Stress Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Be Well Solutions

Be Kind for Your Health

When was the last time you did something nice for someone? If the answer doesn’t come to mind quickly, it’s time to act. This month we describe how acts of kindness offered once a day — like a vitamin — can offer much the same benefits. Let’s face it, we all appreciate when someone does something nice for us. But did you know the helper is getting something as well? There are numerous scientific reports documenting the health benefits that helping others provides. Acts of kindness improve emotional health, self-esteem, and even physical problems. People often describe a “helper’s high” that accompanies a good deed. This feeling of satisfaction comes from the release of chemicals called endorphins, a natural painkiller that also reduces anxiety and tension. That explains why folks in pain often feel an improvement in symptoms when [...]

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Gratitude and Stress Management

Feeling extra stressed this time of year? Press pause and practice a little gratitude. Studies have shown that gratitude can help improve your mood and create more positive feelings. The “feel-good” hormones like dopamine and serotonin are often released when we practice gracious thoughts and actions. This can help cultivate happier moods and a better headspace for managing stress (Positive Psychology). Giving thanks comes in many forms. Use the tips below to learn how you can be grateful every day. Count Your Blessings Taking time to count your blessings can cultivate a thankful mood in a hurry. In a moment of frustration, stop and think about 3-5 things that you are grateful about. For example, when traffic is stressing you out, pause and think about the blessings of transportation, the weather, or even a favorite song on the radio. [...]

Tags: dopamine, gracious, grateful, gratitude, serotonin, stress, stress management, thankful, thanks, thanksgiving|

Eye Yoga

Eye Yoga You’re most likely familiar with the term Yoga, which encompasses exercises focusing on breath, flexibility, mindfulness, and strength in various postures or poses. So, what exactly is Eye Yoga, and how can it be a beneficial part of our exercise routine? Let’s take a deeper look. What Is It? Eye Yoga consists of exercises or movements that focus specifically on the muscles supporting the eye. These exercises are designed to help with better eye focus and give you a break from something you have been looking at for an extended time, such as a computer screen, phone, etc. Some common Eye Yoga exercises include palming, eye-rolling, focus shifting, and distance gazing. Yoga International has an informative guide for performing these exercises. What Are the Benefits? There has been mixed research on Eye Yoga and its specific benefits. Some [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, eye health, eye strain, eye strain relief, eye yoga, focus, stress, yoga|

Mindfulness Meditation

What is the first thing you think of when someone tells you to meditate? Perhaps you think of monks sitting cross-legged repeating “hum” in a Zen garden. This may be the truth for some, but the modern world has taken a different approach to meditation, combining the practice with a concept known as mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation has shown to have long-lasting benefits and can be easily done by anybody. What is Mindfulness Meditation? Mindfulness meditation is an approach to becoming aware of our breath and mindset. It involves examining each breath we take and noticing how our mind begins to wander during this task. As we continue to practice returning to our breath, we are able to build the muscles of attention and mindfulness. We increase our own ability to stay in the present as we guide ourselves to [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, de-stress, destress, health, meditation, mindful, mindfulness, stress, wellness|

Adaptogenic Mushrooms

The largest living organism in the world is a fungus: the almighty mushroom. At the cell level, mushrooms have more in common with humans than any other plant. Maybe that is why they seem so helpful to human health? Adaptogens are a class of herb that are thought to help us cope with stress. Types of stress range from general inflammation to fight-or-flight response. The thought is that they aid in the ability of our bodies to cope and adapt to physical, biological, and chemical stress. Consuming adaptogenic herbs can possibly help reduce physical fatigue along with depression and anxiety, enhance mental performance and immunity, and generally help you thrive under pressure. Medicinal mushrooms have been used for thousands of years in Eastern Medicine. The adaptogen class of these mushrooms have shown to reduce the effects of stress on [...]

Tags: adaptogen, adaptogens, arthritis, cordyceps, disease prevention, fungi, herbal medicine, inflammation, integrative medicine, lion's mane, medicinal mushrooms, mushroom, mycelium, reishi, stress, wellness, World Autoimmune Arthritis Day|

Declutter to De-Stress, May 2021

Read Time: 1 min 59 sec Einstein’s last day of work ended with a cluttered desk. Does clutter confuse you or is it organized chaos for the genius mind? Most people cannot think clearly with a workspace in disarray. It has been shown that being surrounded by mess leads to a lack of productivity and motivation. Overstimulation of our brains by clutter does not just affect our work headspace. It has been seen that women who perceive their homes as cluttered have higher cortisol levels which we know is correlated to obesity. The following are tips to declutter and de-stress about the environment. Office Organize- Put frequently used items within reach. Organize the items you don’t use as often and place them out of site. Folders- Put all items in their folder. Create a pending folder for all the things [...]

Tags: clean, de-stress, declutter, declutter your home, destress, how to declutter your home, recycle, spring clean, stress|

Laugh Off Your Stress

Laugh Off Your Stress Read Time: 2 min 16 secs Feeling stressed? Tense? Depressed? According to The American Institute of Stress, 80 percent of US workers suffer from work-related stress. Women tend to express more difficulty with stress, perhaps because of the many hats they have to wear. Not to mention that 62 percent of people end their day with neck pain and another 34 percent report difficulty sleeping. Stress can rear its ugly head in all ages and stages of life, causing an array of effects on our bodies, minds, and overall life. April recognizes National Stress Awareness Month and its goal to raise awareness of how stress directly can affect our health and overall wellbeing. During April, we also recognize National Humor Month! It is a great time to recognize how important laughter is in your life. Laughing [...]

Tags: coping, corporate wellness, laugh off stress, laughter best medcine, stress|

Stress, Screens, and Sleep

Stress, Screens, and Sleep Read Time: 2 minutes 06 seconds What do our stress levels and screen time have to do with sleep? Both can have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of our rest. Nighttime Stress Management Stress levels can build throughout the day, and if not managed properly, they can linger on to cause sleepless nights. While we can’t get rid of stress completely, there are strategies that we can practice to help manage stress and give our minds a break. The keyword here is “practice” since relaxation techniques work if you do them regularly. Try these stress-busters for a better night’s rest: Meditation. From guided videos to progressive muscle relaxation, meditation can be a beneficial tool for managing stress. Meditation teaches focusing and being present in the moment. When our minds start to wander with [...]

Tags: blue light, corporate wellness, screen time, sleep, sleep health, stress|

Stress and Heart Disease

Stress and Heart Disease Read Time: 1 minute 6 seconds Stress can cause our heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure to rise. This is a normal response and can be necessary at certain times. However, when stress sticks around for long periods of time, it can start to take a toll on the body. This includes many of our internal organs, including the heart. How Stress Affects the Heart When stress is prolonged and poorly managed, a higher level of the hormone cortisol lingers in the body. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, “Studies suggest that the high levels of cortisol from long-term stress can increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure.” An elevation in these factors leads to a higher risk of heart disease. Chronic stress has also been shown to increase the rate [...]

Tags: corporate welllness, heart disease, stress|

Gratitude: Random Acts of Kindness

Random Acts of Kindness Read Time: 1 min 35 seconds According to research, perpetually kind people have 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone), and age slower than the average population. Performing acts of kindness not only enhances others’ lives but is rewarding to our bodies and minds through feel-good hormones that are released. However, the effects of kindness aren't long-lasting, which means cultivating a daily practice of kindness for ourselves and others, is key. Each year, Random Acts of Kindness week is recognized from February 14th to February 20th. There is no better time to cultivate kindness than now! Benefits of Kindness Have you ever felt that warm feeling when you’ve done something kind? When we perform acts of kindness, hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin are released in the brain. These hormones can give you feelings of satisfaction, [...]

Tags: corporate welllness, forgiveness, gratitude, health prevention, kindness, random acts of kindness week|