Can you measure stress?

There are some illnesses that are easy to measure, like blood pressure where a simple test will tell you if you are in good or bad range. Cholesterol levels are also easy to find out through a blood test.  Unfortunately there are health problems that can’t be quantified so easily, like stress which can be triggered by certain situations.

We have all had stress at some time during our lives and for many folks stress is a real problem because they don’t know how to handle stressful situations. These stressors could happen quite frequently causing much distress and even health problems. One tool to be able to avoid stress is to be able to measure it.

Ways to measure stress

• Some of things may seem obvious but they are worth mentioning…
• A high pulse rate
• High blood pressure (it could also be other things so check with your doctor)
• There are questionnaires or stress tests that will tell you if you are stressed
• Muscle tension
• Excessive sweating

If you let stress run havoc over your life, the results will be devastating. Stress can cause major health problems and prevent you from leading a healthy and productive life.

Take care…

Sleep and stress

Sleep and stress

Sleep and proper rest is something that the body just can’t do without.  Sure, you can survive on little sleep but it will eventually catch up to you. Without sleep the brain doesn’t function properly and neither does the body. Lack of sleep is a big problem in today’s society with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome to name a few. Something else that affects sleep is stress and anxiety, another reason to control the issues that produce stress.

If you are stressed during the day chances are you wouldn’t forget about what is causing that stress when you go to bed. Your mind will go over and over the events of the day slowing down the process of falling asleep and if you do fall asleep it probably wouldn’t be restful.

What can you do about it…?

1.      Caffeine is an important tool for most people in that it keeps them alert and awake. The problem with caffeine is that is also causes stress, particularly if you drink quite a bit of it during the day.  It isn’t easy but make an effort to cut back on it especially at night.

2.      Meditation is a good way to lose the stress before going to bed.  It takes time to get the hang of it but it is worth the effort.

3.      Cut out late night eating. Less food on your stomach will make sleeping much better.

4.      Exercise is a great way to relieve stress but don’t do it before you go to bed. 

It is also important to remember that lack of sleep can also cause stress, anxiety and depression. Practicing good sleeping habits promotes emotional wellness.

Take care…

Most stressful situations

You just know that it is going to happen whenever you do something in a particular situation or you are around certain people there is bound to be stress. You might try to avoid the situation as much as possible but it is no use you brace yourself and enter the ring of anxiety and stress.

What are typical stressful situations?

• An unhappy job can be one of the worse things to bring on stress especially if it involves working with someone you don’t like.
• Bad relationships within the family can make family get-togethers difficult. You probably spend the majority of the party trying to avoid some of your relatives.
• For teenagers and those going to school taking a test can be excruciating no matter how much time you spent studying.  After the test you probably feel like you have run a marathon.
• Anything dealing with money or lack of it can bring on stress. An unexpected expense can really make you sweat.
• Your health and your family’s health is always a concern no matter if you live a healthy lifestyle or not. Health problems, some of them major, can pop up when you aren’t expecting them to.
• Buying a house and selling a house takes time and a lot of work not to mention all the worry that comes with wondering if you will find a house to live in and sell the one you used to live in.

This is just a few of the many situations that can bring on stress, anxiety and worry.

Take care…

What is depression?

More than just having the blues or a bad day depression can be a heavy burden to carry. Everyone has times in their life where things are difficult to deal with, whether it is financially or dealing with family or relationships or anything else. But being upset about certain things is different than just being depressed for no reason. Unfortunately that is how depression sometimes works. There just seems to be a dark cloud hanging over your existence and you can’t understand why.

A lot of research has been done over the years that point to a chemical imbalance that brings on the depression. Of course not everyone agrees with that conclusion.  Major life events can also start and even make depression worse.  It has also been shown that depression sometimes runs in the family but of course that is not to say that you can’t be the only one in your family with it.

Treatment for depression

Traditional treatments usually include counseling whereas in the last few decades more and more folks are being prescribed anti-depressants such as Prozac and celexa.  Support groups have also been found to be successful.

Needless to say alcohol and recreational drugs can be detrimental to the treatment of depression. Often people who are depressed try to find relief with those type substances making matters worse.

If you feel like you are depressed talk to doctor or medical provider about seeking treatment.

Take care.