Stress is a common feeling in all of our lives, and it's brought about by feelings of anxiety, urgency and concern. Stress begins with the diagnosis of an issue, which then kicks off stress responses in the body, leading us to a state of panic and confusion.
A new study by researchers at Harvard and Stanford has quantified just how much a stressful workplace may be shaving off life spans. It suggests that the amount of life lost to stress varies significantly for people of different races, educational levels and genders, and ranges up to nearly three years of life lost for some groups.
Unfortunately there is no magic that will remove the impact of stress in life, but controlling stress is an active process which means that you will have to take conscious and deliberate steps to limit its impact. However, there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce stress level.
Be careful about what you eat and drink
Eat a well balanced diet, at least three regular meals a day. Eat foods which will release energy slowly and are likely to have a calming effect. Food or drink high in sugar may give you instant energy, but in the long term may wind you up leaving you feeling edgy than before. Limit your consumption of caffeine particularly found in tea and coffee. Try to also limit your use of alcohol and to avoid all use of non-prescribed drugs.Get enough sleep
Make sure that you get plenty of rest; six to eight hours a night are recommended. If getting to sleep is a problem, ensure that you have at least a half an hour break before going to bed. Use this break to do anything relaxing which will take your mind off your work such as:Take regular exercise
Exercising regularly will not only help to keep you physically healthy, but also uses up the hormones produced when you are stressed, relax the muscles which become tense when you are stressed. Anything that gets you moving around is beneficial, especially in the fresh air every day.Control your breathing
If you notice that you are starting to feel very stressed, try to regulate your breathing by concentrating on breathing out to a slow count of four; the breathing in will take care of itself. It will be helpful if you practice this exercise when you are not stressed so that you are very familiar with the technique when the need arises.Make time for fun
Build leisure time, get involved in a curricular activity, such as sports, crafts, hobbies or music. Anything that you find relaxing or enjoyable and which will give you a break from thinking or worrying
Bounce back from stress and live a longer life
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