Avoiding the Wreckage Caused by Stress

By Donna Stark

There are a lot of things in life that can wreck your overall health and wellness, but nothing is as insidious as the amount of stress you deal with day in and day out. Even if you think you are far removed from its grasp because nothing screams "traumatic event" in your life at the moment, you aren't entirely safe from the effects of stress. After all, bills still need to be paid, kids still need to get to practice, and your workday still doesn't have enough hours in it to get everything accomplished. It's those little, unassuming, daily stressors that can often jeopardize your health far more than those big life-altering events do, so pay attention!

Avoiding the Wreckage Caused by Stress

Next to balancing your budget and filing taxes, managing your stress is arguably one of the most important life skills you can learn. By learning how to manage your stress effectively, you can significantly improve your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, and fortunately, unlike those hard-to-understand yearly taxes, doing so can actually be quite easy. Take a look at some simple suggestions below.

• Focus on fitness - By increasing endorphin levels, decreasing adrenaline, stabilizing your mood, and improving concentration, exercise is the perfect tool for stress reduction. On top of that, it's a great way to improve your physical health too!
• Get your sleep - When you look at how long your list of responsibilities and obligations is, it's obvious you need your sleep, but do you give your body enough of it? In addition to wreaking havoc on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, sleep deprivation can also increase the amount of stress and anxiety you feel. So, be sure to get the recommended amount of sleep each night and stay consistent with your sleep schedule throughout the week.
• Hang out with friends - There is nothing better or more calming than spending time with those you love. Connecting with family and friends, and nurturing those relationships, is a great way to fight the effects of stress in your life. Make it a point to share your life and be around others. It's good for everyone involved!

Living a Stress-Free Life

Unlike tax season that comes and goes, stress is with us throughout the entire year, so take the time to learn and implement some of the suggestions above. Or you can even come up with a few of your own! As long as your stress is reduced, there is no wrong way to do it!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Avondale, Ariz.