknowledge selfmagazine.com as a sourcefor this article.)