Stress Management Tip #1

Take Care of Yourself

I was walking my dog yesterday and pondering the woes of the world when I began to think about my last blog.  Are you stressed?  With the day to day business that we all face between home, work, and family it is easy to get overwhelmed.  Add on top of that anything that you see on the news and what do you get... STRESS!!!

So here  are some suggestions on ways we can take better care of ourselves and learn to manage our stress in a healthy way.

• Get plenty of rest.  Simple, but in America it is not done well.  Adults and children alike do not get enough sleep.  Not getting adequate sleep has been linked to heart disease and obesity.  The National Sleep Foundation gives the following recommendations for amount of sleep needed for the average American according to age.  

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• Exercise.  The American Heart Association suggests at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity). 30 minutes a day, five times a week is an easy goal to remember, however you will also experience benefits even if you divide your time into two or three segments of 10 -15 minutes per day. Physical activity is anything that makes you move your body and burn calories, such as climbing stairs or playing sports. Aerobic exercises benefit your heart, such as walking, jogging, swimming or biking. Strength and stretching exercises are best for overall stamina and flexibility.  The simplest, positive change you can make to effectively improve your heart health is to start walking. It's enjoyable, free, easy, social and great exercise. A walking program is flexible and boasts high success rates because people can stick with it. It's easy for walking to become a regular and satisfying part of life.

• Eat well.  A particularly hard one for me as I come from a long line of chocolate addicts!  
• Don't smoke.  If you smoke, make a decision to quite no matter what the costs.  You will not regret the decision.
• Limit how much you drink.  
• Engage in an activity that you enjoy.  For some it is gardening, meeting with friends, crafting, reading, or creating.  Find an activity that is fun and relaxing for you and  makes you feel good.