Deal With Fatigue and Stress
Stress and fatigue have become a part of our everyday existence, but they can lead to serious health problems. Learning a few simple steps to relieve stress and fatigue will not only help you stay healthy, but help you enjoy life.
Instructions
1. Avoid stress whenever possible. Identify those stresses in your life that you can change or avoid. The crazy morning commute is enough to stress all of us. Taking a different route to work may help reduce stress. Leaving the house fifteen minutes earlier or later may also help. If those things are not possible, listening to an audio book or soothing music while driving may help
2. Adjust your attitude! "Don't sweat the small stuff" is advice that is usually given to cancer patients. There is great wisdom in this saying because attitude can affect stress levels. Perfectionists who have to have everything done perfectly lead very stressful lives. Optimists and those with a good sense of humor feel a lot less stressed. They may both experience the same stress, yet how they choose to deal with the stress makes all the difference in the world.
3. Recognize the cycle of stress. Many physical illnesses can cause fatigue such as heart disease, strokes and muscle diseases. The fatigue caused by these diseases and others can cause a great deal of stress. The fatigue suffered by these patients causes a lifestyle change, they are no longer able to do the things they used to do. This fact often causes stress and can lead to further complications. Imagine being chased by a wild animal; your heart is pumping and you are running hard. When the chase is over, you are exhausted. Stress can cause fatigue by affecting the adrenal glands, which are the source of the "fight or flight" reaction. Continual stress keeps adrenaline pumping through the system. Those patients who have a lot of continuing stress in their lives have the added symptom of fatigue.
4. Listening to music is one of the many easy stress reducers. Music is a great stress reducer, whether it is elevator music or rock n roll. Music can mellow us or make us happy. Singing along with music or even whistling can elevate moods and reduce stress.
5. Get up and exercise. Exercise doesn't have to be excessively physical to help reduce stress. Walking is a great exercise for stress reduction, as is swimming, golfing and dancing. Exercise releases endorphins, which is the natural "high" feeling runners get during marathons. Even a modest amount of light exercise will help reduce stress. Try yoga, it is perhaps the best stress reducing exercise as it is based on what you can do, not what you must do. Yoga emphasizes breathing techniques and stretching to gently ease your body and mind into better condition.
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