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NO STRESS ZONE.

De-Stress Right Now

2/1/2016

 

When we're stressed, hormones like Cortisol flood our systems, producing the "fight or flight response" in which our heart rate goes up, we breathe more heavily (requiring more oxygen) and our blood vessels constrict. This can contribute to chronic conditions like hypertension and headaches, as well as mental health concerns like depression and anxiety disorders. And for this reason


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Go For A 10 Minute Walk
Walking boost endorphins which in turn reduces stress hormones. 

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Breathe Deeply

“Breathing exercises can help you relax, because they make your body feel like it does when you are already relaxed,” explains WebMD.

Breathing exercises or even just taking a few deep breaths can help reduce tension and relieve stress, thanks to an extra boost of oxygen. While shallow breathing -- a marker of stress -- stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, deep breathing does the opposite: It stimulates the parasympathetic reaction, which helps us to calm down.

What’s more, breathing exercises have been proven in clinical research to aid some of the systems that are harmed by stress: Reduce blood pressure.


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A short visualization is an easy way to get back to center. Even the National Institutes for Health recognizes the power of “guided imagery” to elicit a relaxation response.

Simply make yourself comfortable (at your desk, in an empty conference room -- wherever!) and then try to picture a peaceful scene: a future vacation, your favorite beach. You can even visualize yourself accomplishing a future goal.


Buy Yourself A Plant

House plants aren’t just beautiful air purifiers -- they can actually help you calm down. Researchers have found that simply being around plants can induce your relaxation response. One Washington State University study found that a group of stressed-out people who entered a room full of plants had a four-point drop in their blood pressure, while a comparison group who didn’t see plants dropped only two points, Prevention magazine reported.

house plant anyone?


unplug
Step Away From The Screen

Make sure to take frequent breaks during your day of computer use -- and try to shut offline at least an hour before bedtime.


Put On Some Music
Eat A Banana
Try Eagle Pose

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